Bear the Burden!

Introduction

I am not sure if you all know this or not, but right now in Christian circles there is a huge need for unity among the Church. This is not to say that everyone in the Church should agree on everything, I mean there are some things that you need to apply with conscious, things like should I listen to secular music or not, there are some things that we do not need to agree on because they are not cardinal or primary things. We need to agree on those things concerning the Trinity and Salvation and the Great Commission, but maybe not so much about what you eat and how often you take communion.

We find ourselves in the book of Galatians, where Paul is telling us something about the way that brothers and sisters should behave toward each other in the Church. So for those of you who have been keeping up with the Bible Study homework, which is due this week, we know who the recipients of this book are, all together know ‘The Churches at Galatia’ and he is befuddled by some of the things that are going on and writes the letter to correct those things (more about that in Bible Study I am sure), but he gets to a point where there are ways that those within the Churches at Galatia should behave, in particular to wards one another, as well as what they should do for themselves so that they can help each other.

So as we read and go through this passage let’s look at it through that theme, Paul has told the Churches who they are and is know giving practical words, concerning how they should act towards one another. Let’s Dive In.

Galatians 6:1-5

Galatians 6:1–5 ESV

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. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

Bring Them Back!

Galatians 6:1–2 ESV

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. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Brothers

Notice how Paul is starting this section of the letter. As he has addressed the audience throughout this letter, he addresses them as brother. This indicates the start of a new section of the letter as well as their relationship with God as children and with himself as brothers and sisters. This address is technically brothers and sisters, as some of your translations may say, so Paul is talking to everyone in the Churches at Galatia.

This is big because those who had bewitched the recipients of this letter and attempted to move them to desert Christ, they want to tell those Churches in the Region of Galatia that there is more that they need to do in order to be brothers. This is Paul reinforcing their identity in Christ through his address. Ensuring them that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is all that need. That the Gospel was presented plainly and through the Gospel they are brothers and sisters.

Caught in Transgression

Paul is reiterating a couple of things here:

There is sin in the lives of believers. John says this when he writes:

1 John 1:8–9 ESV

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We live in a world where we are being buffeted with temptations, where everyone and everything is seeking our attention to lure us into various arenas that we can make idols out of. There will be things that we get caught in, and in most cases it is not purposeful, it is almost like you look up and then hey, when, where, how did I get here. Or it is like you look up and realize you have devoted so much time to X, Y or Z. You know you get on YouTube and click one thing next thing you know you are looking at a cat video chasing a laser pointer around and three hours have passed. So sometimes you may have just taken one misstep and found yourself in a heap of trouble.

Let us make sure that we understand, this is still sin that we are talking about, this is still a serious wrong against God. This is still what justice is required for and the reason that we need a Savior. Remember that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried and was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It took the blood of Jesus to address our sins, even the transgressions that we are talking about now. So even the fact that someone is caught in transgression is not a flippant thing. I can’t say that it is no big deal, Jesus came and died even for that sin.

That is why we keep a short leash on our sins, we confess our sins often, daily and bring any temptations that we have before God.

Restore

The Greek word for restore is:

καταρτίζω (katartizo) - put in order, restore, restore to a former condition

Which is to put something back right, to restore to its original position so it is fit for use. This term was used to talk about the repair of fishing nets in Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19) or the resetting of a fractured or dislocated bone. In either case there is an idea that restoration needs to take place. Our brother or sister does not need to remain in the state that they are in, rather when someone is caught in a transgression those who are walking by, or being led by the Spirit are to take the action to restore that person. To show them where they are wrong, to provide the support needed to get them back to fully functioning with the Church. To get them back in step with the the Sprit. We will all take a mis-step at some point. What happens after that misstep is that Brothers and Sisters are to offer the hand that brings you back from the misstep. Places you back on the path.

Paul tells us who should do the restoring, you who are spiritual (pneumatikos) should be ready and willing to restore. A matter of fact this is a command from Paul. So those who are spiritual should, have a duty to, an obligation to, are commanded to restore the one who has been caught in any transgression. So the question is who are the spiritual ones. Who are those that are beholden to this command. Ideally it is anyone who is a believer, thus the plural “y’all”. Paul has just finished talking about a couple of things about the flesh and the Spirit in chapter 5. Paul has noted the battle that is happening between the flesh and the Spirit, these are opposed to each other (Galatians 5:17), Paul noted there is a difference in the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18-21 and Galatians 5:22-23) and Paul has mentioned a need to keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 ESV

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

So when Paul says ‘you who are spiritual’, he is speaking to those of the group in the Church who are walking in the Sprit, who are letting the Spirit guide you, those are exhibiting the marks or fruit of the Spirit. For Paul says that those that are walking in step with the Spirit should not become conceited, should not be provoking one another and should not be envying one another (Galatians 5:26).

