Paul has just written five chapters of Scripture telling the Galatians that:

1. The Christian way of life begins by faith in The Way - Faith alone in Christ alone (John 14:6)
2. Christians are Christians supernaturally. Unless the professing Christian has been changed by and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, then that person is not a possessing Christian. You can say "I'm a Christian" all you want, but if your works do not show the fruit of the Spirit, you are yet dead in your sins.
3. Christians are not Christians because of ritualism, or do not become or remain Christians by keeping the Mosaic Law.
4. Christians are, in fact, not subject to or under any part of the Mosaic Law. We are under a higher Law, the Law of the Spirit.
5. The Judaizers who came in with their polluting doctrine of circumcision were not Christians, nor even representatives of God. These were people under bondage, focused on bringing others into bondage with them.
6. The Galatians, who were freed from bondage by the Grace of God in Christ, were foolish to even consider moving back into bondage - either into the bondage of the Law, or the bondage of sin.

Historically, and especially in our present times, professing Christians have done just as the Galatians did. They have either moved into some sort of self inflicted Law, such as the ritualism of the Mosaic Law, or they have moved toward license, that is, a tolerance for sin of any type. Having laid the groundwork by teaching that Christians are supernatural, Spirit empowered, under a Higher Law people, Paul goes on to highlight the Normal Christian Life in Galatians 6.

Paul will cover four themes that need to be understood by every Christian. These are:

• The Christian must learn to, as the old fighting term stated, "Roll with the punch". Many people are enticed into trying Christianity by telling them "It's a peaceful way of life, a stress free way of life, a way to escape the cares of this world". Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus told us:

John 15:18-20 (KJV) "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. {19} If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. {20} Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."

The Christian is a person out of sync with the world around him. We are not to submit to the world with an open mind and an open door, but are called to follow the Way, the Christ our Savior in all that we do. Every Apostle who was foundational in the early Church suffered at the hands of the world. Most Apostles died horrible deaths for the faith of Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that the Christian way of life is not compromise with the world, but learning to be content with what you have in Christ:

(Philippians 4:11-12 KJV) "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. {12} I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."

• The second thing we will learn in this chapter is that the Christian is to avoid "Racing his motor". Too often believers worry about things that they have no control over. When we entered the Gulf War I knew a number of believers who moaned that we were entering another Vietnam, and that we were going to be eradicated by Saddam Hussein. When we decisively defeated Hussein, but stopped short of invading Iraq, a number of Christians bemoaned the fact that we stopped short - even though this is what the President promised he would do when we entered the war. Now we've entered another phase of war with Iraq, and the same Christians who whined during the Gulf War are whining now.

  Quit worrying about things that you have no control over! As Christians we have a Heavenly Father Who is looking out for our best interests. If you are a Christian, you should be a voting citizen of the country you are in. But also realize that, even though you vote, you are still subject to a Higher Power and a Higher Country.

(Philippians 4:6-7 KJV) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. {7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

(Psalms 55:22 KJV) "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

(1 Peter 5:7 KJV) "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

When we worry about things, we insult our Creator. He is able to protect us as we live the Christian way of life. Quit worrying, and start studying and praying.

• Finally, the Christian is a person who must never become entrenched in sin, or, if he sins he must never wallow in pity after the sin. As Christians we are to confess our sins to God as soon as we recognize we have fallen into sin. Failure to do this is an exercise in futility. I know a man, a Godly man, once deacon of the Church, who fell into sin. Though he is no longer in the sin, he has, for years, beat himself up over what happened. As a result he is flooded with a sense of worthlessness. He no longer functions as a deacon, and is no better than a nominal Christian in all that he says and does. This is not the Christian way of life.

(1 John 1:9 KJV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Do you want to become a strong, useful servant of Jesus Christ? Then keep a short account with God. When you sin, confess your sin before God and ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Do not, as many Christians do, try and justify your sin before God. You sinned, you did not "make a mistake", or "have an accident" or a "boo boo". God knows your heart, and is not interested in excuses. Don't make excuses, just admit your action was sin, and ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Then move on in your Christian walk. Too many Christians either justify their sin, or else, rather than confess the sin, try and make it up to God. You can't pay for your sin. If your sin has robbed someone, you can (and should) make restitution to that person ... but you cannot make things right with God by doing penance. Honestly confess, then move on, using the resources that our Lord and Savior has richly blessed us with.

