Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.What should be done when you see someone who is caught up in sin?

Galatians 6: 1-2

This afternoon I watched as an eight year old boy scaled a twelve foot chain link fence that surrounds a tennis court and then I heard his father in a less than gentle tone tell the boy to get down…now.

Sometimes, like the instance above, correction is urgent and tone is less important than grabbing the attention of the person in danger. The problem is that many of us deal with every transgression the same.

In the passage above, Paul emphasizes the importance of “a spirit of gentleness.”

Consider these comments from theologian John Stott –

“Notice how positive Paul’s instruction is. If we detect somebody doing something wrong, we are not to stand by doing nothing on the pretext that it is none of our business and we have no wish to be involved. Nor are we to despise or condemn him in our hearts and, if he suffers for his misdemeanor, say ‘Serves him right’ or ‘Let him stew in his own juice.’ Nor are we to report him…or gossip about him to our friends… No, we are to ‘restore’…”

In Galatians 6: 1 we see four specific responses to sin.

• We must recognize the need of the one caught up in the transgression.
• We need to recognize our personal responsibility to intervene.
• We are called to the ministry of restoration.
• Restoration must be done with the right attitude.

Galatians 6: 2 goes even further. Here Paul instructs us that instead of looking away or pretending the situation doesn’t exist, we should make the effort. We should intervene. We have a mutual responsibility to act an help each other.

To do nothing is to, in effect, say that we do not love our brother or sister.