216. Burden-bearing.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For every man shall bear his own burden. - Galatians 6:2,5.

GALATIANS were apparently fond of the law and its burdens. At least, they appeared to be ready to load themselves with ceremonies, and so fulfill the law of Moses.

Paul would have them think of other burdens, by the bearing of which they would fulfill the law of Christ.

We are not under law, but under love.

But love is also law in the best sense. The law of Christ is love.

Love is the fulfilling of the law. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Lest this principle should be presumed upon, he mentions the principle of individual responsibility. "Every man shall bear his own burden?'

I. COMMUNITY. "Bear ye one another's burdens?"

1. Negatively:

It tacitly forbids certain modes of action.

· We are not to burden others. Some take a liberty to do so from this very text, as if it said, "Let others bear your burdens," which is just the reverse of what it urges.

· We are not to spy out others' burdens and report thereon.

· We are not to despise them for having such loads to bear.

· We are not to act as if all things existed for ourselves, and we were to bend all to our own purposes.

· We are not to go through the world oblivious of the sorrows of others. We may not shut our eyes to the woes of mankind.

2. Positively:

We are to share the burdens of others:

· By compassion, bear with their former sins (verse 1).

· By patience, bear with their infirmities and even their conceit (verse 2).

· By sympathy, bear their sorrows (verses 2-3).

· By assistance, bear their wants (verses 6, 10).

· By communion, in love and comfort, bear their struggles.

· By prayer and practical help, bear the burden of their labors and, thus, lighten it (verse 6).

3. Specially, we ought to consider ---

· The erring brother. Referred to in verse 1 as "overtaken in a fault?" We must tenderly restore him.

· The provoking brother, who thinks himself to be something (see verse 3). Bear with him; his mistake will bring him many a burden before he has done with it.

· The brother who is peculiarly trying is to be borne with to seventy times seven, even to the measure of the law of Christ.

· The greatly tried is to have our greatest sympathy.

· The minister of Christ should be released from temporal burdens, that he may give himself wholly to the burden of the Lord.

II. IMMUNITY. "For every man shall bear his own burden." We shall not bear all the burdens of others.

We are not so bound to each other that we are partakers in willful transgression, negligence, or rebellion.

1. Each must bear his own sin if he persists in it.

2. Each must bear his own shame, which results from his sin.

3. Each must bear his own responsibility in his own sphere.

4. Each must bear his own judgment at the last.

III. PERSONALITY. "Every man ... his own burden."

True godliness is a personal affair, and we cannot cast off our individuality. Therefore, let us ask for grace to look well to ourselves in the following matters:

1. Personal religion. The new birth, repentance, faith, love, holiness, fellowship with God, etc., are all personal.

2. Personal self-examination. We cannot leave the question of our soul's condition to the judgment of others.

3. Personal service. We have to do what no one else can do.

4. Personal responsibility. Obligations cannot be transferred.

5. Personal effort. Nothing can be a substitute for this.

6. Personal sorrow. "The heart knoweth its own bitterness."

7. Personal comfort. We need the Comforter for ourselves, and we must personally look up to the Lord for his operations.

All this belongs to the Christian, and we may judge ourselves by it.

So bear your own burden as not to forget others.

So live as not to come under the guilt of other men's sins.

So help others as not to destroy their self-reliance.