Restoration

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Thursday July 16, 2009

Galatians 6:1 (NIV)
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

First it should be pointed out that Paul was writing this letter to born again believers. He tells us that if a fellow believer is caught in a sin, the spiritual ones should "restore him gently."

Paul doesn't say that this person caught in sin should be judged, humiliated, or even spoken to! He says the person should be "restored gently." The Greek word translated "restore" is "katartizo" which means to repair, perfectly join together, or restore. There is no overtone of judgement or harsh treatment; Paul said the person should be restored GENTLY.

How do we restore someone caught in a sin? Paul tells us in verse 2:

Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
Carry (bear) each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

The Greek word translated "carry" is "bastazo" which means to "bear", or "bear with." Paul tells us that the "tent" we live in (the body) is what causes the burdens that need to be borne:

2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV)
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

When we receive our new glorified bodies, we will no longer have to bear these burdens Paul is talking about! Paul himself-- who wrote half the New Testament-- had the exact same struggle we do:

Romans 7:15-23 (NIV)
15. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my [flesh]. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. 20. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23. but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

Our born again spirit (inner being) has the nature of God and desires to do what is right; but the body only contacts the physical realm, so it is fighting us the whole way!

Verse 3 of Galatians 6 starts to tell us why we must bear with eachother's burdens and not condemn the one caught in sin:

Galatians 6:3-5 (NIV)
3. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5. for each one should carry his own load.

Paul makes it clear that it is pride that condemns others who are caught in sin. He just got through saying we should bear with eachother's burdens, and restore the one caught in sin.

When you restore something, you bring it back to the state it was in before it was damaged. When a person is caught in sin, we need to restore them to the standing they had before they were caught in sin. The person's own spirit will bear witness to the sin; they don't need anyone else trashing them for it.

The very definition of sin for a believer requires that the person know he is about to sin before he does it:

James 4:17 (NIV)
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

A believer sins by KNOWING to do (or not do) something, and disregarding that knowledge! They don't need to be told that they sinned after they did it; they already knew before they did it!

Paul tells us in Galatians 6 to basically mind our own business and not compare ourselves to others:

Galatians 6:4,5 (NIV)
4. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5. for each one should carry his own load.

We all screw up (whether we admit it or not) and are ourselves in need of mercy and forgiveness, so we should always be willing to overlook other people's sins:

1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

God tells us to "Love your neighbor as yourself." That means covering over a multitude of sins; it means bearing with eachother's imperfections.

PRAYER
Thank You Father for forgiving ALL my sins; blotting them out and not even keeping track of them! Help me to walk in the same kind of forgiveness towards others, not being proud and judgemental, so I can work with the rest of Your church, and we can accomplish Your work on the earth together.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

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