Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:1-10
Bearing Burdens – Continued
A contrast in aim – continued. From last lesson: The spiritual man would seek to restore the brother in love, while the legalist would exploit the brother.
Instead of trying to restore the erring brother, the legalist will condemn him and then use the brother to make himself look good. This is what the Pharisee did in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). “Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). The legalist demonstrates pridefulness when a brother falls, and often gives the matter wide publicity, because then he can boast about his own goodness and how much better his group is than the group to which the fallen brother belongs. Sadly this doesn’t just pertain to individuals in our day and age but there are churches, claiming to be Christian, who do this very thing as a group.
This is why Paul admonishes us, “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:26). The word provoke means “to challenge to a contest, to compete with.” The believer who walks in the Spirit is not competing with other Christians or challenging them to become “as good as he is.” However, the legalist lives by competition and comparison, and tries to make himself look good by making the other fellow look bad. The true disciple of Christ Jesus is looking for others to progress in the Lord in their own right and doing all to encourage that.
A contrast in attitude. The Spirit-led believer approaches the matter in a spirit of meekness and love, while the legalist has an attitude of pride and condemnation. The legalist does not need to “consider himself” because he pretends (and often thinks arrogantly) he could never commit such a sin. But the believer living by grace realizes that no man is immune from falling. “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). He has an attitude of humility because he realizes his own weaknesses and shortcomings.
But there is a second contrast: he knows the love of Christ in his own heart. “The law of Christ” is: “Love one another” (John 13:34; 15:12). Paul has already discussed the “law of love” in the previous chapter (Galatians 5:13-15), and now he is applying it. “Tender loving care” is not a modern invention, because Paul is urging it on believers in this passage. How much we appreciate it when the doctor uses tenderness as he sets a broken bone. And how much more should we use “tender loving care” when we seek to restore a broken life.
It takes a great deal of love and courage for us to approach an erring brother and seek to help him. Jesus compares this to eye surgery (Matthew 7:1-5), and how many of us feel qualified for that?
Paul probably has in mind here our Lord’s instructions on reconciliation (Matthew 18:15-35). If your brother sins against you, go talk to him privately, not for the purpose of winning an argument, but for the purpose of winning your brother. That word “gained” used in Matthew is the same word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 to refer to winning the lost to Christ.
To Be Continued
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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