The End - Galatians 6:3-18

6:3-6 - When it comes to forgiving someone who has wronged you and desiring them to come back to the gospel, Paul makes several interesting statements that I take to mean that everyone is responsible for their own beliefs and actions. It seems like a weird take on helping others and forgiveness but if we consider it from the stance of others trying to lead new members astray, then it makes more sense. It’s like saying that yes, there are people who are trying to manipulate you, to take away the gospel from you and replace it with a quasi-worship of them, but ultimately, we are each individual tasked with the strength of our own testimony. Even when it comes to the prophets we have currently and general conferences and all that, having access to all that preaching power and messages straight from God, it doesn’t matter unless we are actively working to put those truths into action in our lives. 6:7-9 - But what about those who are new to the gospel and look to other perhaps more experienced members? This is an absolutely valid question and part of the reason why we are commanded to “bear one another’s burdens,” because we aren’t meant to live this life alone and we certainly aren’t meant to build our testimonies alone. But ultimately that’s exactly what has to happen, eventually we all have to remove the portion of our testimony that comes from others and have it consist of what we believe ourselves. So for those who are new and looking to others for guidance, Paul tells us some of the ways that can be used to determine what to believe, and this is done through the law of the harvest. If we or those who teach us, “soweth to his flesh” that person “shall of the flesh reason corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” If our beliefs or actions bring the Spirit into our lives, then we can know that we have reaped righteousness, but if our beliefs or actions bring negativity, bad feelings, despair, etc. into our lives, then we can deduce that those things are not of God and should be removed from our lives. And doing good, helping others, service and all that can be overwhelming at times. It can be exhausting, especially when you just want others to be happy and there’s so much horror going on all around all the time. It’s hard, and Paul knows this. I mean, he of all people knows what it’s like to care about the wellbeing of others, almost to the point of debilitation. But he promises that those who stick with the service-oriented lifestyle will “in due season we shall reap.” He includes himself in that statement, because he believes that he will one day not only have rest in his spirit, but also joy from his endeavors. 6:10-15 - As those who were wrong come back to the gospel, Paul encourages the Galatians, and us “as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Let’s be kind to others, and especially to those we work with in the gospel. Anytime there is a change of belief or lifestyle or something like that, there is so much human nature that goes into making that transition and it’s important for us to remember how far we have each come, when we are look at the short comings of others. We are all still growing spiritually, and at the point of Paul’s letter, it’s not those who are circumcised or those who are uncircumcised who are going to be saved by those who become “a new creature.” 6:16-18 – Paul wishes peace and mercy on those who “walk according to this rule.” And interestingly, he wraps up the letter saying, “from henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” The article of this chapter from gospeldoctrine.com reminds us that this is reference to when “Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra, which was one reason he could remind the Galatians that his sacrifice for them was beyond reproach.” Overall, Galatians was an excellent book and I learned a lot, especially about the atonement and about myself. I’ve been abruptly transitioned off of my medication because they’ve run out with quarantine and all that. It’s been super crazy and terrible, but what I’ve learned from the scriptures and having the Spirit in my life has been a game changer for me to be able to live without medication so far. I mean, we’ll see how it goes, but it’s been pretty helpful with all the craziness going on in my mind. I’ve learned a lot from this little book and I’m grateful.