In this final chapter of the book the Apostle Paul continues to exhort Galatian saints who have not been enticed away from grace by the deceit of the Judaizers. He turns his attention to those who by faith alone in Christ alone, have not only been saved, but who continue to live spiritual (Spirit-controlled) lives.

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The context of Paul’s letter to the Galatians requires the interpretation of “a trespass” to specifically apply to any believer who has turned his back on grace and towards legalism in spiritual matters. Although it may be applicable to various other sins in which a Christian may fall, believers must be cautious in their “examination and judgment,” particularly in light of their own convictions, of other believers. Often is the case that when so doing, the believer who seeks to “judge and correct” falls into the trap of legalism and Pharisaism himself.

(Galatians in the Greek New Testament by Kenneth S. Wuest)

The distinct possibility of falling into legalism and Pharisaism when addressing the situation of a fellow believer is the reason for Paul’s mandate that when approaching a trespassing brother or sister, it should be accomplished in a “spirit of gentleness.” This means in a “spirit of meekness,” which is a position of self-awareness of one’s own frailties and limitations and of love (Ephesians 4:2). In other words anyone who takes it upon himself to correct another must fully realize that by his own merit or self-effort the task cannot be done. Only Jesus Christ working through the medium of the Holy Spirit can accomplish it. The believer must realize that it is not by his might or will, but only by the hand of God can a brother see the error of his way and return into a full fellowship with God.

The word “restore” is from the Greek word katartizo, which means “to repair, to restore to a former good condition, to prepare, to fit out, to equip.” It is used of reconciling factions, of setting bones, of putting a dislocated limb into place, of mending nets, of manning a fleet, of supplying an army with provisions. Metaphorically it is used by Paul to set someone “back on the straight path.” Those Christians who were still being led by the Spirit of God would now be responsible to bring those who had fallen into legalism back in line with the provisions of grace. The additional meanings of “prepare, outfit and equip” for the word “restore,” indicates that to accomplish this task the grace-Christian is to apply the Word of God (Bible doctrine) to the law-Christian in this endeavor. It is only through God’s Word that any child of God can see the error of his way.

Additionally, Paul exhorts the grace-Christian, while attempting to restore the Christian who has become enmeshed in law, to exhaustively examine himself so that he too doesn’t fall into the same trap of legalism and Pharisaism. This is a common tendency for all believers who seek to correct others who have taken a wayward path. In correcting another one must exercise this responsibility with the utmost caution and only in meekness and love, never in a spirit of pride or superiority. He must always be aware that he too may be tempted and can fall into the same trap. To properly correct another can only be done by faith alone in Christ alone.

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To bear one another’s burdens (failures, temptations, testings and trials) is to be totally empathetic with one’s brother. Empathy is far superior to mere sympathy. It means to so understand the condition that one feels it himself—to so project one’s personality into that of another in order to personally feel the same pain and weakness. It is to have genuine compassion for the erring brother. It is to honestly know that “but for the grace of God so go I.” Additionally, it then means to lovingly and gently take every effort to restore the erring one into a grace-position before God.

In so doing the grace-Christian fulfills the “law of Christ,” best expressed in the following passages of Scripture.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. (James 2:8)

It is always sin for a believer to have a superiority complex. This is self-deception. All Christians are made of the same dust, and the bearing of one another’s burdens should never be beneath their dignity. It is never demeaning. In fact, before God, it is most elevating.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:5, 6)

Paul makes it clear that each believer is primarily responsible for his own conduct, that he should “examine his own work.” It is a warning against the habit of comparing oneself with others in order to establish one’s “superior spirituality.” One is only to look at himself in light of God’s pure light as revealed in His Word (Bible doctrine) and therein find rejoicing (by conforming to it in the power of the Spirit of God). The message is clear. A Christian is to find joy and blessing in his own divine goodness (that which comes from being controlled by the Spirit of God) rather than in the “failures” of others.

Why? Because each Christian will have to bear his own load before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

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At first blush the student may attempt to interpret Paul’s words to be applicable to Christians sharing their financial blessings with those who teach them the Word of God. But this take cannot be supported by the context. Although Paul did address this subject in his writings at times (Philippians 4:15), to have done so here would have been to confuse the Galatians regarding the main issue of his letter. The context of Paul’s letter concerned (1) the incongruity of mixing law with grace and (2) good things are of a spiritual, not a material nature. Paul would only have been adding fuel to the counterfeit legalistic attitude he was attempting to expose in the light of the clear teaching of the grace of God. Additionally, one of the favorite methods of attack adopted by the enemies of Paul was to charge him with commercializing his ministry. He would not lay himself open to this charge by such an unwise act as in the present circumstances exhorting the Galatians to resume their financial responsibility with reference to the material needs of their former teachers.

