Galatians Chapter 6
A. Personal Responsibility and Helping Others
1. (Galatians 6:1) Restoring Those Overtaken in Sin
"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."
(Galatians 6:1, New King James Version)
Paul now begins the final chapter with a pastoral charge rooted in both humility and spiritual maturity. Having established the liberty of the believer in contrast to legalism, he now turns to how that liberty operates in the context of Christian community and discipline.
a. “If a man is overtaken in any trespass”
Paul uses a conditional statement that anticipates failure — not to excuse sin, but to recognize the reality that believers can stumble. The phrase “overtaken in any trespass” (Greek: prolambanō en tini paraptōmati) suggests a believer caught unexpectedly — not premeditating rebellion, but tripping and falling spiritually, as one might step into a hidden snare.
This is not speaking of hardened rebellion, but of failure through weakness. As one scholar notes, the language implies a misstep — a lapse due to carelessness or pressure, rather than a calculated sin. It carries the sense of someone being surprised by sin, not living in it.
“It is not the deliberate, the planned aspect of sin that is stressed here, but rather the unwitting element... mistake rather than misdeed is the force of the word, though without absolution of responsibility.” — Ridderbos
Luther likewise interprets Paul’s wording as intentionally gentle, noting that Paul chooses the softer term “fault” and attributes it, in part, to seduction by the flesh and devil. Luther writes, “This comforting sentence at one time saved my life.” The implication is that this is a believer who has fallen — not one who has abandoned the faith — and who needs help.
b. “You who are spiritual restore such a one”
Paul gives a clear responsibility to those who are mature in the faith. He does not say “you who are perfect,” but rather “you who are spiritual” — meaning those walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), not in the flesh. Such individuals are to take on the role of restorers.
The word “restore” (Greek: katartizō) is a medical term used in secular Greek for setting a broken bone or mending a net (Mark 1:19). It is not the language of harsh judgment, but of healing and realignment.
“Kataritzo means to ‘put in order’ and so to ‘restore to its former condition’... it was used of setting a dislocated bone.” — Stott
Restoration assumes that sin dislocates a person from healthy fellowship and function within the body of Christ. The goal is not punishment or exposure, but healing and reintegration.
The Church historically fails at this. Often, believers respond to sin in one of two unbiblical extremes: ignoring the sin entirely (in the name of "grace") or dealing with it harshly and legalistically (in the name of "truth"). The balance must be held by the spiritually mature — those walking in the Spirit — because only they can rightly discern and gently apply correction without harming the person further or excusing the sin.
“Nothing reveals the wickedness of legalism better than the way the legalists treat those who have sinned.” — Wiersbe
c. “In a spirit of gentleness”
This is the heart of the command. Gentleness (Greek: prautēs) is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23) and the necessary tone for restoration. This implies patient care, understanding, and a refusal to speak or act harshly toward the person caught in sin.
“Let the ministers of the Gospel learn from Paul how to deal with those who have sinned. ‘Brethren,’ he says, ‘if any man be overtaken with a fault, do not aggravate his grief, do not scold him, do not condemn him, but lift him up and gently restore his faith.” — Luther
Those who do the restoring must not approach the matter as if they are above temptation or failure themselves. They are not the moral elite handing down judgment, but sinners saved by grace extending mercy to a fellow member of Christ's body.
d. “Considering yourself lest you also be tempted”
This final phrase guards the restorer against the twin dangers of pride and vulnerability. Any spiritual arrogance will lead to ruin — either through personal moral failure or by becoming a stumbling block to the one being restored. Paul is keenly aware that even those who are spiritual must maintain constant humility and vigilance. The restorer must consider his own fallibility and remain deeply dependent on the grace of God.
“This suggests that gentleness is born of a sense of our own weakness and proneness to sin.” — Stott
This aligns with Paul’s larger message in Galatians: we do not stand by our works or spiritual achievements, but by grace. If legalism had dominated the Galatian churches, it would produce an atmosphere of judgment, fear, and performance — not the Spirit-led humility needed to restore a fallen brother.
Summary
Galatians 6:1 teaches that true spiritual maturity is demonstrated not by harshness toward the fallen, nor by indifference, but by humble, Spirit-filled restoration. The aim is always reconciliation and healing, never condemnation or neglect. This is how liberty in Christ expresses itself in community — not by flaunting freedom, but by bearing burdens (Galatians 6:2) and lifting up those who fall.
