Galatians 6:1 | Restoration
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
-Galatians 6:1 BSB
-Galatians 6:1 BSB
One of the responsibilities of the believer is to look out for fellow believers. This is a tremendous responsibility that must be handled with only the wisdom that comes from God. Consider how those who fall into trespasses are handled. Restoring them in a spirit of gentleness ought to be the common practice. We, however, wrestle with those who are caught in trespasses.
It should be noted that having a high standard for morality and a great care for holiness are admirable traits. We should also hold one another to a high standard of morality. As believers, we ought to be defined by our integrity. But we should also be defined by our love for one another in the household of faith.
I want to highlight three important lessons from this verse for you this morning.
If someone is caught in a trespass. The idea here is not simply that it was stumbled upon or it just happened to come out that this brother or sister sinned. That may be an element in it, but it begins with watching out for one another. Cain mockingly questioned God when God asked him where his brother was. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Indeed you are the keeper of your brother and the keeper of your sister. It is your responsibility to look out for one another.
Restore him with a spirit of gentleness. The effort of the believer should not be to ostracize or be rid of one another. If they are unrepentant, church discipline may end up that direction, but the effort always remains to restore the individual. It should not be beligerent or mocking. It should not turn to gossip nor slander. If a trespass is believed to have taken place, the effort should be taken to restore them with a spirit of gentleness.
Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Dealing with people in their sin can in it of itself be a dangerous task. It is important to recognize that Paul is not saying you will be tempted with the same thing they fell into. Again, that may be possible, but it is more likely that self-righteous judgment is the danger. This means humility and caution are hugely necessary for such a process.
As mentioned before, this is a delicate position to be in and the responsibility is incredible. I want you to examine yourself with an honest assessment. Are you spiritually prepared to restore someone in the spirit of gentleness?
It should be noted that having a high standard for morality and a great care for holiness are admirable traits. We should also hold one another to a high standard of morality. As believers, we ought to be defined by our integrity. But we should also be defined by our love for one another in the household of faith.
I want to highlight three important lessons from this verse for you this morning.
If someone is caught in a trespass. The idea here is not simply that it was stumbled upon or it just happened to come out that this brother or sister sinned. That may be an element in it, but it begins with watching out for one another. Cain mockingly questioned God when God asked him where his brother was. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Indeed you are the keeper of your brother and the keeper of your sister. It is your responsibility to look out for one another.
Restore him with a spirit of gentleness. The effort of the believer should not be to ostracize or be rid of one another. If they are unrepentant, church discipline may end up that direction, but the effort always remains to restore the individual. It should not be beligerent or mocking. It should not turn to gossip nor slander. If a trespass is believed to have taken place, the effort should be taken to restore them with a spirit of gentleness.
Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Dealing with people in their sin can in it of itself be a dangerous task. It is important to recognize that Paul is not saying you will be tempted with the same thing they fell into. Again, that may be possible, but it is more likely that self-righteous judgment is the danger. This means humility and caution are hugely necessary for such a process.
As mentioned before, this is a delicate position to be in and the responsibility is incredible. I want you to examine yourself with an honest assessment. Are you spiritually prepared to restore someone in the spirit of gentleness?
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John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
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Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
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Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
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Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What am I going to do about it?
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