Humbly and Gently Bear Each Other

Sermons based on the Letter to the Galatians (VII)

Galatians 6:1-11

We arrive to the last chapter and last sermon of the book of Galatians.

Let me review the titles I preached in the last six sermons: “Whom Do We Please? Make Up Your Mind, Experiencing The Grace, No More a Slave but a Child of God, Walk in the Spirit, Forever and Ever, More Fruits.”

Paul is closing this letter by helping the churches of Galatia to take responsibility not just towards themselves, but towards the “others”.

I would like to stress the first verse:

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” (1)

- “If someone is caught in a sin…”

These days the news coverage about Senator Sarah Palin’s daughter is frustrating. No doubt that a 17-year-old unmarried pregnant girl is in trouble; but the media and the politicians are “crucifying” her and her family, of course for political reasons. Can you imagine how this 17 year-old-girl is feeling now? Are we restoring her?

The intention of Paul’s writing is not condemnation, but restoration. But we need the courage to face the problem. Some are experts in saying, “Ignore it; everyone is a sinner” hoping it will go away. We must not ignore sin. A doctor cannot ignore a cancerous tumor; otherwise it will eventually kill you.

In 2007, I preached a series about Paul’s First letter to the Corinthians. In Chapter five Paul urged the church of Corinth to face the sins in the church. But how? “Gently and Humbly.” Jesus knows how to approach “sinners”. In the Gospel of John they brought a woman who was caught in adultery. Jesus said: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.”(John 8:10-11)

We are not in condemnation business, although we do condemn people. We are in restoration business, which we seldom do. I guess it is easier to point our finger at people rather than thinking that this person is weak and fallen and needs a restoring hand.

- “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual…”

What does “you who are spiritual” mean? It means Paul is not asking everyone is to stick their nose in other people’s business. To restore someone, it is required that the person is in good relationship with the Lord, walking in the Spirit, abiding in Him, and spiritually mature. Whoever is going to do the restoration, before starting to fix others, he/she must first restore his /her spiritual life.

It is strange that in many churches you find people who know how to expose other people’s problems. Very often the way they do this damage is called “gossip.” I have seen so many lives destroyed in churches because of gossip about certain sins. I have witnessed how some people stopped coming to church because church people did not “restore” them but only condemned them.

Jesus gave the best example, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matt 7:3-5)

Jesus is not saying we are not responsible in helping to restore a weak brother or sister; he wants us to start from your own life.

We will continue in English.