Bear One Another’s Burdens

Galatians

OPENING THOUGHT

Someone has said, “There is little chance for people to get together as long as most of us want to be in the front of the bus, the back of the church, and middle of the road.” Selfishness divides the church.

People are different. Sometimes we allow our differences to divide us unnecessarily. We act as though Christ brings us together spiritually without asking us to demonstrate our togetherness in a physical way. If we don’t like being together now, do we really think we will enjoy one another’s company for an eternity in heaven?

EXPLORING GOD’S WORD

Galatians 2:11-14

• Where did this scene take place? What was special about the church there? (cf. Acts 11:19-21).

• What did Cephas (Peter) do wrong? How had he and the others acted “hypocritically”?

• How did Paul respond to the problem? What was his point about fellowship? (cf. Gal. 3:28).

• Give some examples of contemporary “Gentiles” (outsiders) we may be tempted to separate ourselves from.

Galatians 5:13-26

• How does Paul summarize the law of Christ?

• Why do Christians sometimes bite and devour one another? What’s the result?

• Study the works of the flesh in vv. 19-21. How does gratifying the flesh cause division?

• Now study the fruit of the Spirit in vv. 22-23. How does walking by the Spirit unite us?

Galatians 6:1-5

• How does Paul say we fulfill the law of Christ?

• What example does he give of bearing one another’s burdens in v. 1? Why is it sometimes hard to help one another in this way?

• In vv. 3-5, Paul warns us that it’s easy to correct one another in the wrong way. Give some examples of how our efforts to help one another cause damage, even when we have good intentions.

• Does Paul contradict himself by first saying we should bear one another’s burdens and then warning that each will have to bear his own load? What’s his point?
  How should brothers and sisters in Christ help one another go to heaven?