4 Minute Read + Scripture readings
Today’s Bible Reading:
1 Kings 2
Galatians 6
Ezekiel 33
Psalms 81-82
Today’s Bible Verse(s):
Galatians 6:1 (CSB): “Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.”
Reflections on Today’s Bible Verse(s):
Society (at least what we see on the media these days) is merciless. When you mess up, you’re going to get blasted. Especially if you are chosen or aspire to a position of leadership or prominence, you’re fair game. People (the media) will look for things in your present or past, distort it and post it for the world to see, in an attempt to destroy you.
But, I’ve also see things like this happen in churches. In the very places that are supposed to be safe, where we can “confess our faults to one another” so that we “may be healed,” people are slandered, judged, and disgarded.
This isn’t to say that churches are flawed. It’s just that churches are filled with people who aren’t fully sanctified (like Jesus) yet. We are a work in progress so our actions and interactions will sometimes not be as healthy and holy as they should be.
But, what is the ideal? What are we to aim at? When someone in our midst is caught in sin, how are we to respond? Well, here’s a question: “How would you want people to respond to you if you were the one caught in the sin?”
Galatians 6:1 (CSB): “Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.”
When we see someone in our midst, who is supposed to be a Jesus-follower, who is willfully disobeying His commands, what should we do? Ignore them? Slander them? Condemn them?
Nope! None of these are an option for a mature, compassionate child of God.
Since there is sin, we must despise the sin. It robs God of glory, slanders the Gospel, and ruins the one engaged in it. So, we speak into it. But, we do so humbly and with a gentle spirit (realizing that we are sinners, too). We do so compassionately (realizing that we would respond to this sort of approach best). We do so resolutely (because repentance and complete obedience to Jesus is in everyone’s best interest).
So, while we see the world around us so quick to judge and condemn, let’s obey God’s Word by confronting sin compassionately and humbly with a desire to restore a prodigal back into the family.
The goal of Christian confrontation is NEVER to boot someone out of the church. The desire is ALWAYS to restore someone. While some will remain in sin and this will require church discipline (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13) that removes them from fellowship, the desire is ALWAYS that the person comes to their senses, repents, and gets back into God’s favor.
* * * * * * * * * *
Lord Jesus, I know what condemnation looks like. I’ve seen others do it. I’ve even done it myself. This is easy to do and the Pharisees were experts at it. I don’t want to go that route. I want to take sin seriously but I also want to take grace just as seriously. Help me to be the recipient of someone’s compassionate concern when I stumble into sin and help me to be that for others. We really do need each other as we pursue holiness in this life. Amen.
Matt’s Musings 