Galatians 6:1 "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."
Sin in the life of a Christian should not be a surprise to any of us, it is a reality. Though we have been saved by grace from the power of sin, unfortunately because we are still human, we will continue to be tempted to sin. Do Faithful Christians willfully continue in sin? Scripture indicates that, while we will always “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we have the hope that the power of God is at work in us to “make us more and more like Him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). When a true Believer sins, God disciplines them to bring them to repentance. He yearns to repair the relationship and change his/her heart.
But, in light of this reality, it is the church's response to sin that is important when that failure occurs. It has been said that the Christians shoot their own wounded because often the church responds to sin with harshness and condemnation driving the fallen Believer away or further into a depressing state. Evidently, this was how the church of Galatia was responding to sin within the church and Paul was wanting to get their attention and change their mindset. He wanted them to see that sin presented an opportunity for the Spirit-led Believer to display the Fruit of the Spirit and help the fellow Christian to heal and bring him/her back into the fellowship of the church.
Scripture reminds us in Galatians 5:13 that we are to carry each other's burdens which means to serve one another with love. This carrying of one another's burdens has the connotation of staking ourselves to the individual until the season passes. It is a process of helping them to get back into the fellowship and wading with them through the time of recovery and healing. It can be a difficult time because it involves forgiveness and humility; however, when we realize our own vulnerability and need for God, we are much more willing to get involved. We have more compassion with the individual who has sinned and are more willing to love because we know what Christ has done for us. Think about it, It is just by the grace of God that we have not found ourselves in the same situation.
As Believers, we are to respond to the sinner with gentleness, not relieving them from the consequences of their sin but helping them to recognize how sin has held them in bondage and trapped them. We're to love them as Christ loved us and respond with compassion and understanding, coming along side of them to walk through the restoration process. We're to provide a means of emotional, financial, or spiritual support which can involve an in depth, intimate and sometimes time consuming relationship. It can mean late night phone calls just to listen or time to drop by and give a hand. It is surrendering of oneself to be used of God to minister to an individual who is seeking fellowship and acceptance. It can mean hard work but by the sacrificial gifts of our time and resources, we rest in the comfort that we are bringing pleasure to God by being used of Him to meet the needs of His children. He knows that we love Him when we are walking in obedience to Him.
I have been one to come along side and I understand both the time and effort that is involved; however, the joy of seeing a fellow Believer restored far outweighs any amount of inconvenience. Who might God be calling you to walk along side of?
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
I walk by the grace of God daily knowing that temptation is lurking around every corner. Though I follow You, unfortunately I know that I am not exempt from sin. Please continue to cover my family and I with Your righteousness and protect us from the nasty ploys of the evil one. We need you, We are not above reproach but we don't want to go there and disappoint You. If there is someone who needs a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear, please bring it to my attention. If there is someone who has sinned and needs encouragement reveal it to me, Lord, so I can help them. You have abundantly used others in my life to show me compassion and I pray that You would be able to use me to help someone else. You are the Helper, the Healer, and the Holy One. Please continue to make each of us into Your likeness!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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