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1, NKJV)
Let this be the foundation of any Christian counseling, pastoral care, and personal accountability within the body of Christ.
2. (Galatians 6:2–5) Bearing Each Other’s Burdens and Bearing Our Own Load
"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load."
(Galatians 6:2–5, New King James Version)
a. Bear one another’s burdens
This command moves from the specific case of restoring a sinning brother (verse 1) to the general obligation of Christian community life. The word “burdens” (barē in Greek) refers to heavy, crushing weights—trials, moral failings, emotional grief, spiritual battles, or circumstantial afflictions that are beyond what a believer can carry alone.
This phrase forms a vivid metaphor: the image is of someone staggering under a load too heavy to carry. This is not an abstract theological concept—it is deeply practical. Paul calls us not to stand at a distance in judgment, nor to offer mere sentiment, but to come alongside and help shoulder the weight.
“Notice the assumption which lies behind this command, namely that we all have burdens and that God does not mean us to carry them alone.” — Stott
Crucially, Paul does not say: "Let others carry your burden." The command is active, not passive. It is a call to service, not self-pity.
This is a reflection of Christ’s own nature: “Bear one another’s burdens” echoes the heart of Isaiah 53:4 — “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…” As followers of Christ, we imitate His compassion.
b. And so fulfill the law of Christ
This phrase contains a sharp theological jab at the Judaizers. They insisted on the Mosaic Law; Paul redirects the Galatians to the true Law for the believer—the law of Christ. What is it?
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
(John 13:34–35, NKJV)
The law of Christ is fulfilled not by legal observance but by self-sacrificing love. The irony is thick: the legalists were imposing burdens; true Christians are lifting them. Paul says in effect, “You want to obey a law? Obey this one. Love one another in deed, not in demands.”
c. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself
Here Paul targets pride—the subtle sin that undermines brotherly love. Pride keeps us from stooping to help others. It lies to us about our own importance and sufficiency. Scripture consistently teaches that self-deception is one of the most dangerous forms of deception.
“The misery of most men is, that their minds are as ill set as their eyes; neither of them look inwards.” — Trapp
This pride can manifest in two ways:
Refusing to help others — "Their problems are beneath me."
Refusing to be helped — "I don't need anyone."
Both are equally self-deceiving and equally harmful to the body of Christ.
“In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
(Philippians 2:3–4, NKJV)
“Since all men are nothing, he who wishes to appear something and persuades himself that he is somebody, deceives himself.” — Calvin
d. But let each one examine his own work
Here Paul shifts from communal responsibility to personal accountability. Before we boast in our progress or lament others' failures, we must honestly assess our own walk. The Greek term for “examine” (dokimazetō) speaks of testing something for genuineness, like refining metal to see if it is pure.
This isn’t introspection for condemnation’s sake—it’s examination for clarity and humility. It leads to true spiritual joy: the joy of knowing your labor before God is sincere and fruitful.
This verse also implicitly warns against spiritual pride that arises from comparing ourselves to others. “At least I’m not like that guy” is not spiritual maturity—it’s pharisaical blindness (Luke 18:11–14).
e. Then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another
This does not mean self-congratulation or individualism. Rather, Paul teaches that true rejoicing in one’s spiritual labor comes from knowing you are pleasing to God—not from looking good in comparison to others.
Paul calls for sober rejoicing—joy that rests not in appearances, but in actual, Spirit-led obedience. The mature believer doesn’t gloat in another’s fall or compare himself to others, but finds satisfaction in living rightly before the Lord.
f. For each one shall bear his own load
This final statement appears paradoxical next to verse 2. How can Paul say to bear one another’s burdens, and then say each one shall bear his own load?
The key lies in the Greek. The word “load” (phortion) in verse 5 is different from barē in verse 2. Phortion refers to a manageable pack or backpack—the personal responsibilities and stewardship each believer carries before God. This includes our decisions, our ministry, and ultimately, our accountability before Christ.
“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ… So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
(Romans 14:10b, 12, NKJV)
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
(2 Corinthians 5:10, NKJV)
This is not a contradiction, but a biblical tension: we must carry our own responsibilities while also helping others with theirs. It is individual stewardship in the context of communal love.
Summary
Galatians 6:2–5 presents a profound balance of mutual care and personal responsibility. The Christian life is neither isolated nor co-dependent. We are called to lift up the weak, guard against spiritual pride, test our own work honestly, and prepare for our personal judgment before Christ.
