Restored

The 365 Journey

Outline Week 45

Galatians 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.

Every saint sins. We don't stop sinning when we come to Christ. Our sins are covered, but we continue sinning. At times we are so overtaken by our sinful habit that it becomes habitual behavior. We can't stop sinning. We want to, but we find ourselves trapped in our fleshly tendencies. If we continue, eventually we will get caught.

Paul must had experienced this kind of behavior among believers in the early church. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, he gives counsel to fellow Christians on how to respond to a fallen brother. They are to "restore him in a spirit of gentleness".

Unfortunately, this is not always how the church responds to those "caught in any transgression." More often then not, the church rejects them, rather than restores them.

The text guides us in proper way to response to our fallen brother. We are to consider several truths as we help to restore them:

The Ruin of the Brother

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression,

It is one thing to sin, it is another to be caught in a sin. Imagine how the women who was caught in adultery must have felt when she was exposed in her sin. No one wants to have their failings displayed for all to see. A stark warning is given here when the texts admonishes us to Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted and to the saints of old in Numbers 32:23, "be sure your sins will find you out".

It is when we are struggling with sin, that we need God's people not to turn their backs on us, but for them to exhibit God's mercy and grace to help us get back on track.

The Relation to the Brother

you who are spiritual should . . .

One of the greatest expressions of "brotherly love" is when you walk with an exposed believer to help them find their way back. Notice our text seems to identify those that are truly "spiritual" as the ones who will respond in love and genuine affection to help a fallen brother. Helping a wayward saint to worship again is a mark of those that are "spiritual". Someone once said that "Christians are the only ones that shoot their wounded." Don't be that kind of Christian.

The Restoring of the Brother

. . . restore him in a spirit of gentleness

Our text identifies the model for bringing back a brother. Here we find the goal and method. The direction is to "restore him". The demeanor is "in a spirit of gentleness".

Direction

The goal of our time with our fallen brother is to restore them. There is no time limit on how long it could take to help them rebuild their life from the ruin caused by their sin. We are to walk with them on their journey of restoration as long as it takes.

Demeanor

It is not easy to rebuild what has been broken. It takes patience and a gentle spirit to walk with them. There will be good days and bad as the Spirit works to restore them, but by God's grace they will be spiritually restored.