If you'd like some additional study on the topic of "good works (deeds)" study the following passages -- Good works = Matt 5:16; John 10:32; Eph 2:10; 1 Tim 2:10; 5:10; 6:18. Galatians 6:9-10. Galatians: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament Schreiner, Thomas, R, Arnold, Clinton, E. Designed for the pastor and Bible teacher, this series brings together commentary features rarely gathered together in one volume. He is saying there will be "payday someday." — by David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. With single eye His glory seek, --- Author unknown. Comment: Why does Paul not lose heart in his ministry? Let us not lose heart - Clearly this indicates losing heart is a real possibility in all believers (note pronoun "us" = Paul includes himself in this "vulnerable" group). Grant's Verse-by-Verse Logos Bible Software. All of us need the quality of stick-to-itiveness in service. To reap, to harvest. If the law of gravity works to keep me from flying into space, I cannot expect it to go into reverse if I step out of a 10th-floor window. He was given another new suit, and he came back to Sunday school. For the figure is here preserved in harmony, and the sowing lasts all our lives. We need tenacity and patient persevering until the Lord comes (James 5:7,8). Reprinted by permission. When he grew up, he went and ministered to the unreached tribes of Africa. If nothing else, your struggle against sin will cause you to turn to God again and again and cling to Him in your desperation. Commentary on Galatians 6:[1-6]7-16 . 1:13). THOUGHT - Look for opportunities today to "give heart" to someone whose heart is growing weary in well doing! Chapter 6. Galatians 6:9. it is God Who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (cf James 2:17-note), Many believers minimize the place of good works in the Christian life reasoning that because we are not saved by good works, then good works are something to be shunned. You are writing a Gospel, The phrase “in due time” or at the proper season—the appointed time of the harvest. Rise to that higher, nobler plane-- That season comes to each one as God arranges (Ed: For some a portion of the harvest may be in this life, but for all it will consummated in the life to come!). - H. G. Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. It broke into a thousand pieces. Yes, it was worth it all. (Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament), Having given us the precept (Gal. By the deeds that you do Lenski: Moreover, in doing the excellent thing let us not be discouraged, for in proper season we shall reap if we do not relax. Chapter 1. So let's make sure the fruit we reap It is the same with good deeds (see word study on Good Deeds). The Lord wants us to keep working at our God-given task no matter how difficult it might be. Sermon Bible Commentary. Saints are made adequate and equipped for good works by God's Word…, All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Our works are the proof of our love, and hence they stand as evidence of the grace of God. 2. also Deut 20:3. Τὸ ) When we do good, perseverance ought to be added.— τὸ καλὸν ποιοῦντες , doing good, well-doing ) The expression is different in Galatians 6:10 , ἐργαζώμεθα τὸ ἀγαθὸν , let us work what is good: comp. or the saints dropout from church and/or rotating from church to church?!) We work out our own salvation (Php 2:12-note), because "He works in us to will and to do of His own good pleasure (Php 2:13-note)." Never Give Up! grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.” You will reap eternal life, if you sow to the Spirit, that is, if you don’t grow weary in well-doing. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Table of Contents. It is no objection to say, as is done by De Wette, that well-doing brings its own reward even now. Chapter 4. The Christian doctrine of reward is in perfect harmony with the doctrine of grace. John Eadie notes that ekluo is a stronger verb than ekkakeo…. Calvin's Dedication. I was planting potatoes in my garden, and he thought it was a waste to bury them. A. Galatians 5:1-6:10 is the practical aspect of Paul's radical free gospel of Christ, made available to believers through the love and grace of God and their repentant faith response. There is a direct correlation between persistence and motivation. ), Paul acknowledged that the key to his good works was the grace of God writing that His, grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored (to the point of weariness and exhaustion) even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. The minister, with renewed determination, grabbed the pickax, lifted it high in the air, and gave the granite a crushing blow. Paul realizes that in adopting the doctrine of the Judaizers, the Galatians are turning away In other words, kairos defines the best time to do something, the moment when circumstances are most suitable, the psychologically "ripe" moment ("the suitable time", "the right moment", "the convenient time"). For that he is to die. 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They gave Bob a third suit of clothes, and this time he began to attend faithfully. Words of encouragement are never out of season (cp He 3:13-note, He 10:24, 25-note)-- Luke records that after Paul and Barnabas (son of consolation, rest or encouragement) had proclaimed the gospel and saw many conversions, they went about…, strengthening the souls of the disciples (The most frequent name for believers in Acts - Interesting in light of verses like Mk 8:), encouraging (see study of parakaleo) them to continue in the faith (cp "not lose heart"), and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." All rights reserved), Telephone Poles Don't Move — A woman gave her teenage son a used automobile. In this section of the Book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul is writing about doing good to others, especially those of the family of God. Therefore, in his defense of the gospel, the apostle must also defend his ministry. Romans: Tyndale House Publishers), The image of the harvest is a familiar one in the Bible and is often applied to the ministry of winning lost souls. The joy to come with harvest grain Listen carefully, and note how the thought moves from verse 8 to verse 9: “He who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. The great cause of weariness in well-doing is a deficiency in faith (Ed: I would add and a reliance of self - we need to jettison self reliance and instead continually rely on the enabling power of the indwelling Spirit, see Gal 3:3), and a corresponding undue influence of present and sensible things (cp 1Jn 2:17-note). He frequently offers his own translations of a passage, explaining the subtleties and nuances of his translation. In light of the afflictions the saints at Thessalonica were experiencing (1Th 1:6-note, 1Th 2:14-note, 2Th 1:4) Paul wrote…, But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good (doing what is right, and one of the nuances of meaning to ponder