Galatians 5:26 ESV

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

So if we are in step with the Sprit then, we should be looking out for our brother of sister who is caught in a transgression, not worrying about how this will look, the optics, not using this as an opportunity to twist the knife, ‘you know why this is happening don’t you’, ‘you need to do something about yourself’, ‘why are you always in this situation, you should fix it’ or those that are looking at this as an opportunity. While they are down, let me step over you and keep it moving up the ladder.

We see this too often today from brothers and sisters in Christ, where when someone is down they kick them instead of helping them up. When a mistake is made they cancel them, along with the rest of the world. We are not to be like that brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to reach out the hand and look to restore them. To place them back in step.

Paul also tells them how this should be done. Should be done with a sprit of disposition of gentleness. I think that gentleness gets a bad rap these days. Gentleness is not skirting the issue, gentleness is not side stepping the facts so that you look and feel good about where you are. Gentleness is speaking that truth with a considerateness, with a courtesy. You know how Auntie’s do right. They are going to tell you that you are wrong. They won’t sugar coat it, attempt to cover it up, attempt to make you think you are in a good spot. None of that, a good Auntie is going to tell you plainly what it is, what it isn’t and what you need to do. But they are going to have that disposition that just makes you say yes Ma’am. “Know you know you wrong, you did X, Y and Z and you should not have, We are going to get this fixed starting with an apology right? Good know take this mint and let’s get this right.”

So gentleness is the way to restore, the intent is to have the person who is in the Spirit, bring the one who is caught-up back in step, not to run them away. In actuality that is what all Church discipline, even in the most severe disciplines, is intended to do. Get the person back in.

Warning

Danger Will Robinson, Paul issues a warning to those who are doing the restoring. There is a danger to this, that somehow you may fall victim to a transgression as well. Maybe you wind up helping people get back in the path and you find some sort of hubris about that. You get to thinking ‘I did all this. This is a path to transgression. Or you start watching that DIY YouTube Video and wind looking at the same cat and laser video three hours later. Paul is not saying don’t help, but use wisdom in how and where you help. If you dealing with a brother who is watching stuff they should not be on their computer then you don’t go to their and tell them to let me see what you are looking at, or if you are dealing with a sister who has a ‘friend’ on the side, then sis don’t say I am going with you just to see what it’s like.

Sometimes we think we can play with sin, James provides this picture of sin being fully grown/mature while starting as a temptation. I heard on a podcast recently when there were some folks talking about sin and how it manifests in your life, is that it might start off as a cute little baby tiger, you can control it, push it away lock it up. When that tiger gets to be an adult, you are now dealing with something that is not at all easy to dismiss. This tiger could kill you, and sin could kill you. So Paul is warning, “You”, note the singular you, keep watch on yourself, be vigilant in this situation, pay careful attention to yourself when doing this, because you could wind up tempted and taking a misstep as well.

Help Carry the Load

Paul expands this in verse 2 where he mentions Bearing Burdens and the Law of Christ.

Bear the Burden

Paul gives us a nice category for this act of restoration that is done. He likens it to Bearing one another’s burdens. Carrying one another’s load. This life is full of obstacles, things that will tear you down, put you in a heap. Things will move you to tears, to ask the why questions. Paul says that brothers and sisters in Christ are to bear or carry. Some of y’all may know this, but my wife just had surgery on her thumb this week. So from Monday on, whenever anything needed to be moved, or carried guess who had to do it. Me or Josh, we were carrying a load for her, which in here current condition she could not carry. If it needed two hands to carry guess what Chris!, Josh! I need you to carry this for me.

The Burden talks to something that is oppressive, it just weighs you down. Like the sin you may have found yourself in, or the financial situation you find yourself in, or the anxiety you find yourself in. It just weight on you and it oppresses you, smothering you, restricting your movement. These are real burdens that we encounter in a fallen world, so even as believers we do not get to escape these.

