May it please God to bless the
reading of his word to the prophet of our souls this evening. Let
us turn to the epistle of Paul to the Galatians and we'll read
chapter six. The epistle of Paul to the Galatians
and reading chapter six. 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. For if a man think himself to
be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let
every man prove his own work. And then shall he have rejoicing
in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his
own burden. Let him that is taught in the
word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. Be
not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be
weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint
not. As we have therefore opportunity,
let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are
of the household of faith. See how large a letter I have
written unto you with mine own hand, as many as desire to make
a fair show in the flesh. They constrain you to be circumcised
only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of
Christ. For neither they themselves who
are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised
that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should
glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in Christ
Jesus, neither circumcision evaded anything, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel
of God. From henceforth, let no man trouble
me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. So as we continue our meditation
in the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, And this evening we'll
just speak on the first two verses in the sixth chapter. That's
verses one and two in the sixth chapter of the epistle of Paul
to the Galatians. And that reads, brethren, if
a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
such a 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. We see in these words the apostles'
advice and desire, how the Church of God, those who are spiritual,
should react to brethren, and remember he speaks to them as
brethren, not as enemies, but as brothers and sisters in Christ,
brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault. Now, we all have
faults, I'm sure, and none of us are free from that. And that's
really why the Apostle goes on to say, considering thyself,
lest thou also tempted. It's always good to consider
ourselves and assess our position and as we realize before God
how often we fail and how many mistakes we make and how sometimes
we're overtaken in faults, that it gives us a right spirit in
order to consider others. And so the Apostle says here
that we are to restore such and one in the spirit of meekness.
Now again it's an important word. The word restore really in the
original means to help to put back together broken bones. Now obviously that means to be
done very gently and very carefully. and not rush in and just do what
might seem right at the first time. But to take care to do
things right and also it means to restore, it doesn't mean to
destroy. So we may see the faults and
we may think well I want to destroy that and get rid of it. Well
that's not the way that the Apostle directs us and clearly the way
that the Apostle directed things himself, in his life. As we read
in the other parts of the epistles, we see how the Apostle directed
himself. And so we should be concerned
therefore to be blessed with, as the Apostle says, a spirit
of meekness. Considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted. And of course, we know that a
meek spirit doesn't always come naturally. but it's good if we
recognize the advice that the Apostle gives to us. And when
he wrote to the Philippians, and in the second chapter, he
says, look not every man on his own things, but every man also
on the things of others. Then he says this, let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. example that is
for us who being in the form of God thought it not robbery
to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and
took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness
of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Well, again we have the blessed
example of our Saviour. Clearly the Apostle Paul realised
the importance of that as he sets it before us in the epistle
to the Philippians and also here of course in this letter to the
Galatians. So let us remember the action
to restore is not one that is to destroy. And then when James
speaks in his epistle, he says, my brethren, be not many masters,
knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation, for
in many things we offend all. Now that's the James speaking. And it's good if we recognize
that. You see, if we realize more of
ourselves and how we fail, and that will give us a better judgment
how to address those who we may think are overtaken in a fault
and may be overtaken in a fault, but they need to be restored
in the spirit of meekness. And we have then the great and
glorious example of the Saviour And these words of the apostle,
rather of James, not the apostle of James. For in many things
we offend all. If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole
body. Well, it's easy, isn't it, to
be an offender with a word, to speak something which is not
meek, is not in the spirit of Christ. And so 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. So very good that we read these
words carefully. Often we can read part of such
an admonition and not all of it. And again the apostle tells
us With regard to his position, he said, who is weak? And I'm
not weak. That's in the second Corinthians,
the 11th chapter and 29th verse. Who is weak? And I am not weak. Who is offended? And I burn not. His concern was to continue to
do that which was right and to turn away from that which was
wrong. Well, then he moves on and says,
bear ye one another's burdens. and so fulfil the law of Christ. And this really links with the
first verse, when it speaks of being overtaken in a fault, the
burdens of that person who is overtaken. And it's good therefore
if we're able to, as it were, enter into that position, and
therefore bear such a burden, and desire that we might fully
understand the position of the one who is overtaken in a fall. There may be many extenuating
circumstances which perhaps we don't always understand and don't
always appreciate. But if we can come alongside
such a person, again in the spirit of meekness and desire to bear
their burden, to share their burden, and try and help them
and encourage them, and again remember to restore is not to
destroy. And as the Apostle says, this
is to fulfil the law of Christ. We have so much good instruction
in the Word of God. Often it's perhaps opposite to
what we think naturally. But the Word of God is here for
our encouragement. And how did Paul react? Remember he came to address the
Corinthians. We know of course they had errors
and did things which were wrong and it was necessary and how
did the Apostle come to them when he tells us in the second
of Corinthians and the second chapter in verses four to eight
he says for out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote
unto you with many tears see the position that the Apostle
was in he knew what the Corinthians were like he knew that they weren't
doing those things which were right, but he came in this humble
way, much affliction and anguish of heart. I wrote unto you with
many tears, not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might
know the love which I have more abundantly unto you." You see,
the love of the brethren is a vital ingredient. And the love of the
brethren will influence us in how we react. And so the apostle
speaks on not that ye should be grieved but he might know
the love which i have more abundantly unto you but if any of course
grief he has not grieved me but in part that i may not overcharge
you all sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was
inflicted of many so that contrary wise you ought rather to forgive
him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed
up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that
ye would confirm your love toward him." What a blessing it is,
isn't it, to have love one to another. And if we are to bear
one another's burdens, it will be for that reason. Love one
to another. Love is a great favour, it's
a great blessing, and it's the gift of God to love one another
and to desire urgently and earnestly their spiritual good, to pray
for it, to come alongside them, to understand them, so that we
may have the mind of Christ. Well, brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, ye which are spiritual, the Church of God, restore such
an one, in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ. Well, may the Lord give us grace
to hear the words of God.