To fulfill the law of Christ is to love sacrificially. To avoid spiritual deception is to walk humbly. To be prepared for eternity is to steward our own spiritual lives soberly.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
(Galatians 6:2, NKJV)
3. (Galatians 6:6–10) Doing Good to Others in the Household of Faith
"Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
(Galatians 6:6–10, NKJV)
a. Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches
In the context of bearing one another’s burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6:1–5), Paul now gives a specific and often neglected example: the duty of those who are taught the Word to support those who labor in teaching it.
The word “share” (koinōneitō) implies mutual participation, not transactional payment. The learner is not simply a consumer; he is a partner in the ministry.
“All good things” includes material support, such as finances, hospitality, and care, but also respect, prayer, and partnership in ministry.
This echoes 1 Corinthians 9:11 — “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” — and 1 Timothy 5:17 — “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.”
Pastors are not beggars, nor hirelings, but stewards of the Word of God. To share in all good things is not to pay for a service, but to honor the sacred stewardship of the Word through generosity, partnership, and faith.
This instruction may have also served as a subtle rebuke to the Galatians who, influenced by legalists, may have neglected their spiritual leaders. The health of the church is tied directly to how it treats its shepherds.
b. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap
This warning reinforces the seriousness of what was just said. To withhold good from those who teach the Word is not merely stinginess — it is mocking God. The verb “mocked” (muktērizetai) literally means “to turn up one’s nose at.”
The one who is deceived thinks he can sow selfishness and reap blessing.
But God will not be mocked — His moral and spiritual order will not be overthrown by human pride or neglect.
The law of sowing and reaping is fixed. This is not mystical karma — it is divine consistency. We reap what we sow, we reap later than we sow, and we reap more than we sow.
This is also a pastoral call to generosity: sowing good things into faithful ministers brings eternal rewards. Conversely, sowing nothing leads to spiritual bankruptcy.
“You cannot out-give God. But you can insult Him by pretending that sowing nothing will reap reward.” — Pastoral Application
c. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life
Here Paul applies the sowing principle to the moral and spiritual life.
Sowing to the flesh refers to living for self, indulging sinful desires, refusing to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). The harvest? Corruption — decay, ruin, moral collapse.
Sowing to the Spirit means submitting to the Spirit’s guidance, investing in eternal things, obeying the Word, and walking in holiness. The harvest? Everlasting life — not earned, but manifested.
While Paul is not teaching salvation by works, he is emphasizing that the quality and trajectory of one’s life reflect what kind of seed is being sown. The believer who walks in the Spirit reaps an abundant life both now and eternally.
This is not prosperity gospel. This is fruitfulness gospel. You sow in the Spirit, you bear the fruit of the Spirit — and ultimately receive reward at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).
d. Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart
Paul now encourages endurance. The language here draws on agricultural imagery. The farmer sows in one season and waits for another to reap.
“Let us not grow weary” — the verb implies fatigue that leads to quitting. Ministry, generosity, and service can be exhausting, especially when fruit is not immediate.
“In due season” — God’s timing is perfect. You sow today, but the reaping belongs to His appointed season.
“If we do not lose heart” — This points to spiritual discouragement, the kind that tempts us to abandon the work just before the harvest.
The harvest belongs to those who remain faithful. Do not throw in the towel because of a barren field; God has promised that faithful sowing always bears fruit — in this life or in glory.
e. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith
Paul brings the argument to its climactic exhortation. Since we will reap according to what we sow, and since faithfulness will be rewarded, we should seize every opportunity to do good.
“As we have opportunity” — life is full of open doors for ministry. We must live alert to God’s timing and providence. The Greek word kairos suggests not just chronological time but appointed, meaningful moments.
“Do good to all” — the Christian is not cloistered in a bubble. We are to engage the world with generosity, justice, and kindness.
“Especially to those who are of the household of faith” — believers are our first priority. The church is a family, and we owe our greatest investment to our spiritual brethren.
This verse reflects Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25: “I was hungry and you gave Me food... Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:35, 40, NKJV)
Summary
Galatians 6:6–10 teaches a profound spiritual law: you will reap what you sow. This applies to giving, serving, walking in the Spirit, and caring for others. It is a call to be generous toward our teachers, patient in our sowing, and alert to every opportunity to do good.
