Someone might say shouldn't you cast your burdens on the Lord. And that is true (Psalm 55:22), where the Psalmist writes, 'Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you.' And indeed Jesus says, 'Come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.'

But one of the ways that the Lord looks after us, is that he cares for us through the human friendships of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Galatians 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We come today to one of the most pastorally helpful verses that I know.  I have come back to this verses again and again before and during complex pastoral conversations about sin. 

I want to encourage you to learn this verses of by heart, and then to live it as we encourage each other in holiness. 

Gal. 6:1    Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentlea spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.

Followers of Jesus should expect a life of conflict between the fruit of the Spirit and the works for the flesh. The call of Christ is for us to 'crucify the sinful nature,' and 'keep in step with the Spirit.'

What must we do to control the lusts of the flesh and to bear the fruit of the spirit? 

There are two parallel decisions for the Christian person. 1. To crucify the flesh and 2. To choose to walk in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

There are nine Christian virtues or fruits listed by Paul. The first three are related to our relationship with God, the second three to our relationships with each other, and the third three to our inward character.

They are in sharp contrast to the way of the flesh described in the verses immediately before.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.

The Christian life is one of conflict, a conflict between the way or walk of the Spirit and the way or walk of the flesh.

There is a civil war within ourselves. As Luther says 'Christians are not stocks and stones.'

As we walk in the Spirit, flesh becomes increasingly subdued, but the conflict remains and it is fierce and unremitting.

Paul lists four broad realms of the life where the sinful nature impacts us - sex, religion, society and drunkenness.

Galatians 5:16-21 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar.

If we love one another … we shall fulfil the law!

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbour as yourself. 

We are not to use Christian freedom to indulge our flesh and as an opportunity for the flesh. Our freedom in christ is not an opportunity or pretext for self indulgence.  Christian freedom is freedom from sin not freedom to sin.  It is an unrestricted liberty of approach to God as his children not an unrestricted liberty to wallow in our own selfishness. 

Galatians 5:13

13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 

We turn a corner into Galatians into the home straight, and application. The Apostle Paul celebrates the freedom that the Galatian Christians have with this marvellous line, 'It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free.'

But then there's a warning not to get trapped back into slavery.

Of course there are historic ways that this has happened, like the temptation to reintroduce 'circumcision.'

But what are the modern day equivalents, where religious leaders in our context, are potentially able to lead us back into slavery. And how do we avoid these?

In these next two verses Paul makes it crystal clear that he is in a different world.  He goes as far as to stay that he would rather the teachers of legalism be castrated. 

Bottom line.  Think how awful it would be to be castrated.  Then think well it’s very very important that I don’t teach legalism. 

Galatians 5:11 Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offence of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated!