Galatians 6:1-5

Bear One Another’s Burdens

¹ Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.

Today’s passage begins in Galatians 6. Thus far, Paul has greeted the church with his salutation, but instead of giving a thanksgiving clause, he dives into the occasion for writing, which is, some came to them and distorted the gospel of Christ causing them to fall away from the truth. Paul defended his apostolic authority. He defended his gospel message and gave them doctrinal instructions: salvation by faith, living by faith, being the adopted children of God and heirs of Christ, God’s purpose for the law, freedom in Christ as opposed to being bound by the law, and the Christian walk by faith in the Spirit of God. In the final verses of Galatians 5, Paul summarizes what walking by faith in the Spirit of God would look like. He says, in Galatians 5:25-26, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Walking in the Spirit aligns our relationships in their proper order: Jesus is first, others are second, and you are last. Therefore, do not become conceited and think more highly of yourself as you ought. Do not provoke others to anger, and especially, don’t be ruled by jealousy. If believers are living by the Spirit, they are also in line and keeping in step as the Spirit leads. The results will be a reflection of Christ in the believers’ lives because they will be manifesting the fruits of the Spirit. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Now, beginning in Galatians 6:1, Paul further explains how believers are to put others first, and still remain responsible for themselves so they may not be dependent on anyone, as it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:12, “[do not be idle…] so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” When reading this passage in Galatians 6, one can imagine a balance in a laboratory that a scientist would use. There are two pans to the balance; one on each side. For the balance to be equal, the masses on both pans must be equal. If the balance tilts to one side, then the mass on that pan weighs more. As we think about this illustration, Paul will use two common imageries of weights: a “burden” and a “load.” He uses these two imageries to make his point. First, Paul says that believers are to help “bear each other’s burdens,” and rightfully so. Sometimes, afflictions will come to believers that are so overwhelming, it paralyzes them and they cannot function. It could be an emotional experience, something physical like an illness or injury, or it could be a spiritual problem. Seasons of affliction, by the hand of our Sovereign God, do happen and there is a divine purpose that may be hidden to us presently. Yet, we are confident that all things happen for good for those who are loved by God and called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). In times of affliction, we pray to God. Sometimes He answers prayers by sending us to help others carry their burden that is too heavy for them to bear alone! This is God’s way.

But, on the other side of the balance, Paul tells us that each person must be responsible to carry their own load. This is the load that God has ordained. Some have learned through life that they can handle any ordeal that the devil throws at them. It’s not that they are strong, but due to the divine providence of God, affliction has come into their lives to build and prepare them for another bout with the enemy. Like the Apostle Paul, he does not boast in his own strength. Instead, he has learned to boast in his weakness so that Christ may be glorified in him. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” In context for what Paul is saying, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh, a message of Satan, so he would not become conceited (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul prayed three times for God to remove the thorn, but instead, God said His grace was sufficient. In other words, the throne in Paul’s life was his load that only he had to carry as he depended on God. In the same way, you and I have a load, ordained by God that each of us must bear. For me, my load is having an estranged relationship with my children. I do not like it, I have prayed that God would take this away and restore my relationship with my children. Instead, I can only boast and be content in my weakness and be confident that God’s grace is sufficient for me. Any God can help you too!

In the exegesis above, I used the illustration of a scientist in a laboratory. The scientist is weighing two masses: samples A and B. The scientist wants to determine which sample weighs the most. I did this on purpose to make a point. In our study above, we must help others bear their burdens which is too heaven for them to carry alone. Praise God for each individual who has stepped up to do the good works that they were created for. However, and this is important, each person has a load that only they can carry. This load was ordained by our sovereign God because He is in control of all things. While it is good to help people who have a deep sorrowful burden, it is not right to take upon yourself the load that God has intended others must carry. For example, in Thessalonica, some people refused to work because they thought Christ’s return had already happened or will happen in a few hours or days to come. Therefore, they did not work. The Apostle Paul corrected their misunderstanding by saying, “if a man doesn’t work, he should not eat!” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Each person has a grownup responsibility to work and provide food, housing, clothing, and other necessities of life for their families. That is everyone’s load. But if one supports others who should be working, that is not good for them. The one being supported has no reason to work because someone else is paying their way. That is not God’s design, according to Paul to the Thessalonian church [As a parenthetical thought, by no means am I saying that we should not help the poor. That is our obligation as followers of Christ to give to the poor, give drink to the thirsty, give food to the hungry, and visit those would are in prison (Matthew 25:31-46)].

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Most Sovereign and Loving God, I praise and thank You for being my stronghold, shield, and fortress. I confess that I need You to help me determine when a burden is to heaven for me to carry alone, and when my load is for me to carry alone because Your grace is sufficient. I cast all my cares upon You, and I pray for Your help and wisdom to know the difference. Help me, Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen!

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Burdens are Lifted at Calvary by John M. Moore in 1980