AN EXHORTATION TO WELL DOING

Text: Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Intro: Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith

We have two courses of action open to us;
Sowing to the flesh and reaping the flesh; That is putting fleshly lusts and satisfactions first,
OR; Sowing and reaping to the Spirit

Consider the exhortation;
WEARY = Greek; turn coward; become despondent.

I An implication: Others HAVE become weary!
Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Israel had this problem under the Law.
Mal 1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

Even Peter fell prey to it on at least two occasions. One, at the trial of the Lord, and later when he compromised his doctrinal stand.
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

It implies that one has begun to do well.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

II A Vocation – Well-doing. This is a full time job.
It presupposes a separation from evil-doing.
1 Cor 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
James 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
James 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

B. Well-doing MUST consider the Lord’s Church
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

C. It must also consider the world.
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Well-doing IS the fruit of the Spirit
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Here is the portrait of Christ in our lives.
Fruits OF (possessive) the Spirit; Cannot be experienced except through Him. No Spirit; No fruit.

III The Exhortation: "Let us not….."
Weariness may come from:
Physical exhaustion. Even Jesus grew weary. (asleep in the ship)
Absence of results; Discouragement.
What is the answer?:
Eccl 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
In DUE season
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

C. Opposition or lack of cooperation from those who SHOULD be helping.
ANSWER?
2 Tim 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

D. The difficulty of the work
1. Unbelief
Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
2. Unconcern: It’s a good thing this didn’t make Noah weary!
3. Prejudice: The martyrs of the dark ages fought it even to death!
4. Unwillingness: Solved by commitment
5. Satanic influence
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
6. Well-doing requires sacrifice; we are prone to selfishness

IV A remuneration: We shall reap…….
A. An abundant life here and now.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Lu 18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

B.. Our eternal reward is certain because it is a promise from God.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
C. It is to be awaited with patience.
James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh .
C. It will be timely: "In due season"
D. It will be proportional to our faithfulness in well doing.
1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
E. Evil-doers shall also reap!
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.