The Work of Restoration

​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.”
 
Let us not be swift to condemnation nor discard a brother or sister in Christ who has been overcome in some transgression of life. For be sure of this, there is no sin which has overtaken any man that is not seeded into the heart of all. You and I may find some sin so horrible that it would be impossible that we should act in such a manner. If that be the case, then give praise to the LORD God who has given you a special grace in your conscience that keeps you from falling. Not all are so gently dealt with, and you may find that the LORD will lift the restraints upon your heart to test you as well.
 
The enemy may have tested and tried a believer, shooting his cannons of temptations until a breach in the hull has occurred. He has punctured a hole in the waterline of the ship of some person’s life and they are now taking on water and will sink into despair and anguish of soul. This person is now, as our text today reads, “caught in any transgression.” Dear reader, are you one such soul? Has there been a war against your resolve to walk with Christ, and temptations have sorely tried your endurance? The idea of being “caught” is not the notion of being “found out” but of being entangled in a net. It is to be overtaken, ensnared in the spider’s web and you’re the fly. Let me tell you this, my dear, dear friend: there is mercy with the LORD. James 2:13 reminds us, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Call out to the LORD Jesus, for He will grant you mercy and grace. The very name God revealed to Moses is rich with the promise of grace to those who seek Him. “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness’” (Exodus 34:6).
 
As we further consider our text for today, we move into the actual work of restoration. Our text continues, “you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” There are three thoughts I want to give you as we explore this word. First, there are those who are qualified to restore. Second, there is a definite effort to be made. And, third, there is an attitude that must be expressed.
 
The qualification is simple: “you who are spiritual.” This does not mean those who consider themselves superior to another, as if they had a better view of Christ, but those who have the mind of the Spirit of Christ, who are humble towards their brothers and sisters. All you have to do is go back to Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Those who bear forth the fruit of the Spirit will be the ones who are “spiritual.” The effort is real—you “should restore him.” The term describes the process of being “repaired” in order to bring it back to its proper condition. An illustration of this can be found with James and John mending their nets, “And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them” (Matthew 4:21). We are to help “mend” those who have been torn apart by transgression. And we must do so with the right attitude, “in a spirit of gentleness.” Let us not run rough-shod over those who are caught in transgression, but with patience and humility, let us walk with our brothers and sisters out of their sin. Ephesians 4:2 tells us we are to walk, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”
 
There is a strong caution that comes with this command of God to restore our fallen brothers. Our text concludes with the statement, “Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Beloved, you must take heed for your own soul. You are not immune from that which has captured another, and if you do not keep watch, the risk of falling is great. 1 Corinthians 10:12 tells us, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”
 
What a remarkable call it is to be used of God for the rebuilding of a broken life. Dear Christian, walk in humility and live with mercy. God can use such a person to help another out of their transgressions. And if you are in such a state of brokenness, where the webs of sin have entangled you, cry out to the LORD and seek His mercy. Find those who are walking in humility and grace. They are there to help you in the work of restoration.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

---