Hoekstra states:

Living day by day by grace is essentially about developing an intimate relationship with the Lord. "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." We have considered some of the radical extent of that intimacy through the intriguing phrase "in Christ." "You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, even to Him who was raised from the dead" (Rom 7:4). Through this profound uniting with Christ, astounding spiritual riches are now ours. This is why Paul offered grateful praise to the Lord: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul's thanksgiving was for what the Father has given to us: "who has blessed us." Notice, the verb is in the past tense - this has already happened. What is it that has already been given to us? It is "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." Think of it. This truth is staggering in its implications. Every grace resource that heaven has to offer is already ours here on earth. This does not mean that we are fully aware of all that has been given to us. Certainly, it does not mean that we are experiencing all of these blessings. Yet, it does mean that they are all ours to draw upon for fullness of life here on earth! The reason these rich blessings are ours is that they all reside in Christ. In Christ is forgiveness, righteousness, and wisdom. Also, love, joy, and peace are found in Him. In Christ dwell victory, discernment, and courage. Moreover, compassion, strength, and perseverance are part of who He is. All this and far more is found in Christ. "For it pleased the Father that in Him [in Christ] all the fullness should dwell" (Col 1:19). Now, we dwell in the place ("in Christ") where all of this richness resides: "who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." All these spiritual resources of the kingdom of heaven are now ours "in Christ." "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for [upon] grace" (Joh 1:16).

(Galatians 6:1 KJV) "Brethren, (adelphos, this is addressed to believers) if a man be overtaken (prolambano {pronounced prol-am-ban’-o}, Aorist Passive Subjunctive, be overtaken in a point of time, be surprised and captured by) in a fault, (paraptoma {pronounced par-ap’-to-mah}, a lapse, a false step, deviation) ye which are spiritual, restore (katartizo {pronounced kat-ar-tid’-zo}, Present Active Imperative. This means to repair, set a broken bone - and this word, in no way, refers to being critical of the fallen believer – nor does it mean to feel sympathy for them) such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering (skopeo {pronounced skop-eh’-o}, Present Active Participle, keep on making a reconnaissance of yourself) thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

If I had a dime everytime some bonehead self-righteous Christian sat as Lord and Judge over another fallen believer, I'd have enough money to fund this ministry without having to work a secular job! And I include myself in this "bonehead, self-righteous" category of believer, for I've been guilty of this as well.

As brothers and sisters together under the marvelous Grace of Christ we should all realize how easy it is to allow sin to captivate and entice. Even though the Christian is saved by the Grace of God and the blood of Christ, we are all still - sad but true - human. Each and every one of us will, at various times and for a variety of reasons, purposefully and willingly enter into sin. To those of you who are so smugly thinking at this moment, "Not me, Brother David", sin's already got you in the form of self-righteous pride. When a brother or a sister falls into sin's pit we who are spiritual, that is, those of us who are still in fellowship with God, who are still empowered by God the Holy Spirit are to "restore" that person in the spirit of meekness. Let's examine those words carefully.

"Restore", the Greek KATARTIZO, means "to repair a breach, repair that which is broken, set a broken bone". Let's consider the word in the light of "repair a breach". In ancient times cities were protected from marauding bands of thieves and conquerors by walls. The best example of a wall that I can think of is the Great Wall of China. This wall was put in place over a long period of time to prevent invading armies from attacking China. The best wall, especially in those times, was one that was high, deep, and with few if any handholds. A solid, well made wall would prevent invading armies from sneaking into a city and overwhelming its citizens while they slept.

Because of this it was imperative for every citizen of a walled city to report and help repair breaches in the wall. Only a fool would look at a breach, a hole, a weak point in the wall and say, "Ah, it's not much of a hole, no need to report it". If your safety depended on a solid wall then you wanted that wall to be stable, without crack or handhold that the enemy might use to sneak in and destroy you and your property. So it is with the Church.