This is a command from God through Paul, that we are to be those who carry the load for others when times are rough. When they have fallen or are in need. That is what the restoration was about, I see a member of the household fo faith who has taken a misstep and fallen away from the path. I want to carry some of that for you to get you back on course. Or I see a member of the household of faith that is in need, suffering, dealing with any and all types of stresses, We are to be there to help. We are not to have to carry these burdens on our own.

The Law of Christ

Then Paul follows this up with the fact that this fulfills the law of Christ. What is the law of Christ you ask? This points back to what Jesus says in John’s Gospel.

Paul is writing to a group of people who are being told that they need to follow the law, to the point of circumcision. Paul is making a point here of saying that we are to love one another. What Paul is getting at with this is that there is freedom from the law in Christ and that freedom is to be used to love one another, which he associates with Loving your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18 and Galatians 5:13-14) akin to the new commandment that Jesus gave the apostles. in John 13:34.

John 13:34 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

By giving instances of loving one another, by saying how to love another. We are fulfilling the law of Christ when we do these things. We are loving our neighbors as ourselves we are loving our Savior by being obedient to Him. When we do these things we are fulfilling, or carrying out the law of Christ.

There is something to crying with our siblings when they are in pain or suffering, or being happy for our siblings when they are doing well. To do other than is not bearing one another’s burdens and thus not fulfilling the law of Christ.

Jesus Christ set the example for this with His passion on the cross, we are to follow that example.

Are You Ready!

Paul now begins to put before the Church at Galatia some self Inspection areas. This reminds me of the safety warning on the plane, where they tell you, when the oxygen mask falls from above to put yours on first then to offer help. We talked about helping our brothers and sisters who may be suffering, there are also some commands that Paul has for those who will help one another. (See Matthew 7:1-6).

Galatians 6:3–5 ESV

3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

Humility Needed

This is a common theme in Scripture. Paul points to it (1 Corinthians 3:18) and we now that haughtiness comes before a fall and pride before destruction.

Proverbs 16:18 ESV

18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

There is the opportunity to consider yourself higher than you ought to. The chance that your current station has afforded you something that you are deserving of. Any of us can fall into that trap, there is something about being level headed. Just think if you were hearing what the Churches in Galatia were hearing, they might be feeling themselves, they might be trying to flex on folk, but the issue is that we are not all that. We can fall with the best of them, regardless of where we are. We make mistakes, we fall, we can be in the same place as someone we think might not be doing as well as we are.

There is a balance with all of this, we are created in the image of God, so there is nothing to say that we are worthless. At the same time there is nothing to say that we are worthy, I deserve nothing from God. I have earned nothing from God. That is why salvation is through grace and grace alone.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

So if you are thinking that you are all that and a bag of chips, then you are more than likely deceiving yourself, you are not being truthful with yourself. There is a problem with that in the United States right now. There is a need to rightly look at the facts and allow them to change the way you behave. That is what the Word of God should do for us. This book should change us, the way we think, what we focus on and how we live. That only happens if there is room for realizing you are not where you think you are and guess what. You can’t really help anyone else if you yourself are not realistic about where you are.

Inspection

To combat this Paul says to test your own work, test your deeds. Y’all know that I am a quasi sneakerhead, so when I get any shoes I have a close examination of them, I look at the workmanship, if they are 13s I look at the hologram, if they are 3s I look at the elephant print. I am examining them to see if they are real. In a similar sense Paul is urging the Brothers and Sisters in Galatia to do the same thing with their lives. To examine the activities that are being performed, the morals being exhibited. We should be doing the same thing, when we are thinking about how good we are, take a self examination, what does it look like. We should examine ourselves, repent of those things we find wrong and then perform the examination all over again.

There are too many times we look and take pride in, or boast, based on ourselves based on our neighbor, when we do that it can lead to a whole host of problems. I can be looking at my neighbor as opposed to where I am with respect to the law of Christ, to the commands of Christ to my actions that show my faith in Christ.

Responsible

This is important because we each are responsible for our own load, this is not like the oppressive that we are to help one another carry, this is your own set of actions that you will have to answer for. No one else can carry this for you, no one else can take this of of your back, it is yours and yours alone to carry. Yeah I want to help my siblings in Christ, yet and still I have my own load. I have mine to carry, I am responsible for my own dealings. There is nothing free here, I do not get released from any responsibility.

Conclusion