Consider yourself

Austin Gardner • July 30, 2022

Ye which are spiritual restore! Do we?

I posted the following article on December 17, 2020 on another website, wagardner.com. You can read it here. I haven't changed the wording at all. Just thought it would be good to read as you work your way through how to treat people that have sinned from a Biblical point of view.

Just remember when dealing with anyone about their sin that you would be wise to consider yourself and to treat your brother like you would like to be treated if it were you. He is not the only one that is going to fall into sin.

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

It is easy to see the sin in my brother's life and desire to punish him but it is not God's will. I must remember that I might fall and though I haven't fallen in the same sin or to the same extent I must remember that I could fall also.

Proverbs 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

We are not to rejoice when our enemy falls much less when our brother falls. I am afraid that so many of us are desiring to stand by and say if he had done what I said then he wouldn't have fallen. We must be careful to not almost get happy to see someone fall into sin.

The verse that most clearly teaches this truth is

Galatians 6:1 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.

Ye which are spiritual restore! Do we? Notice that we are to consider ourself lest we be tempted. It will happen sooner or later. The forgiven forgive.

I wanted to set the ground rules before we started into our discussion of how to deal with a brother that has fallen.

There are to be several witnesses.

We do not believe gossip.

We consider ourselves and the way that we would want to be treated.

We seek to restore them

We will forgive, comfort and confirm our love to them once they get right.