#DailyDevotion Follow The Spirit And Bear One Another’s Burdens

Gal. 5:25-6:10 ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, challenge one another and become jealous of one another. 6My fellow Christians, if you find anyone doing wrong, you who are spiritual should set him right. ²But be gentle and keep an eye on yourself; you may be tempted, too. Help one another carry these burdens, and so do everything the Law of Christ demands. ³If anyone thinks he’s something when he’s nothing, he’s fooling himself. ⁴Everyone should examine his own work. Then he will have something in himself that deserves praise, without comparing himself with anyone else. ⁵Everyone will have to carry his own burden.

You may remember I said in another devotion when you read Spirit here in Paul, particularly Romans and Galatians, you should read Gospel, when he says live by the Spirit or follow the Spirit. I probably should briefly state the Gospel so you know what it is you should live by and following them, because Paul is not talking about something nebulous or ethereal that is difficult to grasp. The Gospel is simply this, you are a poor miserable sinner who deserves nothing good in this life and eternal torment in the next but God in his great mercy and kindness sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world to make atonement and propitiation for your sins, conquered death and offers to you every good thing, including eternal life, his kingdom, and his Father, all for free, as a gift. It’s yours if you believe it.

Now knowing this, it is easy to see why we shouldn’t be conceited, challenge one another or be jealous of one another. You have no good thing and are nothing excepting the gracious will of God towards you. Not only that but any good you have you are called to extend it in service to the people around you as God has been gracious to you.

Paul apparently hasn’t heard the modern interpretation of “do not judge” because he tells us if we “find anyone doing wrong, you who are spiritual should set him right. What does it mean to be “spiritual”? It means understand, believe and live as if you believe the first paragraph of this devotion. You come to the person as a fellow sinner who has been graciously forgiven by God. He reminds us to be gentle (no reason to have to whop someone over the head) and keep an eye on yourselves lest you be tempted. I don’t think it is so much to be tempted into sinning like them but rather become conceited, challenging him and being jealous of him.

Now between verse 2 and 5 it seems we have two contradictory things where on one hand he calls us to bear one another’s burdens and then he tells us we have to carry our own burdens. Verse 2 is recognizing Christ calling us to be humble, merciful, kind and serving one another as he demonstrated washing his disciples feet and ultimately on the cross. On the one hand as each of us has a cross laid upon us by God, like Simeon we should try to lighten the load as best we can for each other, Jesus indeed bore the cross for us. On the other hand, no matter how much sympathy or empathy or help from others we may get or not get, we still have to bear our own cross and they have to bear theirs. We try to bear each others burdens as Christ bore the cross for us. Ultimately, Jesus hung on the cross and suffered for sins. Ultimately, you will have to bear your cross by yourself. But do not fear. Jesus promises, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Heavenly Father, grant us so to live by and to follow the Spirit so we may live and do as you will, correcting in humility our fellows, bearing their burdens, and ultimately bearing our in through faith in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.