Albert Barnes Commentary Galatians 6:5

"For each man shall bear his own burden." — Galatians 6:5 (ASV)

For every man shall bear his own burden. This seems to be a kind of proverbial saying, and it means here that each one will receive his due reward. If a person is virtuous, he will be happy; if a person is vicious, he will be miserable. If a person is virtuous, he will have the source of happiness in himself; if a sinner, he must bear the due penalty for his sin.

On the great day, each one will be justly rewarded. Knowing this, we should be less anxious about the opinions of others and should seek to maintain a good conscience toward God and humanity. The purpose of this passage is to prevent people from forming an incorrect estimate of themselves and of the opinions of others.

Let a person realize that he is soon to stand at the judgment seat, and it will do much to keep him from an improper estimate of his own importance. Let him realize that he must give an account to God, and that his vital interests are to be determined by the estimate God will assign to his character. This will teach him that the opinion of the world is of little value.

This will restrain his vanity and ambition. This will show him that the main business of life is to secure the favor of God and to be prepared to give his account. And there is no way as effective in checking ambition and subduing vanity and the love of applause, as to realize that we are soon to stand at the solemn bar of God.