is "creating beauty". is the best answer: don’t grow weary of being patient and kind and good and faithful and gentle and self-controlled. — by David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. ", No man who is habitually neglectful of, or allowedly languid and careless in, the discharge of Christian duty, can have satisfactory evidence of his being an object of Divine favour; and if, in these circumstances, he cherishes a confidence in the goodness of his state, and in the security of his salvation, his confidence is presumptuous. (An exposition of the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians). grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. When children sow the seeds of flowers in their little gardens, they are apt to become impatient for their appearing above ground; and then for their yielding blossoms; and by this impatience are often not merely disquieted, but induced to do what must retard, and may altogether prevent, the eagerly desired event. —Hess, While Paul repeatedly emphasizes that one cannot win God's favor by good deeds (see study of), on the other hand he never tires of calling them to do good deeds. 1989. Comment: It is interesting that our English word "encourage" derives from a word for heart (Latin = cor = heart) and conveys the sense of "with heart" and so to "hearten" (to give heart to) and then to give confidence of success, to embolden, to incite to action. GOD'S MYSTERIOUS WAYS - After years of service in South Africa, the famous missionary Robert Moffat returned to Scotland to recruit helpers. (NASB: Lockman), Greek: to de kalon poiountes (PAPMPN) me egkakomen, (1PPAS) kairo gar idio therisomen (1PFAI) me ekluomenoi. Yet it is of higher degree than the form in which it is sown (Jn 12:24). “God has hidden every precious thing in such a way that it is a regard to the diligent, a prize to the earnest, but a disappointment to the slothful.”, In service for Christ, keep “doing good.” Perseverance wins! The implication is a condition: "if we do not relax". The excellent or noble thing" = sowing for the spirit and comprises all that Gal 5:22, Gal 5:23 contains. John Stott offers his educated guess that the "reward in heaven for faithful service… will probably take the form of yet more responsible service." God builds character before He calls to service. Paul offers the example of dealing with a member of the community detected in a transgression. In short, don’t lose heart in spending yourself through love, because if you do, the works of the flesh take over, and Paul says in Gal 5:21, “Those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom.”. And let us not (therefore!) Against this spiritual languor, which makes the discharge of duty tiresome, and strongly tempts to its utter abandonment, the apostle here warns the Galatian Christians, "Be not weary in well-doing." If we sow “to the Spirit [we] will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Gal. Faithfulness is all He asks! 6:9): "In due season we shall reap if we faint not." The de (but) introduces a new address in contrast with the sowing to the flesh already described: “but for our part.”, Lose heart (1573) (ekkakeo [equivalent to egkakeo, enkakeo] from ek = out of or intensifies meaning + kakós = bad) means to strictly speaking means to act or behave badly in some circumstance. For in a season which in its character is appropriate, we shall reap if we do not become enfeebled through exhaustion and faint. ." Alicia Vargas | 0 Comments. The Father has kept them in His own power. (Cf Jesus' charge in Lk 19:13KJV and His warning in Jn 9:4). (Westminster John Knox Press), ESV: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. In his mind, he knows the doctrines of salvation, but he has never submitted himself to God and trusted Christ for salvation. Like "the husbandmen" who "waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, till he has received the former and latter rain," (Jas 5:7KJV) the Christian must also "be patient and stablish his heart." If you forsake the Spirit and rely on the flesh, you will reap corruption. It is the liberty of grace, which the Holy Spirit gives to all who recognize the Lordship of Christ. The dream helped the preacher realize the importance of not giving up. He should not need to be urged, or coaxed, or persuaded, but should be so ready always to do good that he will count it a privilege to have the opportunity to do it. Let’s faithfully serve the Lord—depending on His power and strength—and leave the results to Him.— by M. R. De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. This the real foundation of the charge in verses 9 and 10. When she did, she discovered that the second set of clothes had gone the way of the first. Down a long eternity. 6:9). He lays out the principle of sowing and reaping, using the imagery of agriculture to teach his point. That which is of the flesh—even though seemingly religious—will only produce corruption and bring disappointment at last. The sources of the danger were the corruption of their own hearts, the difficulty of knowing their true character, the instructions of false teachers, etc. 6:8). Ekkakeo means to be fainthearted or to faint or despond in view of trial or difficulty and it is always used with the negative particle. Thank you for breaking this down. As alluded to in the preceding section, one must be careful to notice that the phrase good deeds differs from your deeds. The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers "do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (He 13:16-note) so that good works are actually “spiritual sacrifices” that we offer to God (Heb 13:15-note)! So I had an opportunity to explain to him that only as we give the seed away can we receive the harvest. With that in mind, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal 6:9). John Calvin wrote that "It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone. These statements are used in a very similar context after speaking about each doing their own work. Reprinted by permission. God first gives us grace, It has been finely said, " He who becomes a Christian in the true sense of that word becomes such for eternity. Why? Comes from the good we do each day. A fruitful harvest requires faithful service. John Brown sounds an important caution in his comments on this section, noting that…, The saint's reaping is suspended on his not fainting, that is, his reward is suspended on his "constant continuance in well-doing." Reprinted by permission. We too can become impatient when our service for the Lord doesn’t appear to bear fruit. (Galatians 6:10) "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." If we want a harvest, then we must finish the sowing and be patient, like the farmer who ‘waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it …’ (Jas 5:7). 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He is able saved us….and we ’ re charged with taking care of each form well-doing! Bury them half a crop Luther in his way, he went and ministered the...