Bible Chapel of Shawnee  
October 21st, 2018  
Galatians series

Lesson 7: Be Honest (6:11-18)
 
**Rhetorical theme**: Be Honest
 
**Full theme**: Being honest in the truth is how we stay the course in the freedom of righteousness by faith.
 
1. Introduction
    
    1. Paul is concluding his letter to the Galatians with encouragement to walk by the Spirit--that is, to have confidence in the freedom of the gospel of justification by faith.
        
        1. Chapter 5 - described that freedom and how walking by the Spirit accomplishes it
        2. Chapter 6 - practical lessons in walking in freedom
            
            1. 6:1-5 - the first practical, **be humble**
                
                1. Be humble in dealing with sin
                2. Be humble in bearing one another's burdens
                3. Be humble in our view of ourselves
                4. Be humble in examining our own works
            2. 6:6-10 - second practical lesson, **do good**
                
                1. Do good…to our teachers
                2. Do good…to reap eternal life
                3. Do good…with perseverance
                4. Do good…with a sense of urgency and priority
        3. 6:11-18 - this time, **be honest**
    2. [Read 6:11-18]
    3. Outline
        
        1. Who You Should Not Trust (those guys)
        2. Who You Should Trust (this guy)
        3. How You Can Tell the Difference (you guys)
      
    
2. Pay attention (v11)
    
    1. Observations
        
        1. Using large letters (11a)
        2. This is a personal greeting (11b)
    2. Two views
        
        1. Paul has vision problems
            
            1. 2 Cor. 12:7 - Thorn in the flesh
            2. 2 Thess. 3:17 - distinguishing mark
        2. Paul was writing in all-caps for emphasis
        3. Either way, safe to say, Paul is calling attention to this last section
            
            1. If Paul had vision problems
                
                1. Might be embarrassing to write in large letters (like a child?)
                2. Might take extra effort
            2. If Paul is writing in all-caps: same reasons we might do that today--it's hard to miss! 4. Who You Should Not Trust (those guys) (v12-13)
    
    1. Characteristics
        
        1. Want to impress in the flesh (12a)
        2. Want to avoid persecution associated with the cross of Christ (12c)
        3. Are teaching for their _own_ gain, not the Galatians'
        4. Do not keep the Law (13a)
        5. Have selfish motives for wanting others circumcised (13b)
    2. Conclusion: they're false, they're not being honest about
        
        1. Their teaching
            
            1. Compel them to circumcision for righteousness
            2. Can't even keep the law themselves
        2. Their motives
            
            1. Not for the Galatians' good
            2. To escape persecution
            3. To boast in the numbers following them
        3. Themselves
            
            1. Saying righteousness comes through the Law
            2. Can't keep the law themselves
        4. Like the Pharisees that Jesus condemned: Matt. 23:27-28
    3. Application
        
        1. Are we in danger of following such men?
            
            1. So many followed the Pharisees
            2. The Galatians were being led astray
            3. We are in danger
        2. But we have this book and Paul's warning, let's ask ourselves a few questions
            
            1. Does he honestly speaks of his need for the cross?
            2. Is he willing to suffer for the truth or does he avoid it?
            3. Is he the one benefiting from his teaching or are those he's teaching?
            4. What do his motives look like? Self-sacrificial or selfish? 6. Who You Should Trust (this guy) (v14-15)
    
    1. Characteristics
        
        1. Refuses to boast in anything for righteousness but the cross of Christ (14a)
        2. Knows the cross is the end of any means of righteousness in the world for him (14b)
        3. Knows the cross is the end of the world ever considering him righteous (14c)
        4. Knows the only thing the matters for righteousness is the new creation (15)
            
            1. 2 Cor. 5:17-21
            2. All who are in Christ
            3. It is God's work
            4. By it we become the righteousness of God
    2. Conclusion: he's real, he's honest about his righteousness
        
        1. He had so many credentials to rely on: Phil. 3:2-6
        2. He knew he needed the cross--it was his only means of righteousness
        3. He knew his righteousness was 100% the new creation of the Lord
    3. Application
        
        1. No accident that Paul resembles Christ
            
            1. He suffered for us
            2. He lived what He taught
            3. His concern was for us
            4. We benefitted from Him
        2. Can we find people like this today?
        3. Are we people 8. How You Can Tell The Difference (you guys) (v16-18)
    
    1. Should go forward walking by this simple rule: the new creation is all that matters (16)
        
        1. …when it comes to righteousness
        2. Future tense: there is hope for the Galatians
        3. Be honest considering others: are they a new creation or not?
        4. Be honest considering ourselves: we're only righteous because of God's work!
    2. Should stop causing me trouble (17)
        
        1. One final bit of proof about who to trust
        2. Contrast to the false teacher
            
            1. False teachers wanted to mark the Galatians' bodies for their own gain
            2. Paul was willing to have his body marked for the Galatians' gain
        3. Paul bore the visible proof of his service to Christ on his own body, it was time to stop doubting him
        4. Who can we trust?
            
            1. Determining who we should trust can be impossible by what each person is telling us
            2. Paul gives us the key: the proof is in the pudding. Who is _living_ out what they are teaching?￼_[My story of situation where I didn't know who to trust. The actions of the one were to accuse the other and attempt to destroy his reputation in his church and further, never admitting any failure.__￼__￼__The actions of the other were to seek wise council, strive for Biblical accuracy (even publicly admitting when he had failed in this) and seek reconciliation and repair of the damage done. Once I thought of things in these terms, it was easy to know whose story to trust.]_
    3. Are still my brothers in Christ (18)
        
        1. Called them brethren throughout the book
        2. Unique greeting among Paul's writings
        3. Paul's heart: truly _for_ them
            
            1. Enduring lesson of this book: our hearts should be for the restoration of our brothers, not their rejection, not doubting their salvation
            2. Debate about others being in Christ?
                
                1. Paul never once doubts this for the Galatians
                2. 2 Cor. 13:5 - Paul calls on them to examine _themselves_, not for him to come examine them
        4. Application: trust those who sacrificially love us.￼
9. Conclusion
    
    1. Being honest in the truth is how we stay the course in the freedom of righteousness by faith.
    2. We can avoid false teaching (and teachers) by examining their honesty
        
        1. Are they honest in their need for the cross?
        2. Are they honest in living out their teaching?
        3. Are they honest in their care for us?
    3. We can avoid straying ourselves by examining our honesty
        
        1. Be honest about our need for the cross
        2. Don't hide behind any false means of righteousness (through worldly/fleshly means)