RESTORE PEOPLE WITH GRACE AND GENTLENESS YET FIRM IN TRUTH
SCRIPTURE:
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:1—10)
OBSERVATION:
Paul speaks to the Galatian believers to be good to one another. The Galatian believers ought to be gracious to someone caught in a sin. Those who live by the Spirit should RESTORE that person gently. They are to carry each other’s burdens. Believers are not to compare themselves in a way that they consider themselves better than others.
It is easy for those walking by the Spirit who never seem to have committed a sin to look down on those who fail. Spirit-filled believers should not fall into the trap of appearing and showing that they are better than others. Those who are spirit fill are responsible not to compare nor judge those who have fallen short but to help restore the fallen graciously and gently.
The brunt of people’s sin is on them to carry, but those full of the spirit come alongside to help them overcome the challenge. Paul also instructed believers to be careful of the way they live. If someone falls to sin because they ignored the truth they have already been taught, they will suffer the consequences. God’s truth cannot be overlooked nor mocked.
Paul says those who fall in sin fail because they choose to SOW TO PLEASE THEIR FLESH. When people sow to please their fleshly desires, they will reap destruction. But they will reap eternal life if they sow TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT. People will always struggle between these two realities. All of us must make a choice about where we sow into.
But when people fall, it is the duty of other brothers and sisters who are filled with the Spirit to RESTORE and not to condemn those who have fallen. Paul’s continual exhortation is for believers filled with the Spirit not to be weary of doing good. In due time things will change if we do not grow tired of doing good to those who have fallen. We must continue to do good at all times. Whenever we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those in the household of God. Restoration must be at the heart of all we do for fallen people. We, too, may be tempted and fall someday.
APPLICATION:
I must refrain from judging and condemning those who have fallen into sin. I know I am quick in judging instead of thinking first about what I must do for the person who has made the wrong decision. I must be gracious and understanding yet firm in love and truth. I must learn to deal with my brother and sister to be restored to Jesus rather than push them away because they have sinned. People must be retore gently back to Jesus, and that is what I will commit to doing.
PRAYER:
Father, teach me to be someone who does not condemn those who have fallen into sin but to have your heart of graciousness and gentleness to guide them back to you. I know too well that I have often fallen short of your righteousness, yet you have restored me to you with grace and gentleness. I ask that you give me a heart that does not condemn but is committed to restoring people back to you. Amen!
