Galatians chapter six, verse one, brethren, if any 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. So we want to think just for a few minutes together of how a person who has fallen into any sin and their attitude or actions can be spiritually restored. What can we do, we who are Christians, to restore a fellow Christian to a closer walk with God? If we see that they're not walking on the path of righteousness or not following Christ according to the truth of the word of God, what should we do? I wanna say to you that this verse shows us that spiritual restoration is a good work. We need to see it that way. And what should we do then? Well, we have to ask ourself the question if we'll be willing. Are we willing to help a brother or sister? They're overtaken in a trespass. Will you engage in this good work for Christ's sake and for their sake? May the Lord help us to better understand this important work of spiritual restoration, first of all, We have the responsibility here to restore one who has fallen into a trespass. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one. With regard to these verses, it will do us well to remember that there were no chapter divisions in the original letters of Paul. And so verse one of chapter six can be considered a continuation of Paul's thoughts in chapter five. Paul had been speaking to the Galatian churches about living in the spirit and walking in the spirit. He spoke to them about doing all that they would do in serving God through manifesting the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. He then exhorts them in verse 26 not to become conceited, provoking one another or envying one another. And then immediately following this statement, he speaks to them about what those who are spiritual among them should do if anyone is overtaken in a trespass. It appears then that in the context, those who are overtaken in a trespass may have been those persons who had become conceded and who were provoking others with their words. But even if this was true, the words any trespass do not limit the trespass to simply those particular sins. The word overtaken in the original Greek is prolambano. It can be translated caught. as it is in the New American Standard translation if anyone is caught in a trespass. But the word overtaken is a helpful translation because the person being described here may have unintentionally committed this trespass. They may not have seen what harm or offense that they have caused. They may not have understood that what they are doing or have done is a sin. or the fault or sin may be something which did indeed have intent behind it, and the person somehow felt justified in committing the trespass. Whichever it is, the duty of the spiritually minded Christian is to attempt to restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. The word fault or trespass in the Greek is paraptoma, Strong's dictionary says that it means a side slip, a lapse or deviation, that it may be an unintentional error. But we should also understand, he says, that it could be a willful transgression that we are looking at or thinking about. The word paraptoma can legitimately be translated a fall, a fault, an offense, a sin, or a trespass. When I think of the word trespass, it brings to my mind the thought of turning aside from the path of righteousness and walking in forbidden ways or ground contrary to the express teaching of the word of God, turning from the true and right way to a selfish and sinful way. The person who sees this happening in another Christian, it says here, needs to do something about it. They need to attempt to restore the trespasser to the true and right way. The first duty in this process is prayer. And I want you to turn with me over to 1 John 5, and I want to read to you verses 14 to 17. It says here, now, This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin, which does not lead to death, he will ask and he will give him life. for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin, there is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin and there is sin not leading to death. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not. Touch him. So it says here that if we see a brother sinning a sin not leading to death, we should pray and ask for God's help and intervention. And it says here that he will give life. That is, God will give the sinning brother grace leading to spiritual life. That is, that he would see his error and sin of his way and turn from it. The grace of repentance given is the grace of life. The Christian who is thinking about the work of spiritual restoration also needs wisdom, and they should ask God for it. Often a Christian needs to pray and ask for wisdom as to whether this trespass, this offense that they are looking at is great enough to require their attempting to initiate the process to restore the person. And I want you to turn with me to 1 Peter 4, and I wanna look at verses 7 and 8 with you. It says here, but the end of all things is at hand. Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers and above all things have fervent love for one another for love will cover a multitude of sins. So sound judgment and a sober spirit are mentioned here and they are needed. so that each Christian who's attempting to restore one of their brethren would be able to do so in love, praying that they would be able to see that this is an offense which should not be covered. That's what Peter is saying here. We as Christians are called to cover a multitude of everyday offenses. which should be overlooked and not confronted. These are often sins of weakness in the other person, sins of lightness and inconsideration in speech or action, sins which we know that a fellow Christian has been foolish in or unwise to have said something or to have done something. But if we were to correct them, correct all these sins, In other people, we might spend most of our time in doing so. And so we pray and we ask Lord, what is my duty towards this person? Is this an offense that should not be covered? Or is this an offense which cannot and should not be covered? Has this person lost the ability to see what they're doing is wrong? For to restore here, I believe, implies that the person has lost something, which they will not be able to get back without your help. That is, without your help, and perhaps other spiritually minded Christians, in the church helping as well. Restoration is necessary because sin has produced the awful effect of blinding that person to the thought that what they are doing is wrong. And therefore, your responsibility in connection with others in the church, if necessary, is to attempt to restore them. to a clear sight of this particular issue which will hopefully lead them to repentance and a closer walk with Christ. Second, I want to attempt to show you how this spiritual restoration is to be done. You who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, our text says. So the restoration of a wayward or erring person should be initiated by spiritually minded men filled with the Spirit. And it should be done, it says here, in a spirit of gentleness or meekness, as it says in the King James. Yes, confrontation is needed, but it will need to be done in gentleness in order to have a real hope of success. Why is gentleness so needed? Because the restoring of an erring or sinning brother or sister is like the setting of a bone. Listen to a commentator named Ralph Cudworth on this. He says, it is the nature of sin to set all things out of order. Small sins are like to slips and slidings whereby men fall and hurt themselves, but great sins are like downfalls. For as they wound, lame, disjoint, or break some member of the body, so these do wound and waste the conscience. Therefore, as we are careful for our bodies to avoid downfalls, so we ought to be as careful, nay, a thousand times more careful for our souls to take heed of the downfall of sin or falling away from grace. Sin is the breaking of a bone. or disjointing of a member. He goes on to say, and reproof is the setting of it in order again. Now, the sooner a bone newly broke or out of joint is set, he says, the sooner it is restored to his right frame and cured. So the sooner a man after his fall is admonished, the sooner and more easily shall he be able to recover himself. This shows that it is a point required in the setting of a bone and surgeons find it a matter of great difficulty to set a joint. Much more difficulty is there in the soul. And therefore, as it is not for every horse leech, he's talking about a veterinarian for horses, to meddle with setting of bones, no more is it for unskillful workmen to tamper with men's souls. In other words, he's saying great care should be taken in how it is done and that it is done right. Listen to John Gill on this. He says, The illusion is to the setting of bones that are broken or out of joint, which is done with great care and tenderness. Professors fallen into sin are like broken and dislocated bones. They are out of their place and lose both their comfort and usefulness. and are to be restored by gently telling them of their faults and mildly reproving them for them and when sensible of them and troubled for them by speaking comfortably to them and bringing them again and resettling them in their former place in the church and restoring them to their former usefulness and good conduct in the spirit of meekness. End of quote. So we need to understand that a person in sin, even a Christian overtaken in a trespass is not often convinced of their sin by harsh words. Harsh words may even make them angry and cause them to think that they should not change their own attitude or repent of their actions. Turn with me to Proverbs 15 and verses one and two. It says here, a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly. but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. So you can see how plain this text is. Using the knowledge of the truth of the word of God in the right way will accomplish God's will in the matter of confronting a Christian or anyone for that matter over their sin. A soft answer will turn away their wrath but a harsh word will stir up anger, Solomon says. So let us understand that there is a right way to confront a Christian over their sin, and there is a wrong way. There's a way which by the spirit of God will be blessed, and there's a way which will prevent the spiritual restoration that you're seeking. And so turn with me over to Proverbs 25 and verse 15. It says here, by long forbearance, a ruler is persuaded and a gentle tongue breaks the bone. So we have an example given of what will persuade the ruler of a kingdom, and that is long forbearance. That is being patient with injuries, to bear with injuries and affronts, but eventually in time, confronting that ruler with gentle speech, trying to persuade him to do the right thing. The same is often the right approach with the erring Christian. The soft answer will turn away wrath, and a gentle answer will bring even conviction of sin. Where