Waist Deep 2018 - October 28


Galatians 6: 1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (NIV)


Restoration, and not retribution or retaliation, must be the purpose of our dialogue with one another.*


When trying to restore someone who is caught in sin, what sort of temptation should we watch out for? For one, we might be tempted to be judgmental. Or to oversimplify the solution - or to run! We might even be tempted to be presumptuous. What we must do when we are aware of a brother or sister’s sin, is to bathe them in prayer before taking it upon ourselves to address the issue with them.

When I felt that a certain friend needed some wise counsel from me, I started by telling her what she was doing wrong and what she should do about it, but I didn’t watch myself and I gave in to the temptation to “let her have it.” Thankfully, she accepted my apology and I learned a valuable lesson. 

The word translated in this verse as “restore,” is also used in the context of “to set in joint,” as with a dislocated bone.  Our goal with the person caught in sin is to “put him back in his place,” not alienate him. This is not a job for a spiritually immature person, and each of us should examine ourselves before we try to correct someone else. I find it helpful to ask myself three qualifying questions: “Does it need to be said? Does it need to be said now? Does it need to be said by me?”* If the answer is no to any of them, I butt out. I don’t see this as abdicating my responsibility – if someone is trapped in a burning house, I’m going to leave the rescuing to the fireman if there is one available. Sometimes, there is someone else more qualified for the job.


Those who have been overtaken in any fault ought to reckon a faithful reproof the greatest kindness that can be done them and a wise reprover their best friend.*


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