The best defense against sin and Satan for the believer is the solid wall of spirituality - Biblical spirituality - found in a properly functioning local church. As believers together we are supposed to watch one another's back! Keep an eye out for any breach in the wall and, if a breach forms in a fellow believer, we are to repair that breach as quickly as possible. We do not look at the breach and say, "Well, that's not such a big hole. I think I'll let it go". Any breach is unacceptable. Do we follow this principle in our churches today? Some do, others do not. Some churches have allowed worldliness to creep in, preaching compromise and acceptance rather than the Word of God. The world doesn't need more worldliness. The world has all the worldliness that it can stand. People need the Savior, the Biblical Savior and His Biblical Word, not some watered down gospel that fails to offend. Those who are spiritual need to recognize the breaches in the wall of the church, the areas where the wall need to be repaired, then need to start the repair process. How do we do this? We pray, and ask that God empower us for the task. Just as Jesus "set His face" to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), we set our face - our minds - on repairing the breach, no matter how arduous and painful. We search the Scripture, and allow the Word and the Spirit to guide us as we fix the breach. We fix the breach by applying the principles of Scripture, not our own whims but what saith the Word, to the situation. We also do not allow emotion of any type to influence the repair process. Recognize the problem. Identify and correct the problem. Move on, together, in your service to Christ as a united Church.

Let's be more specific. A brother or a sister is in sexual sin, and this comes to your attention. How to fix the breach? First, determine if what you have heard is true. Approach that person privately and, gently, not self righteously, inquire as to whether this is idle gossip or truth. If it is true, show the individual what God's Word has to say about sexual sin. Pray with the individual, and offer support to help them overcome this breach in their lives. If they reject you outright, do as our Savior said and come back a second time with other repairers, other breach fixers, and do the same thing. Approach the problem area rationally, Biblically, and non-judiciously. The problem is that there is a breach in the wall that needs to be fixed. Make every effort to repair the breach Biblically. If that person persists in the fault, bring the breach to the attention of the Church. As Jesus said:

Matthew 18:15-17 KJVA Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (16) But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (17) And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

This is NOT the procedure usually followed in our churches today. When a breach forms in the wall of the church, when a member of the flock falls away, into sin's grasp, we usually make it a practice to shoot them as soon as possible. Rather than go to the breach privately our old men and old women usually get on the telephone and help crucify the fallen behind their backs - then we shun them or ignore the problem when we see them in public. Beloved, such things must not continue! Christians who fall into error need to be reproved, if necessary rebuked, then helped back into the proper walk in the Spirit. We are family together in the church of Christ. If your son or daughter stumbled, wouldn't you help correct them and get them back on the path of righteousness? Why would our relationship with one another in the church be any less?

Constable says of the Greek katartizo (restore) that it is also used in Scripture to refer to ...

... mending nets (Matt. 4:21; Mark 1:19) and setting a fractured or dislocated bone. This involves confrontation (cf. Matt. 18:15-17). However the "spiritual" Christian is the one that should do this, namely one whose life bears the fruit of the Spirit because he or she habitually walks by the Spirit (5:16, 25). The more spiritually mature, having walked by the Spirit for some time, the better (cf. 1 Cor. 2:15; Heb. 5:13-14). The spiritual Christian must restore the Christian who has stumbled gently, carefully, and cautiously (cf. 5:23). We can avoid a spirit of self-righteousness in dealing with those who stumble by remembering our own personal vulnerability to temptation.”

(Galatians 6:2 KJV) "Bear ye (bastazo {pronounced bas-tad’-zo}, to carry something aloft, on your shoulders – refers to a heavy burden. Present Active Imperative, keep on carrying) one another's burdens, (baros {pronounced bar’-os }, heavy burdens) and so fulfill (anapleroo {pronounced an-ap-lay-ro’-o}, Aorist Active Imperative, fulfill, complete) the law of Christ."

Sometimes the breach in the wall of the church is not sin in one of it's members, but it is suffering and pain. The Apostle now speaks to us using the Imperative Mood in the Greek, a strong command. If a member in our church suffers under a heavy burden, struggling under the load, we are commanded to not just help them carry the load, but, inasmuch as it is possible, pick up the load ourselves. This we do in the spirit of love. Our Savior commanded us:

Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

John 13:34-35 KJVA A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (35) By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We can only fulfill the "law of Christ", the law of love that He commanded to us, when we visibly and publicly love one another. Jesus said that this is how the world would know that we knew Christ, and that is whether we loved one another as Christ told us to do. Because we have often failed to love as Christ commanded, we have not only left a breach in the wall of the church ... but we have given the appearance that the church is no more than a religious clubhouse. The world does not need another holier than thou religion. The world needs the operational love of the church, a love that loves as Jesus loved. When the world sees a church that operates no better than it does, it sees no incentive to accept Christ as Savior. Why join another group that has little to no impact on my life? But if the local church is filled with believers, each concerned with fulfilling the perfect Law of Love as set forth by our Savior - well, that church becomes a shining light in the midst of this perverse and selfish generation. Such a light will draw others to its Master and, because true love is so sorely lacking in our present era, will convert many to its message.

