Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a person is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
After a person comes to Christ, the possibility of being overtaken by a temptation continues. All have sinned before salvation, and all will sin after salvation. Sometimes the sinning saint realizes their sin and they confess it, but at other times they may need to be confronted, warned, and even rebuked, Our Bible has verses and passages that speak of how as well as why one is to be confronted. For instance, I Thessalonians 5:14 says, “warn the unruly.” From 2 Timothy 2:24-26 we learn, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will,” 1 Timothy 5:20 is straightforward and says, “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.”
Galatians 6:1 addresses what to do after rebuking and there is repentance and says there is to be restoration. The word ‘Restore” in Greek is a medical term for “setting the bone.” It is also used by fishermen for “mending a net.” The Christian that has been overcome by temptation is broken and needs mending. It takes loving patience – gentleness – as a doctor would have with a broken arm to help the person so they will grow and become stronger.
Interestingly the Apostle Paul adds a warning that as one does help with restoration, they do so with the full knowledge that what a person has done can be done by you. There is to be no attitude of superior holiness but a spirit of humility.
The apostle’s teaching here is challenging. It takes a “spiritual” person to help a person acting unspiritual to start living right again. It takes time for the mess of sinful actions to be cleaned up. It takes time and wisdom to establish new boundaries and accountability so the wayward saint stays on the straight and narrow.
Restoration is part of God’s plan and it will take work by both the one being restored and the one(s) restoring!
Continue Strong Restoring The Repentant Saint,
And remember to DATE the Word