Paul said, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:1-2). It is possible for any and every Christian to fall to the temptation of sin. In fact, we all sin (1 Jn. 1:8-10).
The word Paul uses translated “overtaken” means to be surprised by the sin or temptation to sin. It bears with it the idea of one’s spiritual heart being suddenly invaded and taken before aware. When sin takes hold of my brother in Christ, I want to remove its ugly grip from his soul and free him to again walk faithfully in the sonship of Jesus the Christ (1 Jn. 1:7).
By way of this short essay, I want to give you just four reasons why I should want to restore my brother.
I want to restore my brother because . . .
He is my brother.
Christians are part of a family. Case in point, families feel sorrow when one of their members is in pain. The same family feels great joy when all is well in the life of that family member. Paul said, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Rm. 12:15).
Rudyard Kipling once wrote about families,
All of us are we “and everyone else is they.” A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns, and gladness...A family is a clan held together with the glue of love and the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is a member of a family (www.sermonillustrations.com).
I want to restore my brother, because he is part of my family. Add to that…
Sin has hold of my brother.
It doesn’t take too much time spent in the soup line of sin before complete apostasy can occur (1 Jn. 5:16). One has described it this way, “Sin teaches you more than you want to know. It takes you farther than you want to go. It costs you more than you want to pay. It keeps you longer than you want to stay.”
It is thought that David, with his pen of contrition, wrote Psalm 51 following his sin with Bathsheba. In this Psalm he identifies the fault which had overtaken him. Notice the words that he wrote, “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (Psa. 51:2,3; emph. N.R.). When these three words; iniquity, sin, and transgression, are used together, they describe the lowest abyss of guilt.
After David’s sin with Bathsheba, and following the murder of Uriah (1 Sam. 11), Nathan was sent by God to restore David (1 Sam. 12). Nathan was a friend to David; and, yes, we might call him a brother—at least one performing the duty of a brother. Sin had its hold on David and so Nathan acts as a brother (by divine guidance) and serves as an illustration to the words of Paul when he said, “…if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one…” (Gal. 6:1).
I want to restore my brother because he is part of my family, and because sin has hold of him. Add to that . . .
I would want my brother to restore me.
We often refer to God as being one who is not a respecter of persons (Eph. 6:9). But, equally so, Satan is not a respecter of persons. You recall how that Satan tempted Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11). With each temptation Jesus responded with “it is written”—a demonstration of the defensive power of the Word. When Satan tempted Jesus the third time, and when Jesus did not give in, Satan left him.
If the devil will tempt the Lord of lords and King of kings, you know he will tempt you and me. Paul said to restore your brethren “…considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:2). Since Satan is going to tempt me; and since it is possible for me to give in to that temptation; and if I give in to that temptation I could, as a result, lose my soul; I then want my brother to restore me. The words of Jesus would certainly apply here, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mt. 7:12).
I want to restore my brother because he is part of my family; because sin has hold of him; and, because I would want him to restore me. Add to that…
To please Jesus means to bear the burdens of my brother.
Paul said, “…Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Under the banner of the assurance of eternal life, John wrote: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1 Jn. 4:20-21).
If I’m to be assured of eternal life, one of the requirements is to love my brother. I must love my brother enough to tell him he’s wrong, and then to show him how to do right.
The next time I find my brother surprised by sin, I’ll know that my duty is to restore him. But add to that, I’ll want to restore him because of these four reasons: he is my brother; sin has hold of my brother; I would want my brother to restore me; and, to please Jesus I must try to restore my brother.
The word Paul uses translated “overtaken” means to be surprised by the sin or temptation to sin. It bears with it the idea of one’s spiritual heart being suddenly invaded and taken before aware. When sin takes hold of my brother in Christ, I want to remove its ugly grip from his soul and free him to again walk faithfully in the sonship of Jesus the Christ (1 Jn. 1:7).
By way of this short essay, I want to give you just four reasons why I should want to restore my brother.
I want to restore my brother because . . .
He is my brother.
Christians are part of a family. Case in point, families feel sorrow when one of their members is in pain. The same family feels great joy when all is well in the life of that family member. Paul said, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Rm. 12:15).
Rudyard Kipling once wrote about families,
All of us are we “and everyone else is they.” A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns, and gladness...A family is a clan held together with the glue of love and the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is a member of a family (www.sermonillustrations.com).
I want to restore my brother, because he is part of my family. Add to that…
Sin has hold of my brother.
It doesn’t take too much time spent in the soup line of sin before complete apostasy can occur (1 Jn. 5:16). One has described it this way, “Sin teaches you more than you want to know. It takes you farther than you want to go. It costs you more than you want to pay. It keeps you longer than you want to stay.”
It is thought that David, with his pen of contrition, wrote Psalm 51 following his sin with Bathsheba. In this Psalm he identifies the fault which had overtaken him. Notice the words that he wrote, “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (Psa. 51:2,3; emph. N.R.). When these three words; iniquity, sin, and transgression, are used together, they describe the lowest abyss of guilt.
After David’s sin with Bathsheba, and following the murder of Uriah (1 Sam. 11), Nathan was sent by God to restore David (1 Sam. 12). Nathan was a friend to David; and, yes, we might call him a brother—at least one performing the duty of a brother. Sin had its hold on David and so Nathan acts as a brother (by divine guidance) and serves as an illustration to the words of Paul when he said, “…if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one…” (Gal. 6:1).
I want to restore my brother because he is part of my family, and because sin has hold of him. Add to that . . .
I would want my brother to restore me.
We often refer to God as being one who is not a respecter of persons (Eph. 6:9). But, equally so, Satan is not a respecter of persons. You recall how that Satan tempted Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11). With each temptation Jesus responded with “it is written”—a demonstration of the defensive power of the Word. When Satan tempted Jesus the third time, and when Jesus did not give in, Satan left him.
If the devil will tempt the Lord of lords and King of kings, you know he will tempt you and me. Paul said to restore your brethren “…considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:2). Since Satan is going to tempt me; and since it is possible for me to give in to that temptation; and if I give in to that temptation I could, as a result, lose my soul; I then want my brother to restore me. The words of Jesus would certainly apply here, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mt. 7:12).
I want to restore my brother because he is part of my family; because sin has hold of him; and, because I would want him to restore me. Add to that…
To please Jesus means to bear the burdens of my brother.
Paul said, “…Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Under the banner of the assurance of eternal life, John wrote: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1 Jn. 4:20-21).
If I’m to be assured of eternal life, one of the requirements is to love my brother. I must love my brother enough to tell him he’s wrong, and then to show him how to do right.
The next time I find my brother surprised by sin, I’ll know that my duty is to restore him. But add to that, I’ll want to restore him because of these four reasons: he is my brother; sin has hold of my brother; I would want my brother to restore me; and, to please Jesus I must try to restore my brother.