(Galatians 6:3 KJV) "For if a man think (dokeo {pronounced dok-eh’-o}, Present Active Indicative, keeps on thinking) himself to be something, (tis , a certain one) when he is nothing, (medeis {pronounced may-dice’}, nobody, no one) he deceiveth (phrenapatao {pronounced fren-ap-at-ah’-o}, Present Tense, keeps on deceiving himself) himself."

Here is the great sin of the Christian, the heart of most of the problems we find in our local churches today. We are Christians, joined together in one Body called the Church, because Jesus Christ our Savior bled and died for us. It is His work that gives our work validity. You can have a thousand religious and self righteous people gathered together in one body, call that body the "Church", and yet this will not be the Church. The Church is a group of believers, all focused on Jesus and on His finished work, that band together so that for the common good. Every member in a properly functioning church understands that their contributions to the body are valid only when they are submitted to one another and to Jesus Christ our Lord. The pastor must not preach because he desires to be seen of men, nor must any of him be in the presentation. Jesus only, Jesus only! The deacons or elders must not rule the Body as if it were their property, little dictators determining the movement of that which alone belongs to Christ. Jesus only, Jesus only! We are all nothing but for Christ. The lowly member of the Body, necessary to its proper function, must not withhold offering of time, talent, or funds to the Body because he or she feels they were "wronged". When you strip from the Body, you strip from yourself. When you forbid to the Body, you forbid to Christ. You will be judged, oh proud member! You will be judged, oh foolish leader!

As Christians we keep on deceiving ourselves when we allow pride to enter into the picture. Christians deceive themselves in many different ways. We deceive ourselves by pridefully believing that we have outgrown sin, that we are no longer susceptible to falling. Then, when we fall, we do not confess our sin before God and get back into a proper relationship with Him, because of our pridefulness:

1 John 1:8-10 KJVA If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We deceive ourselves by depending on our own abilities, on the energy of the flesh, in order to serve God. God does not want the wonderful things that we can do in our own power - these things are but weak, useless, silly. Better to hang a child's drawing as a Picasso in the Louvre! It is of no value.

1 Corinthians 3:18 KJVA (18) Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

If you would impress God, consider your pitiful human abilities to be foolish. Throw away your reckonings, your guesses, your thoughts of grandeur, your supposed superiority. If Finney or Moody or Graham or Spurgeon or any of the great messengers of past time had tolerated the least idea of their own superiority over themselves or others, their ministries would have been totally abandoned, desecrated, destroyed. Their ministries were great because the God is Great!

The prideful Christian deceives himself by hearing the Word of God, but refusing to apply that Word to his own life:

James 1:22 KJVA But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

We can read and study the Word of God day in and day out. But unless we apply that Word to our own lives, intimately asking our God and ourselves, "How can I make use of this text?", then we are spinning our wheels. The New Testament Scribes, Pharisees, and Saduccees were our God given example of people who heard the Word but never applied the Word to their own lives. They knew what the Law said, line by line and precept by precept. But they were lifted up in pride by this knowledge, never thinking that they needed to apply this Word to their own lives. As a result they were a bitter, productionless people, never pleasing God and never pleasing their neighbor. They never bridled their own tongues:

James 1:26 KJVA If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.

And, as a result, followed a religion that was totally useless to God or man. Our goal, as Christians, is to fulfill the Law of Christ by showing love, Godly love, in all that we do.

(Galatians 5:14 KJV) "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The world does not need another useless religious system. It does not need another cult, another club, another lodge, another church building. The world needs disciples of Christ who are known by their output of love - not lust, but love - toward all people regardless of race.

(Galatians 6:4 KJV) "But let every man prove (dokimazo {pronounced dok-im-ad’-zo}, Present Active Imperative, to set forth a work for approval) his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."

(Galatians 6:5 KJV) "For every man shall bear his own burden. (phortion {pronounced for-tee’-on}, a weight which is easy to carry, an obligation that is not overly burdensome)"

Why should we who are Christians be overly concerned about our output of righteousness and love for God? Why should we be concerned with fulfilling the Law of Love, as our Messiah commanded? Why? Because we shall all stand before Jesus and be judged one day. Do not think that you have escaped judgment, dearly Beloved. You have escaped damnation by accepting Christ as Savior, but your works will still be judged by the same Savior in the coming Kingdom.