In a world driven by self-interest, the believer lives in contrast — sowing not to the flesh but to the Spirit, not to self but to others, and not for temporal gain but for eternal reward.
“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, NKJV) — This is not a threat to the believer; it is a promise of eternal fruitfulness for those who labor in faith.
B. Final Words
1. (Galatians 6:11) Introduction to Paul’s Personal Postscript
"See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!"
(Galatians 6:11, NKJV)
After delivering a deeply theological and pastoral letter, Paul now moves into his personal postscript, a custom common in his epistles. Most of his letters were dictated to a scribe (Greek: amanuensis), but he would often write a final section himself to authenticate the letter and impart a personal tone.
a. "I have written to you with my own hand"
Paul’s handwritten signature or note served both as validation and a personal appeal. This was a deliberate move to leave no doubt as to the letter’s authenticity. The same practice is seen in:
1 Corinthians 16:21 – “The salutation with my own hand—Paul.”
Colossians 4:18 – “This salutation by my own hand—Paul.”
2 Thessalonians 3:17 – “The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.”
Paul’s handwritten conclusion in Galatians is more than perfunctory. It’s a final act of apostolic earnestness—an appeal from a spiritual father burdened for his confused children.
b. "See with what large letters I have written"
The phrase has led to varied speculation. Some have linked this to Paul’s possible eye condition (cf. Galatians 4:15 — “you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me”). However, the more immediate context favors deliberate emphasis, much like how we use capital letters, boldface, or underlining for important words today.
It is possible Paul used oversized lettering to emphasize urgency and gravity, essentially saying: “Pay attention to this — this is critical.”
Some scholars suggest Paul’s tone here is akin to one rebuking spiritual immaturity, as if writing in block letters to spiritually childish believers.
“He writes it too in large bold characters, that his handwriting may reflect the energy and determination of his soul.” — Lightfoot
In either case, the intent is pastoral urgency, not casual farewell.
2. (Galatians 6:12–13) A Final Word Regarding the Motives of the Legalists
"As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh."
(Galatians 6:12–13, NKJV)
Paul now turns his attention back to the false teachers—the Judaizers—exposing their true motives in compelling the Galatians to be circumcised and embrace Mosaic law. He had previously rebuked their doctrine; here he unmasks their character and intentions.
a. “Desire to make a good showing in the flesh”
These men were not seeking the spiritual good of the Galatians. Their motives were rooted in religious vanity and self-glorification. The phrase “a good showing in the flesh” reveals their obsession with outward appearances, not inward transformation. They were not Spirit-led shepherds; they were flesh-driven showmen.
They wanted Gentile converts circumcised not for holiness, but as trophies of their influence. It gave them status and credibility among their Jewish peers.
Paul had no problem with circumcision as a cultural practice (cf. Acts 16:3, where Timothy was circumcised for missional purposes), but he vehemently opposed compelling it for salvation (cf. Acts 15:1, Galatians 5:2–3).
b. “Only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ”
This is the second layer of their motivation: self-preservation. By emphasizing circumcision and the Law of Moses, they could align Christianity with Judaism, thereby avoiding persecution from both the Jewish religious elite and possibly Roman authorities.
The cross of Christ, in its unfiltered message, is offensive. It declares man’s utter depravity, God’s sovereign grace, and salvation apart from works. It humbles pride and eliminates all boasting (cf. Ephesians 2:8–9).
These legalists softened the offense of the cross by reintroducing law-keeping, giving men something to boast in and reducing the scandal of grace.
To preach a crucified Messiah who did all the work is to strip man of every reason to boast in himself. That message invites persecution — from religious systems, human pride, and worldly culture alike.
c. “They desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh”
This is blunt: their goal was not your spiritual good, but their personal gain. They wanted to count the Galatians like spiritual scalps, boasting of their influence and religious performance.
The language here echoes 1 Samuel 18:27, where David brought back Philistine foreskins as a dowry. These false teachers were treating Gentile converts like merit badges, not beloved brothers.
This was manipulation disguised as ministry.
False teachers are always more concerned with their platform than your soul.
d. “Not even those who are circumcised keep the law”
Paul strikes at their hypocrisy. Even the Judaizers, for all their zeal, could not keep the whole law — because no one can (cf. Galatians 3:10). Their insistence on circumcision was selective, superficial, and ultimately self-serving.
