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 teacheth 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. Gal 6:1-10 KJV
We are told to bear one
another burdens, then almost in the same breath we're told that every man shall
bear his own burdens.
The first burden is
plural and mentioned in verse 2 comes from Greek baros; weight; in the
New Testament only, figuratively, a load, abundance, authority:— burden (-
some), weight. burden, burdensome, heaviness, weight, burden, trouble
(STRONG)
It refers to the
pressures and toils, the trials and troubles the believer may find pressing down
on him. It may be brought on by personal acts and issues or may it be from an
outside source that becomes oppressive and may be unbearable alone.
With that in mind we
find that:
1. We're commanded to
reach out in compassion to help another in a spirit of meekness
The verses of our text are
a continuation of the verses in the preceding chapter. They are telling us how
to respond to those who have deviated, willfully or unintentionally, into the
works of the flesh which, as we are already aware, are manifest!
As human beings we are
prone to error and sin since the flesh is inherently and consistently in
rebellion against God's Law!
Every saint has an
Achilles heel that plays hell with his sanctification and best
intentions.
We therefore cannot
afford to become sanctimonious and supercilious in our attitude to
others.
Every time we are
tempted to sin (and sin it is!), by contemptuous condemnation and derogatory
derision of brethren, who may be weak in obvious areas, we are pandering to the
enemy, whose desire to destroy, finds a willing ally in our mean
mindedness!
Some of us have become
experts in the delivering of the repartee, which makes us somehow think we're
elite, smart and the life of the party, whereas we are in reality being mean
spirited and hurtful and destructive to the Body of Christ. Since we are also
supposed to be part of that same Body it makes us self destructive. Witty
comments are fine, but witty comments that are deliberately spiteful
and hurtful cannot be excused in the Body of Christ.
When it comes to the
faults, failures, and fall of the brethren we are commanded to restore them
i.e. to mend, to repair, to put together again, not with a superior air
but with a spirit of meekness, or gentleness and humility for it could have
been me or you. The spiritual are those who allow the fruit of the Spirit to
develop in themselves and envelope others through the grace of God. They live
in the Spirit and also walk in the Spirit! That is they show spiritual by their
walk more than their talk!
Remember the parable
Jesus told to answer a lawyer's question?
And,
behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall
I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how
readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered
right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said
unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man
went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him
of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by
chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he
passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,
came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had
compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and
wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of
him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them
to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest
thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that
shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. Luk
10:25-37 KJV
Also remember Jesus' own
example:
Jesus
went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the
temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And
the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when
they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken
in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should
be stoned: but what sayest thou?-- This they said, tempting him, that they
might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on
the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he
lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let
him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the
ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went
out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself,
and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine
accusers? hath no man condemned thee?-- She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said
unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Jn 8:1-11 KJV
In verse 5 is the second burden which is
singular and comes from Greek phortion; an invoice ( as part of freight), i. e.
( figuratively) a task or service: burden; (Metaphor). of burdensome rites. Of
the obligations Christ lays upon his followers, and styles a "
burden" by way of the contrast to the precepts of the Pharisees, the
observance of which was most oppressive; faults of the conscience which oppress
the soul (STRONG) It refers to the call or ministry
God has placed on the individual's life for He has given to everyone a ministry
according to ability and quality He knows us more than we know ourselves and therefore
knows what we are capable of. He does not want us to run around putting our fingers
in every pie, with here a little and there a little!
2. We're to exemplify our
spirituality by finding fulfillment in the ministry burden He has laid on us!
Do not enshroud yourself in the
glory of another man's ministry! Become seriously involved in that which God
has called to do not what you feel you should do. Many times we can become
confused with what God wants us to do, and what we feel we should do. Often
we go for that which brings us enjoyment, comfort and enjoyable surroundings.
In our pandering to the flesh and creature comforts we can totally ignore what
God really wants for us.
When the Lord called Paul to the
ministry Paul was totally unaware of what was in store for him but God told Ananias:
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a
chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my
name's sake. Acts 9:15-16 KJV
The Lord also constantly reminded
His disciples of what awaited them. And when he had called the people unto him with his
disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mark 8:34 KJV
I am sure that not one individual who faced and endured hardship,
suffering or even death, for Christ, relished the thought, but yet remained joyfully
loyal to the Master.
The Lord's work is called a burden, but it is a burden which every man must
bear individually! It's no longer a matter how good it feels or how convenient
it is or
Wherefore
henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
Now
then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we
pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him. 2Co 5:16-21 KJV
3. We are called to exchange man
made imitations and emulations for His special burden!
At
that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but
the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Mat
11:25-30 KJV
There a labor that is grievous and
burdensome, forced upon you by man, making your efforts anything else but a
labor of love! You do not want to do it, but you are afraid that if you don't
you will be frowned upon. It becomes tedious, tiresome and produces a lot of
spiritual anxiety. Jesus offers a way out. He invites us to relinquish our self
efforts and rest in Him. He invites us to be yoked with Him which is easy,
gracious, kind and manageable! He also invites us to take on His burden instead
which is light and not burdensome. When we are engaged in His will, under His
yoke, carrying the burden He gives us, our ministry becomes an enjoyable thing
that we constantly look forward to fulfill for His glory!
But,
beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany
salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work
and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have
ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you
do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye
be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit
the promises. Hebrews 6:9-12 KJV
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