The believer is enabled to do righteous works, works that are acceptable to God, only when he surrenders himself to the Word of God and the indwelling Spirit of God. Any work committed outside of these enablements, though the works are done by a born again child of God, are still considered unworthy in the eyes of God. When we all stand before Jesus Christ on judgment day our works will be weighed, and Christ Himself shall determine whether they are worthy of reward or not.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

All people, whether saved or lost, will have a final appointment with judgment as we pass into eternity. The believer will never be judged for salvation or damnation; his eternal state was resolved when he accepted Christ as Savior. Our works will be judged to determine whether we should receive or lose rewards in Heaven. God gave every Christian the same foundation, the salvation provided by Jesus Christ. We all have the same resources to serve God while on this earth, the Indwelling Holy Spirit along with the spiritual gifts that He so generously gave us (1 Corinthians 12), the Word of God, and prayer. The foundation was laid by God. What we build on that foundation is up to us. The works that we do for God in this life are Scripturally listed in six categories, from totally worthless (stubble, which burns quickly) to gold (which only becomes more refined and more valuable as fire is applied to it). When the believer stands before the Judgment Seat of Christ his earthly works will be tried by "fire". Those works committed in the believer's own power and without the direction of God will quickly turn to ash so that all may see their worthlessness. Works that were done by the believer in the power of the Spirit and the Word will remain as a testament to that believer's faithfulness to the Divine Plan. If I make a big contribution to some charity but do so to be seen of men, others who see that action do not know what was in my heart. On Judgment Day my actions will be exposed as worthless ash. Though I will lose reward, I will yet retain my salvation (he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire). That quiet time I spent in the prayer closet that no one knew about, honestly seeking God's Will for my life - this work will remain as gold, silver, or precious stones, and will be the basis of heavenly reward.

The Apostle Paul was extremely concerned that his earthly works honor his Heavenly Father, as should we all be who are Christians:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

While in this life we are, as children of the Most High God, obligated to do the best we can with that foundation He has given us. We are in a race, and we run that race by concentrating on the goal, we strive for an incorruptible crown. Not so we can have crowns in Heaven to lord over others, but so we can earn reward that we might be able to return it to Jesus to honor Him. Christians must be more focused, more focused on the inner Holy Spirit, more focused on God's Will in our lives, more focused on witnessing the Gospel message, more focused on applying the teachings of the Word of God to their lives. In our text above Paul uses the illustration of a prize fighter in describing the Christian walk. A good fighter works on his eye-hand coordination by going through a series of exercises. If he fails to adequately train himself, when he enters the ring he'll only beat the air, flailing away uselessly as his opponent dodges and weaves. Too often as Christians we fail to focus on the important things (Bible study, prayer time, Church fellowship) and focus instead on the worldly things.

A few years ago a movie came out of Hollywood called The Last Temptation of Jesus Christ. Christians all over America were in an uproar over this movie, picketing it wherever it showed, decrying it from the pulpit, making their displeasure known on the network news. The only question I have to ask you, if you were involved in this, is "did your Lord lead you to do this?". The movie was, in fact, a pitiful movie, hardly worth a second glance. It was the bemused ramblings of a spiritually dead producer, and of course had little artistic or even factual value. Because of the great outcry of many Christians many unbelievers went to see it out of curiosity, many more than would have gone had it been left to die it's own miserable natural death. Unbelievers that should have been witnessed to were instead lured to this movie, where their faithlessness was reaffirmed. "Did your Lord lead you to do this?"

Another prime example of foolish Christians "beating the air" was the case of the Proctor and Gamble logo. Proctor and Gamble had a logo that their company developed at its founding. This logo was placed on all of their products. The logo was small, unintrusive, and always placed on the back of the product near the ingredients panel. The logo, as I recall, had a smiling quarter moon, with thirteen stars around it. Christians somehow got it in their head that this was a satanic emblem, and began boycotting all Proctor and Gamble products. This was spread around many of our Churches, and the boycott grew in it's frenzy. Even though that company released a disclaimer that the logo had nothing to do with Satanism (the thirteen stars represented the thirteen original colonies of the United States) Christians continued the boycott until they removed the emblem from all their products. Again, "Did your Lord lead you to do this?". Who was brought to Christ by that boycott, who was witnessed to by these actions? As Christians we must understand three important things:

(1) The world is lost, and as lost operates under it's own directive called sin.

