Bearing Burdens

2018-06-24

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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. (2) Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (3) For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (4) But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. (5) For every man shall bear his own burden. (Galatians 6:1-5)

Lest Thou Also Be Tempted

Addressing the spiritual members of the Galatian churches, the Lord calls on them to help those struggling with sin or some other kind of weakness or struggle. Previously, we have seen that the “spiritual” are the ones who are not confused regarding circumcision and other Old Testament rites; they believe that Jesus is sufficient for salvation and walk in the Spirit. The spiritual helps the carnal.

However, part of being spiritual is being humble, knowing that we can fall into sin and false doctrine. We must consider our own weakness in humility so that we are not tempted and fall into wickedness. Consider this passage from Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

The spiritual man “judges” so he can help his brother with sin with which he also once struggled. It is possible to be a hypocrite, condemning a brother for a sin with which we also struggle, or sins into which we could potentially fall.

Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens

Jesus Christ bore our ultimate burden, the condemnation of God because of our sin. We also should help others with their burdens, because we are called to love others as Christ loved us (John 13:34-35). The Christian life is others-focused (1 Corinthians 13:2).

When helping others, there is a danger to think that we are more spiritual than others and be lifted up in pride. When serving, we must remain humble, knowing our motives. There will be a day when we will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10), where our motives will be exposed, and we will be rewarded for what we really did for Christ in this life. We will be rewarded for what we did alone, not for what others have done. That is where we will bear our own burden.