Fulfilling the Law of Christ

What does it look like to fulfill the law of Christ? Actually, it looks like a lot of work, like bearing burdens! It looks like caring for those who need help and observantly watching oneself. It looks like supporting those who teach the Word and sowing the seeds of the Holy Spirit. You can even say it looks like carrying your own load and doing good to all people, not just those in the church. Let’s dig into how Paul exhorts the Galatians to fulfill the law of Christ with these notes from the Moody Bible Commentary.

Fulfilling the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:1-10)

This section gives more guidance as to what walking by the Spirit looks like. There is movement back and forth between responsibility for oneself (e.g., vv. 1b, 3, 7-8) and responsibility for others (vv. 1a, 2, 6).

Bearing

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:1-2

All are susceptible to temptation. Thus gentle and circumspect restoration is the proper response when, through weakness, someone falls into sin (trespass). At times life’s hardships (burdens: a heavy weight, whether literal or figurative; Gk: bare; cf. Mt 20:12; Ac 15:28; Rv 2:24) are too hard to endure alone. The gospel involves self-sacrifice for the benefit of those who are weak (Rm 5:6; cf. Ac 20:35). Thus for Christians to imitate such behavior, they follow the law of Christ (cf. 1Co 9:21). This phrase could refer to the principle by which Jesus Himself lived, to the love command as summary of all law (Lv 19:18; Mt 22:39; Rm 13:8-10), or to the teachings of Jesus as a new Torah that replaces the law of Moses. These three overlap, so one need not make sharp distinctions. The last view seems more likely, however, since Paul knew Jesus’ teaching well, and he set up the law of Christ as a contrast to the law of Moses.

Examining

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5 For each one will bear his own load.

Galatians 6:3-5

A great hindrance to the love portrayed in v. 2 is a conceit in which one falsely thinks he is superior to others in their weaknesses.

To help prevent the conceit warned of in v. 3, one should examine (dokimazo, test, prove; cf. 1Co 11:28; 2Co 8:8; Php 1:10; 1Tm 3:10) oneself, but only for the sake of self-evaluation, and not to compare oneself to another. This self-reflection is called for since each person is responsible for oneself (his or her own load, Gk. phortion; cf. Mt 11:30; Ac 27:10).

Sharing

The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

Galatians 6:6

As Paul said elsewhere (1Co 9:3-14; 1Tm 5:17-18; cf. Mt 10:10), the one who teaches has the right to economic support. Supporting teachers of God’s word is a way to help bear their “burdens” (v. 2). Paul often used the share word group (koinoneo, koinonia) to refer to economic partnership (Rm 12:13; 15:27; 2Co 9:13; Php 4:15; 1Tm 6:18). The people of God have an obligation to provide adequate remuneration for those who dedicate their lives to the ministry of the Word of God.

Sowing

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-8

The proverb about sowing and reaping (cf. Ps 126:5; Pr 22:8; Hs 10:12-13; 2Co 9:6; Jms 3:18) reminds us that actions have causes and consequences. To ignore this cause-effect relationship is to mock God. As with 5:17, there are only two paths: flesh/corruption, Spirit/eternal life. The word corruption (phthora) can refer to literal decay (1Co 15:42; Col 2:22), to moral evils like lust (2Pt 1:4), or in this case to the eternal destruction of hell (2Pt 2:12). Sowing to one’s own flesh includes such things as attempting salvation by works (3:2a) including circumcision (5:2), the evil deeds of the flesh (5:19-21), envy (5:26), and conceit (6:3) to name a few. Sowing to the Spirit includes such things as faith (3:2b), standing in freedom (5:1), the fruit of Spirit (5:22-23), bearing burdens (6:2), and providing economic support for those who teach the word in the church (6:6). If believers sow to the flesh, they will, in this life, reap the kind of moral decay Paul described, though their eternal destiny will remain intact.

Reaping

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Galatians 6:9-10

Only God’s timing determines when the fruit will come from our labor. On the human side there is need for perseverance (to not lose heart). While good should be done to all, Paul placed a higher priority on generously meeting the needs of other believers (the household of faith; cf. 1Co 3:9-17; Eph 2:19-22; 1Tm 3:15). While social justice causes are important, the priority must be given to caring for those in the body of Christ.

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