This verse echoes the Lord’s own words: “Woe to you… hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law…” (Matthew 23:23, NKJV)
Summary
In these verses, Paul exposes the core corruption of legalism:
It values external performance over internal transformation
It promotes religious pride instead of gospel humility
It pursues comfort and approval over the offense of the cross
It preys on the vulnerable to boast in flesh, not Christ
Paul’s tone here is urgent, not sentimental. He writes large, bold letters as if to shake the Galatians awake from their spiritual fog. The legalists sought to enslave them again to a system Christ died to liberate them from.
True Christianity is not about making a good showing in the flesh. It is about being crucified with Christ, walking in the Spirit, and living in the liberty of grace.
3. Paul’s Motives and Final Blessing
(Galatians 6:14–15) Paul writes about his motives
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.”
(Galatians 6:14–15, NKJV)
a. “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Paul draws a sharp contrast between himself and the legalists he just exposed in verses 12–13. Where they boasted in outward performance and circumcision, Paul utterly rejected such vanity. His only boast was the cross of Jesus Christ — a symbol of divine power, shame, and substitutionary atonement.
The phrase “God forbid” (Greek: me genoito) is the strongest possible expression of abhorrence. Paul is saying: “May it never happen, may I never glory in anything except the cross.”
To Paul, neither status, success, religious heritage, nor human achievement could compare to what was accomplished at Calvary. His worldview was cross-centered — the glory of the gospel was in the blood of Jesus Christ shed for sinners (Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 1:18).
The ancient world viewed crucifixion as the lowest, most degrading form of death. Romans rarely even mentioned the cross in polite society. Yet Paul gloried in it, because it was the only means by which sinful man could be reconciled to a holy God.
As Charles Spurgeon noted, Paul wasn’t boasting in the wooden beams of the cross, but in the doctrine of justification — free justification through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
b. “By whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”
Paul viewed the world system — not the created order or humanity itself, but the rebellious order aligned against God (cf. 1 John 2:15-17) — as dead to him, and himself as dead to it.
Just as he wrote earlier in Galatians 5:24: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” now he adds that his relationship to the world is also crucified.
Paul neither lived for the world’s approval nor feared its rejection. He was not swayed by the praise of man, cultural status, or religious popularity.
“The world is crucified unto me” — Paul judged the world as condemned.
“I am crucified unto the world” — the world judged Paul the same.
There was mutual rejection. He would not live by its standards, nor did it embrace his message.
This crucified relationship empowered Paul to preach boldly, teach faithfully, and refuse compromise, even when legalists and Judaizers attempted to pressure him back into conformity.
As Spurgeon said, “To live to serve men is one thing, to live to bless them is another… But to fear men, to ask their leave to think… that is a baseness we cannot brook.”
c. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation”
Paul concludes with a sweeping doctrinal statement. In Christ Jesus — in the new covenant — the old categories of circumcision or uncircumcision mean absolutely nothing.
The ritual of circumcision does not confer righteousness.
The lack of circumcision does not automatically imply spiritual superiority either.
What matters is a person being made into a new creation by the Spirit of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…”).
This new creation is the work of regeneration — the spiritual rebirth wrought by the Holy Spirit, not the product of man’s religious effort.
Christianity, then, is not self-improvement. It is God’s supernatural work of transformation, making dead men alive, sinners into saints, and rebels into children of God.
The law can never produce this. Only grace can.
4. (Galatians 6:16) A Blessing on Those Who Walk in God's Truth
“And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”
(Galatians 6:16, NKJV)
Paul now turns from polemic to blessing — offering a benediction to all who walk rightly in the gospel.
a. “As many as walk according to this rule”
The term rule (Greek: kanon) refers to a measuring line — a carpenter’s or surveyor’s standard by which direction and correctness are determined. It implies that the Christian life is not arbitrary, but governed by objective truth, not personal preference.
This rule refers to the gospel Paul has taught: salvation by grace through faith, not through works of the law, and walking in the Spirit as a new creation.
Those who “walk according to this rule” are those who embrace the cross, reject legalism, and rest in the finished work of Christ.
b. “Peace and mercy be upon them”
This is a striking blessing. Earlier in the epistle, Paul had pronounced a curse (anathema) on those who preach another gospel (Galatians 1:8–9). Now, he reverses tone for those who remain faithful to the truth.
Peace — the inner tranquility and wholeness that comes from being reconciled to God (Romans 5:1).