needed, it will break the bone of their stubborn refusal to listen and to consider what you were saying about their need of repentance. Look also with me over at 2 Timothy 2, verses 24 to 26. He says, and a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient or patient when wronged in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. If perhaps God will grant them repentance and so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been held or taken captive by him to do his will. So it's extremely important that you remember this principle of truth that only God can grant persons repentance so that they may know the truth and come to their senses. This is not only true of unbelievers, but in the case of a believer who has been overtaken in a trespass, it is also true. It's also most certainly true that in a true believer's life, God will grant repentance to them. But we who would restore them need to understand how dependent we are upon God ourselves. We need to see that one of the means that God will use to restore such a one will be our not arguing with them. Rather, it will be by our being patient with them, and are correcting them in gentleness. This will be the means that God will use. So if they will come to their senses, it says here, and escape the snare of the devil, if they have fallen into it, perhaps someone will ask about Titus chapter one, verses 10 to 13. Let me read you that. It says here in Titus one, 10 to 13, for there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own said, cretins are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. therefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith." So in considering why a person should be rebuked sharply, context of the verse that we're looking at here versus the context of these verses, in the text a man is overtaken in a trespass. You need to be patient with such a one. In these verses in Titus, the Cretans were people who were insensibly entrenched in their sinful bad habits, and they needed to be awakened and confronted with a sharp rebuke from Titus to them so that they would repent. I would guess that Titus did this both publicly and through the preaching of the word and privately when he thought that it was necessary. However, I want you to see that these were differing situations and what should be done will depend upon how the pastor of the church perceives them. Titus needed to consider how aware these people were of their sin and how long they had been in it. And as such, we should see that they required separate considerations related to the use of either gentleness or sharp rebuke. And then third, I want you to think with me about the need which every spiritually minded Christian has to consider themselves. Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Now notice how here the singular is used instead of the plural. Paul began the verse in the plural with the use of the word brethren. Now he says, consider yourself. How easy it is sometimes for us to see the sins of others so clearly, and yet we do not see the danger to ourselves in not considering ourselves. In regard to our own speech, our conduct, as those who must pray to be kept back from sinning ourselves. You may find that when you take a look at yourself, that you have been sinning. You yourself have been sinning in the very same way that those whom you are attempting to restore have sinned. How can you restore others when you will not learn to resist temptation yourself? You should remember to love your brother, your neighbor, as yourself. Let me read to you Matthew 7, 1, as we close. Judge not that you be not judged. Now, I do not think that this means that you would never judge your neighbor, but rather that you would judge him with righteous judgment. You should not judge others by a standard which you yourself do not hold to. Because I want you to see what follows here in verses two to five. It says here in Matthew seven, for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye? but do not consider the plank in your own eye. Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye and look, a plank is in your own eye. Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. So I hope that you can see that there's a judgment being made here. in looking at your brother and seeing his faults. But in order to avoid hypocrisy or falling into the same sin as that of the person whom you are looking at and judging, there needs to be a real consideration of your own eye. That is how you are looking at things yourself. And the plank may be right there. You may be seeking to remove the speck in your brother's eye, and you have not sufficiently considered what is in your own eye. Here's a good principle, which will do us good in every situation. Consider yourself, lest you also be tempted. Well, let's pray together. Father, we thank you for this portion of scripture, which is so plain and straightforward. of how we are to, when we see a brother who is trespassed, go to him and confront him over it, but do it in gentleness. And yet we look at it and we think it is so difficult, and no doubt it may be. But we pray that you will give us spiritual strength to be able to confront where we need to, where you would show us that it's necessary. and that you will help us at that very time to be those who have love for our brother and yet a firmness in regard to their sin, that they would turn from it. We pray, oh Lord, that you will give us wisdom and give us grace and help us in such situations. We pray it in Jesus' name, amen.