Galatians 6: What it looks like to keep in step with the Spirit

My beloved brothers and sisters in Galatia, for the sixth and final time I write about fleeing slavery by keeping in step with the Spirit. Brother Gaius asked last time “what does it look like” to keep in step with the Spirit. Perhaps you have seen copies of my letter to the Romans; first I taught theology, identification, and positional truth, and then described how a justified person alive to Christ and dead to sin will think and act. Just so today I will describe what freedom in the Spirit looks like in a person, and in a church.

The Spirit of God rebukes, forgives, encourages, restores. So if someone is caught in sin – whether by the tar baby of recurring sin or by the gloating, condemning fox – the Spirit leads us to humbly forgive and restore our wayward Br’ethren.

The Holy Spirit of God will hold unending Holiness Revivals in the tent of your body until Jesus returns. Attend often. Compare your holiness to His, not your brother’s. There is no prize for being the sweetest smelling skunk. Even in step with the Spirit you will never be too holy to avoid temptation, but dancing alone might make you too conceited to admit it.

The Spirit of God groans in intercession for struggling saints. Carry one another’s burdens, and thus answer His prayer that the Law of Christ be fulfilled on this earth.

The Spirit of God directs and empowers the gospel and its workers. Anyone who receives instruction in the Word must share all good things with his instructor. Work under the noon-day sun with him in the mission field to which you are assigned, sowing hardy, fruitful gospel seeds of words and deeds, pruning unproductive branches, pulling weeds. What you do will matter for eternity, for yourself and others. Do not mock God’s words and promises by acting otherwise.

The Spirit of God loves everyone, most especially Christians, so be good to everyone, most especially Christians.

The Spirit of God exalts the cross, despising its shame. Do likewise, even through persecution. Boast only in the cross, and thus keep in step with the One who carried it to Golgotha in humility, holiness, groaning prayer, and love, and in selfless furtherance of the gospel.