Mercy — God’s tender compassion toward the sinner, sparing us from what we deserve (Titus 3:5).
These are not empty words. They are apostolic blessings directed at those who live in light of the cross and walk by the Spirit.
c. “And upon the Israel of God”
This phrase has generated much debate. However, in the context of Galatians — where Paul has consistently defined sons of Abraham as those justified by faith (Galatians 3:7, 3:29) — the “Israel of God” here most naturally refers to believing Jews who have trusted in Christ, as opposed to unbelieving national Israel.
This is not a redefinition of Israel as the church.
Rather, it is a recognition of faithful Jews within the new covenant community — the remnant Paul also speaks of in Romans 9–11.
It is consistent with the Baptist and dispensational view that national Israel and the Church are distinct, and this phrase simply refers to regenerate Israelites, not to the Gentile church.
The blessing is both inclusive (for all who walk by this gospel rule) and specific (upon Jewish believers who have embraced Christ).
5. Final Words from the Apostle Paul
(Galatians 6:17–18) Paul’s closing benediction and personal signature
“From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
(Galatians 6:17–18, NKJV)
a. “From now on let no one trouble me”
After a letter filled with rebuke, theological argument, and passionate defense of the gospel of grace, Paul closes with a statement of finality and authority. This is not a plea; it is a command grounded in personal cost.
The phrase “let no one trouble me” could be understood as “I will no longer tolerate these attacks on my apostleship or message.”
Paul is not referring to persecution in general, which he accepted for the sake of Christ. Rather, he is warning against the ongoing agitation caused by false teachers and legalists, who continued to undermine his ministry to the Galatians.
In essence, Paul was saying: “I have proven my authority and loyalty to Christ in blood, scars, and suffering — I need no further validation from these agitators.”
b. “For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”
This is a profound statement. Paul appeals to the physical scars left on his body from his many persecutions as evidence of his authenticity and devotion to Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23–25, Paul recounts being beaten with rods, whipped, stoned, and imprisoned. These experiences left literal marks—scars—on his body.
“Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned…”
(2 Corinthians 11:23–25, NKJV)
These were not mystical stigmata as later Catholic traditions would develop. Paul did not claim wounds like Christ’s in the hands or feet. The word used is stigmata in the Greek, and it refers to branding — the type used to mark slaves or soldiers in the Roman world.
In that context, a slave might be branded with his master's mark.
A soldier might be branded with the insignia of his general, showing lifelong allegiance.
Paul says, in effect: “I have been branded by Christ — not with ink or iron, but with the scars earned for His sake.”
These marks were badges of honor, not shame. They were signs of his loyalty to his Master — Jesus Christ.
As John Calvin wrote:
“Christ our Leader has His own marks… They have the nature of the cross and in the sight of the world they are disgraceful, but before God and the angels they surpass all the honors of the world.”
This is the true glory Paul clings to — not in human credentials or ceremonial rituals like circumcision, but in sharing in the sufferings of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:10).
c. “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Paul ends the letter not with a curse or another rebuke, but with a word of grace. This is fitting. The entire epistle has been a defense of the gospel of grace against the threat of legalism.
Grace — charis in Greek — is unearned favor, God’s kindness extended not to the deserving, but to the undeserving.
Paul prays that the Galatians would experience this grace deeply — in their spirit — the innermost part of their being.
This was not a shallow blessing. It was a pastoral prayer that they would return to the simplicity of salvation by grace through faith, apart from the law, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
It parallels his closing words in Philippians 4:23:
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Philippians 4:23, NKJV)
And in Romans 16:20:
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” (Romans 16:20, NKJV)
“After the storm and stress and intensity of the letter comes the peace of the benediction. Paul has argued and rebuked and cajoled but his last word is GRACE, for him the only word that really mattered.” — (William Barclay)
Closing Summary:
The Epistle to the Galatians is Paul’s magna carta of Christian liberty, a forceful defense of the gospel of grace against the bondage of legalism. It calls believers to stand firm in the liberty purchased by Christ, to walk in the Spirit, and to refuse any addition to the finished work of the cross.
The final words of Galatians remind us that true Christian ministry is marked not by religious performance or human approval, but by faithfulness to Christ — often at great cost. Yet even then, grace reigns. Grace begins the gospel, grace guards the walk, and grace will bring us home.
“Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
(Galatians 6:18, NKJV)
