datethewordtest

Tag: Galatians 6:1

  • Restoration Is Part Of God’s Plan With A Sinning Saint

    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

  • Verse to DATE the Word on June 1 (6/1) is Galatians 6:1

    Verse to DATE the Word on June 1 (6/1) is Galatians 6:1

    “Brethren, if a man 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.” – Galatians 6:1
    Restoration is part of God’s Plan with a Sinning Saint

    How do we minister to the sinning saint? The verse implies that the person who has been overtaken is a fellow believer. The call to action is clearly directed to a believer as Paul speaks to brethren.  Please note he did not say Pastor or Elder here as this call is for each and every believer.  Now he does give a qualifying statement in saying, “those who are spiritual” for it will take spiritual maturity to do the ministry that is needed with the sinning saint.

    Back to the question of how do we minister to the sinning saint.   The sinning saint is to be, first, REBUKED.  I Thessalonians 5:14 speaks of warning the unruly.  1 Timothy 5:20 says, “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.”

    Then what?  Hopefully and prayerfully the sinning saint REPENTS.   There is a change of heart that is going to lead to a change in action.  

    What happens when the sinning saint repents? May I preach for a moment?  Are we to now REJECT the repentant sinning saint?  Are we to shoot our wounded?  The Apostle Paul would shout NO! 

    The Apostle Paul wants to see the repentant person RESTORED. The Greek means to “MEND for future use.” Like a fisherman would MEND a net or a doctor mend a broken bone. The mindset is to handle the fallen with care (gentleness), and with humility.  

    Now Paul issues a major WARNING to those who are helping in the restoration and that warning needs to be heard and heeded.  The warning is that as one helps another who has fallen you must never think you would never do the same thing.   

    With this humble mindset the spiritually mature steps into the life of a sinning saint and begins to mend. The mending calls for establishing accountability. It calls for memorization of Scriptures connected to temptation. It calls for writing out resolutions (Daniel 1:8) It calls for praying that one would be submissive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He will not lead one into temptation. In other words, restoration is going to take WORK and discipline!!! 

    Just as one may fall and break a bone the broken bone with the right help can be mended and brought back to usefulness so too can one who has fallen spiritually be mended and be brought back to usefulness. 

    Verse to DATE the Word on June 1 (6/1) is Galatians 6:1. It says, “Brethren, if a man 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.”

    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