No, Paul was speaking about the Galatians returning to their original teachers of God’s Word, the ones who stressed grace apart from law, and share with them all spiritual “good things.” The word “share” in the Greek means “to be a partner or to hold fellowship with another.” An enhanced interpretation would be, “Let him who is taught the Word exercise fellowship in all spiritual good things with the one who is teaching.” In other words, instead of forsaking your original teachers and clinging to false legalistic intruders, go back to those who brought you to grace in Christ and maintain your fellowship with them.

Paul continues to assure the Galatians that God cannot be mocked (outwitted and evaded) by their slide toward legalism. He reminds them that if they continue to travel down the legalistic path, which is of the flesh, they will eventually be recipients of their waywardness. Their flesh-works of “word, hay and stubble” would be consumed by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ. On the other hand if they sow by the Spirit works of “gold, silver and precious stones,” they will eventually reap rewards suitable to everlasting life. Because of this Paul urges them to continue to minister good to all, especially to believers.

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Paul now concludes his letter to the Galatians. His mention of “large letters” by which he used in writing to the Galatians indicates that he personally wrote the letter, it was not dictated. It may also mean that he did this to lend emphasis to his exhortations. But more likely it was an indication of Paul’s thorn in the flesh, which was his poor eyesight.

The Judaizers were attempting to make a good showing, in the flesh, by adding the Galatian believers to their followers who mixed law with grace. Paul sees their real motive for such persuasion as their effort to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ. The preaching of the cross brings death to self and evil and a life pleasing to God. Therefore, men hate the glorious message of the cross, and persecute those who preach it.

In truth the Judaizers were insincere in keeping the law. They were only seeking converts. It was an attempt to win others to a system that was bankrupt; for not even those who were circumcised were able to keep the law. They only wished to be able to boast in the numbers they won over to their legalistic position.

But Paul could only boast in the cross of Jesus Christ, which refers to the whole doctrine of salvation through the crucifixion of the Jesus Christ.

Paul gloried in the cross of Christ because of the “new creation” that it brought to every person who by faith alone in Christ alone availed himself of it. Circumcision or uncircumcision meant nothing in the shadow of the cross. Legalism was a system of bondage that the cross dispelled. Only grace now mattered.

Paul concludes by pronouncing peace and mercy on those who walk according to the “rule” of the “new creation,” which is grace apart from law achieved by faith alone in Christ alone. With this he suggests that no more should anyone bother him with this issue. His words against legalism were true and his authority could be seen by the marks of persecution that he bore in his body for his testimony of Jesus Christ. His last words are “Brethren, the grace (not the law) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Today, just as it was in Paul’s day, legalism abounds throughout the world. Religion and Christianity are diametrically opposed in this regard. Religion is the attempt to secure the approbation (approval) of God through self-effort, the observance of laws, rules, good works and ceremonies. It is man’s effort to obtain heaven by his own merit. It is man’s effort to reach God. On the other hand Christianity is God reaching down for man. It is what He has done for mankind, not the reverse. Christianity is totally of grace, God’s unmerited favor for mankind. It is man accepting by faith alone what God through Christ has done for him. Nothing more; nothing less.

Religion attempts to explain away Paul’s treatment of the law, and in turn justify their position requiring law, by saying the “moral law” has never been revoked—it is an expression of God’s eternal truth. The “ceremonial law,” however, has been done away in Christ. Therefore, when Paul speaks of being dead to [the requirement] law, he is speaking about the ceremonial law, not the Ten Commandments; and, since the moral law is still in effect, Christians are bound to keep it.

Although this sounds reasonable it is contrary to God’s Word. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 that the law “engraved on stone” (The Ten Commandments—Exodus 31:18) is “done away.” A critical exposition of Romans 6-8 makes it even clearer that the law—the whole law—no longer has any authority or power over the person who by faith alone in Christ alone has become a child of God.

For [the] sin [nature] shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:6)

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

Christianity is totally of grace. Everything else is legalism and is contrary to God. And, you can take that to the bank!