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.

There is something you need to know.

The power of sin is able to ensnare any believer.

The word translated caught means to be surprised by an unexpected event. There may be a hint of a military takeover, as one is overtaken and entrapped by an opposing force. That which catches the person by surprise is a “sin.

Sin can surprise us personally.

This is like deer hunting. Contrary to popular opinion I can take a deer. In fact I killed three last you. I killed two with my gun and one with my truck.

Im driving my truck through the streets of Soddy-Daisy and broad daylight. Suddenly this deer jumps out in front of me and left me know reaction time. The speed at which it happened was breath taking.

Sin doesn’t make an appointment. It doesn’t give advanced notice. With breathtaking speed temptation/sin and overtake us - and we work the works of the flesh.

Sin can surprise us corporately.

The church is often shocked by the scandalous outbreak of sin.

Hebrews 12:1 (NASB95)

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

No one expects King David, the man after God’s own heart, to be committing adultery and covering it through murder.

There is something you need to do.

How about Ravi Zacharias

How about James MacDonald - Harvest Bible Church! Mega church in Chicago area.

How should we respond to sin in our church family?

We must respond to sin redemptively.

Galatians 6:1 (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.

Paul uses the word “Restore”

The word means to mend or repair, or put in order.

The image it provides is of a physician reducing a fracture or setting a broken bone it proper alignment.

When sin is in the body you get broken lives, broken hearts, broken fellowship.

The Church of Jesus Christ filled with the Spirit of God specializes in redeeming stories.

A Spirit-filled church works to restore the fallen.

God didn’t give us the ministry of condemnation. God gave us the ministry of restoration.

We must respond to sin compassionately.

Galatians 6:1 (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.

Gentleness is the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.

The sin of my brother should never become the source of my pride.

We must respond to sin reflectively.

gal 6 1

Galatians 6:1 (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.

Galatians 6:2–5 ESV

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.