Mine or Yours - Sin is Sin
Be Strong, Be Well — Tuesday, July 21
How do we look at someone who is guilty of sin? We might not think too much about it, if we considered it a not-so-bad sin. But how do we respond to someone whose sin falls into that serious, awful, terrible category of iniquity?
We tend to look at our own wrongdoings differently than other people’s bad choices. These categories are from our own human assessment of sin. But God says sin is sin. Although there are more consequences with some transgressions than others, all sin condemns.
Falling into sin is not something we should take lightly. We may have a hard time recovering from our fall. Help may be needed to lift us up and get us back on that righteous path.
This is what Paul wrote about to the Galatians. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).
The Holy Spirit’s choice of words is very interesting and important to understand. The word “restore” means to mend or fix. It was used in the fishing villages in the work of mending nets. Nets often needed to be repaired or fixed to be useful again. Damaged nets would not function well if at all.
In the body of Christ, the church, there are those who sin. It may not be someone else. It could very well be us. This disrupts the relationship we have with God and His people. This needs to be fixed.
Those who are more spiritual at that particular time (because, once again, we may be the one who needs fixing), are responsible to help the sinner get back to a right relationship with God and His people. “...you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
What a wonderful approach the spiritual ones have in dealing with the sin of a fellow brother or sister—with the compassion and love we all need. The “spirit of gentleness” comes from those who first consider themselves, and how they also are tempted (and potentially could fall). The shoe may be on the other foot one day.
When our goal is to bring the guilty one back into harmony with God and the body of Christ, harsh, judgmental treatment of a brother or a sister would do great harm to one who is already remorseful (and vulnerable) because of their sin.
The next time we consider someone who has sinned, stop and think. No matter how big or small we may think their sin is, remember how easy it is to fall ourselves sometimes. We hope we will have the help needed to get back on the right track. —Chris