(2) Our primary responsibility is to witness to that lost world, to reclaim as many souls for Christ as possible before the last trump is sounded.

(3) America is a free country, and the lost as well as the saved have equal freedom, under the law, to do as they please. We are not here to remake man in our image, we are hear to witness of Christ and to so expand the family of God. When we get off track into our own righteousnesses, our human good, we harm the cause of Christ. As the writer of Hebrews puts it:

Hebrews 12:1-2 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The world is watching the Christian to see how we behave. If we respond with our own human good, we harm the cause of Christ. If we focus on Christ and on the power of God, we will grow together as the people of God while we bring others into the fold. We also earn rewards that we will one day be able to toss at our Savior's feet in Heaven.

Colossians 1:9-10 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"

Conquering human good and growing in Divine good begins by studying the Word of God. Only then will you be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. As you begin your own personal Bible study and reading plan you will start to understand the emphasis that God has for your life.

(Galatians 6:6 KJV) "Let him that is taught (katecheo {pronounced kat-ay-kheh’-o}, Present Passive Participle, has been under the oral instruction of another) in the word communicate (koinoneo {pronounced koy-no-neh’-o}, Present Active Imperative, become a partner with) unto him that teacheth in all good things."

Here is a great principle that the secular world often employs, but the spiritual world has all but forgotten. The principle? Mentoring! Paul says that the person who has been sitting under the instruction of another needs to become a partner with that person. What does that mean? You only need to look at the ministry of the Lord Jesus to see what Paul meant. Jesus taught His disciples with the intent that they go out and participate in spreading the Gospel message. We have forgotten this principle in our present Church Age. People either come to church in order to be pampered and tended to, or else they come, accept a nominal position in the church body, then progress no farther. Few believers step outside of the body and attempt to win souls to Christ. Yet this has always been the proper pattern of the New Testament church. People came to church to be instructed in spiritual matters, to hear the Word of God preached, then stepped outside of the body and attempted to win souls to Christ. Church was to be the place where the saints gathered for spiritual nourishment, outside of church the saints were to win others to Christ. In our present age this system of mentoring has all but ceased in but a few local churches. We have megachurches that possess thousands of members who are shallow in their faith. If the pastor who led them to Christ ever departs the church, these people depart with him. The average believer studies the Word of God rarely or not at all, and, though he or she will not hesitate to invite someone to church or to a revival, never shares the Gospel of Christ to others.

If the church is going to be effective in the 21st century, we must break this cycle of uselessness. Every believer must partner with an elder teaching pastor who will show them the great truths of the Word of God. In turn, these mentored students must be willing to leave the relative safety of the church environment and take their faith out into the world. What use is your faith if it is not operational in your daily life? To say "I'm a Christian" is a wonderful thing, but if you never say it, will others know what you are?

(Galatians 6:7 KJV) "Be not deceived; (planao {pronounced plan-ah’-o}, Present Tense, Imperative Mood, Passive Voice + negative = stop being deceived, stop receiving deceit) God is not mocked: (mukterizo {pronounced mook-tay-rid’-zo}, Present Passive Indicative, can [never] be mocked) for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

(Galatians 6:8 KJV) "For he that soweth (speiro {pronounced spi’-ro}, Present Active Participle, keeps on sowing in the energy of the flesh) to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; (phthora {pronounced fthor-ah’}, moral decay, that which is not permanent, or subject to rot) but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Don't deceive yourself, dear Believer. God watches and knows what you are doing every day. He knows if you are living the Biblical Christian life, or if you are just pretending to live this life. He knows your heart, and knows whether you are saved or not. God knows everything that you do, and much more importantly, knows your motive for doing what you do. If you have served Him faithfully in this life, then you will receive reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If you have only half heartedly served Jesus, or have served Him but out of the wrong motivation, you shall lose reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. God knows your heart, and your works. You may deceive yourselves, but you will never deceive Him.

• What are the two extremes that Christians usually gravitate toward?
• What are the four themes that Paul covers in this section for Christian living?
• When I "race my motor", what am I doing?
• What does it mean to "keep a short account with God"? How can I do this?
• If I discover a breach in the wall at Church, how will I handle it?
• What is the heart of the Law of Christ?
• I need to get my life back on track with God, because I know that one day I shall stand at the ____________________.
• What are ways in which the Christian deceives himself?