How far should we care for one another in our communities of Christ?

-

"I see a believer NOT walking in the truth of the gospel of Christ. However, it's NOT my sphere of ministry. It's their pastor's responsibility. Let me not intervene, disturb peace for possibly few people, & most probably get into trouble!" - This was my state several years back.   

But, one day, Galatians 6:1-2 convicted me. 

To understand Galatians 6:1-2, we look at its immediate context. In Chapter 5, Paul describes the "Fruit of the Spirit." In Chapter 6, he explains how that fruit looks in action - specifically, how a spiritual person should treat a fellow believer whose actions deviate from the truths of the gospel.

The core messages are - restoring those who sin with gentleness, staying humble to avoid the same traps, and sharing the weight of life’s struggles.

1. On Restoring Others Gently

The goal of Galatians 6:1 is not punishment, but "restoration." Following are the other verses that share this focus.

  • James 5:19-20 - "My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this - Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
  • 2 Timothy 2:24-25 - "And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone... Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth."
  • 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 - "Do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer."

2. On Carrying Each Other’s Burdens

Galatians 6:2 calls this "fulfilling the law of Christ." This refers to mutual support within the church. Following are the other verses that share this focus.

  • Romans 15:1 - "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves."
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - "And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, and be patient with everyone."
  • Hebrews 13:3 - "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

3. On Watching Ourself - Humility in Correction

Paul warns us to "watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." This prevents the "spiritual" person from becoming arrogant. Following are the other verses that share this focus.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:12 - "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!"
  • Matthew 7:3-5 - "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?... first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
  • Romans 12:3 - "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you - Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment..."

4. On Fulfilling the "Law of Christ" - Love

Paul equates "carrying burdens" with the "law of Christ," which is the command to love. Following are the other verses that share this focus.

  • John 13:34 - "A new command I give you - Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
  • Romans 13:8 - "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law."

Conclusion

If I had to summarize in simple words - The Christian life is a team sport. When a teammate trips, we don’t kick them or act superior or IGNORE them, we gently help them up, keep an eye on our own footing so we don't trip too, and help carry their gear until they are strong again. This is the same treatment we'd also expect from our fellow teammates when we fall some day. Thus, this is the ultimate way to demonstrate the love Jesus talked about.

This lesson went deep into my heart after this following episode:
    When I cried to Lord Jesus and pulled up my son after he slipped from the rock 3 times near the edge of the sea at Kovalam ECR beach several years back. I was focusing on my grip of his hand, my feet, my legs, & the recommended posture during a dead lift in the gym.  

Comments

Post a Comment


Popular posts from this blog

Bible demeans women. Really?

-
Image
The charge that the Bible demeans women is a prominent and potent critique in contemporary discourse, powerfully articulated by leading secular thinkers. Figures like Dr. Richard Dawkins, in his book The God Delusion, point directly to Old Testament laws treating women as property and New Testament commands for their submission as clear evidence of the text's misogyny. Similarly, the late Dr. Christopher Hitchens frequently referred such passages to support his claim that religion is fundamentally "contemptuous of women," while neuroscientist Dr. Sam Harris argues that relying on these ancient texts for moral guidance is dangerous, with the subordinate status of women serving as a prime example of how religious dogma can perpetuate social harm and inequality.  Together, their critiques frame the Bible not merely as a historical document with outdated views, but as a source of ongoing moral and social problems, focusing the debate squarely on the content and impact of its ...
Read more

How to cope with impending expiry date?

-
Image
Following is a conversation thread among a group of friends.  V: bros how are you all coping with the nearing expiry date. R: nearing ‘expiry date’? I’m looking for organ donors V: Ha ha. R: V, on a serious note, the % of days that I wake up and feel old is slowly increasing - constant aches and pains don’t help either. R: And I keep thinking I should make a will one of these days before it’s too late. V: Yes man and the news of apparently health folks dying of cardiac arrest in their 40s is not helping either.  Looking for some tips to cope S: yes after u go. what if you are in hospital and funds are needed and you are not awake? M: Cope with such news or cope with heart attacks? 😬 V: Open with the impending end… looks like none of you are effected or have come to terms J: Does it really matter, V? The way I figure, may be 3 or 4 people would think of me for any period longer than a day or so after we kick the bucket, and after that, except for the inconvenience caused becau...
Read more

Accountability to One Another in Christ

-
Image
  Few years back, my understanding of accountability and judgement got mixed up. If you had asked me a question related to what I did & why I did, I'd immediately think that you were judging me. And, I'd feel vulnerable in responding openly and transparently to your question. I'll often want to know why you want to know & how you are going to use the information.  But the grace of God overflowed for me. Holy Spirit showed me how these worldly principles had been set in my heart causing my passive aggressive behaviors.  Passive aggressive behaviors are the subtle and shrewd things I did or said to smartly avoid answering difficult questions.   Then, I dug into bible to learn the principles of Christ related to accountability in a church community.   Accountability is the fact of being responsible for what I do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens. Several bible verses speak to the concept of accounta...
Read more