Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Truth to Learn
Peace and mercy are upon those who walk by faith.
Behind the Words
The opening words of this verse “as many as” are translated from the Greek word osoi. This is the same way Paul started verse 12 and it may be seen as a contrast between the two. That is, he is contrasting those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh with those who walk according to this rule.
The word translated “walk” is stoicheō. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary this word means “To stand or go in order, advance in rows or ranks.” It is a military term referring to the rows, or ranks, of soldiers all marching in step. In the New Testament this word is used figuratively to mean to walk orderly. In this verse the word is written in the future tense so the opening part of this verse could be translated as, “And as many as will walk according to this rule …”
“Rule” is translated from kanōn, which is derived from kanē, meaning a reed or cane. It refers to anything straight which is used in examining or measuring other things. As used here, it refers to a rule of conduct. Incidentally, it is also the word used as a technical term for those accepted books of the Bible which are considered inspired, the canon of Scripture.
Meaning Explained
There is some question as to specifically what rule Paul is referring to in this verse. It could be that he is referring to the central doctrine of this letter, that man is saved and declared righteous by God through faith, not works of law. Or, he could be referring to the previous verse where he declared that neither circumcision nor the lack thereof matter at all regarding salvation, the new creation is what really matters. Although there is only a subtle difference between the two, it appears that he is tying this thought with the previous verse and contrasting those who live out their Christianity by the new birth, through faith, with those who attempt to please God with outward fleshly acts of obedience (verse 12).
Paul’s use of the word stoicheō shows that he is not referring to wandering through this life in a willy-nilly manner. Instead, he sees the Christian walk as being united with other Christians and done in an orderly, mutually supportive manner. We do not face the world and our adversary alone, but as an army of God marching with unity and strength. It is this type of daily walk that results in the peace of God and an appreciation for His mercy.
Finally, Paul proclaims the blessing of peace and mercy on the Israel of God. That is, the spiritual Israel (the seed by faith), his called ones, not the Israel of the flesh.
Application
It should be obvious to us all by now, Paul teaches that the source of blessing from God is through a life of faith. Acts of contrition and obeying rules carry no weight with Him.
Therefore, let us all walk together by faith, not by observance of the law and manmade church rules!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to: