Sep 21 – Isaiah 49:8-26, Isaiah 50, Isaiah 51:1-16 Galatians 6 Proverbs 23:10-18
Gal 6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Why caught? Notice Paul doesn’t say confesses transgression, but caught in it. Well it’s quite simple – tis is the worst way for transgression to come out. Confession is positive, getting caught is not. So Paul is taking it to the most extreme, in order to encompass everything not as bad as this.
Restore them. Repair them. Help them get past it. The Greek word used here is also used when talking of a dislocated limb that needs popping back into place. It’ll hurt, so do it carefully.
When someone is caught in sin, there will be a lot of pain and a lot of mess to clean up. It needs to be handled firmly but gently, or that person could be lost.
Those who fall don’t need our judgement (God is judge) – they need our help. Now bear in mind, restore doesn’t mean put back into position – or put back into ministry – it means repair. Bring them back to the body, get them back on track.
E Bersier put it well, “The soul which sin has overtaken is like the bruised reed. It must be raised up gently that it may once more aspire heavenwards.”
And be careful when you do so… not just remembering that you have weaknesses to, but there are a number of sins that open up when you help someone. Pride. Harshness. Self Righteousness. They are indeed dangers to those who help.
