How Do We Bear On Another’s Burdens

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Short Summary
The study explores the biblical concept of bearing one another’s burdens as taught by Paul in Galatians, emphasizing mutual support among believers to fulfill the law of Christ through love. It highlights the importance of spiritual maturity, gentleness, and patience in restoring those overtaken by faults, illustrating restoration as a process of encouragement, humility, and ongoing support modeled after Jesus’ example. The discussion also underscores the balance between helping others carry their burdens while responsibly managing one’s own spiritual walk within the Christian community.

Long Summary
Study Context and Purpose
– The study focuses on Galatians 6:1-5, emphasizing the theme of “bearing one another’s burdens.”
– The context is Paul’s admonition to the Galatians to avoid Judaizing influences and live in Christian freedom (Galatians 5:1).
– The study situates bearing burdens within the broader Christian walk of living by the Spirit versus the flesh (Galatians 5:13-26).
– The aim is to explore practical, scriptural applications of helping fellow believers who are struggling spiritually or morally, fostering fellowship and mutual restoration.

Key Scriptures Cited
– *Galatians 5:1*: Christ set us free; stand firm and do not return to slavery.
– *Galatians 5:13-15*: Called to freedom, serve one another through love; “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
– *Galatians 5:16-18*: Walk by the Spirit to overcome fleshly desires.
– *Galatians 5:19-26*: Contrast between works of flesh (sinful behaviors) and fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.).
– *Galatians 6:1-5*: Bearing one another’s burdens, restoring those overtaken in faults, and personal responsibility.
– *Romans 15:1*: The strong bear the weaknesses of the weak.
– *Exodus 23:5*: Helping even an enemy with their burden.
– *John 15:12-17*: Jesus’ command to love one another as He loved us, even laying down life for friends.
– *Colossians 2:19*: The body of Christ held together by joints and ligaments working in harmony.
– *1 Corinthians 12:20*: Many members in one body.
– *Matthew 7:3-5*: Self-examination before helping others.
– *James 5:14-16*: Elders praying for the spiritually sick for restoration.
– *Proverbs 28:13*: Confessing and renouncing sin brings mercy.

Meaning of “Bearing One Another’s Burdens”
– The Greek word *baros* means a heavy load or weight; to bear means to lift or carry.
– Bearing burdens means helping to carry the heavy loads—practical, emotional, spiritual, or physical—that others face.
– A burden shared is a burden lessened; mutual support strengthens the body of Christ.
– It includes helping those absent or struggling, sending encouragement or practical help.
– This concept fulfills “the law of Christ,” which is the royal law of love, summarized as loving one’s neighbor as oneself (Galatians 6:2; James 2:8).
– Bearing burdens is an outward-focused responsibility, not expecting others to carry ours but willingly helping others.

“If a Man Be Overtaken in a Fault” – Understanding the Phrase
– “Overtaken” can be understood as being caught, overwhelmed, or overtaken by a fault—often unintentional, a moment of weakness or temptation.
– It implies a slip or failure not from deliberate sin but from human frailty or ignorance.
– Believers are reminded to consider their own weaknesses to avoid temptation and harsh judgment.
– The fight between flesh and Spirit (Romans 8:5-8; Galatians 5:17) contextualizes how faults occur.
– Being overtaken involves struggles with fleshly desires and sins such as anger, jealousy, immorality, etc.

Who Should Restore and How?
– Those who are “spiritual”—those guided by God’s Spirit, love, and wisdom—are called to restore gently and humbly (Galatians 6:1).
– Spirituality involves growing in the fruit of the Spirit: love, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control.
– Restoration requires meekness, patience, encouragement, and practical help, not condemnation or harsh criticism.
– It may involve sharing personal experiences, scriptural counsel, prayer, and sometimes spiritual mentoring or accountability relationships (similar to sponsorship in recovery programs).
– Restoration is a process, often slow and requiring ongoing support, walking alongside the struggler as Jesus walked beside His followers.
– Restoration also includes reminding the erring person of their identity in Christ and purpose (e.g., Jesus restoring Peter by reaffirming his calling—John 21:15-17).
– Elders or spiritually mature believers may pray and anoint the spiritually weak as part of restoration (James 5:14-16).

Balance of Responsibility
– While believers help carry others’ burdens, each person must still bear their own personal responsibilities (Galatians 6:5).
– The word for personal burden here differs, implying one’s own accountability and effort in the Christian walk.
– Accepting help requires humility from those struggling and readiness to allow restoration.
– Helping others is a privilege and a demonstration of the unity and interdependence within the body of Christ (Colossians 2:19; 1 Corinthians 12:20).

Practical Applications and Challenges
– Know your brethren and be aware of their needs, including those absent or struggling silently.
– Acts of kindness, encouragement, and practical help (e.g., helping with finances, emotional support).
– Avoid judgment, gossip, or exposing faults unnecessarily; cover faults with love and charity (as emphasized in Volume 6, p. 405).
– Recognize that spiritual helpers also have burdens and need support.
– The process of restoration requires spiritual maturity, love, and often prayerful perseverance.
– The goal is to be united, perfectly joined together as the body of Christ, fulfilling the royal law of love.

Summary and Encouragement
– Bearing one another’s burdens is a vital Christian duty that reflects Christ’s love and sacrifice (John 15:13).
– It involves practical, emotional, and spiritual support done in humility and meekness.
– Spiritual maturity is essential to restore others gently and effectively.
– The Christian community is called to be interdependent, supporting each other in weakness and holding firm to personal responsibility.
– This mutual support builds the body, prepares believers for future responsibilities in God’s kingdom, and demonstrates the reality of the Spirit’s fruit in action.
– The study concludes with a call to embrace this responsibility with prayer and love, encouraging ongoing fellowship and practical application beyond the study.

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Selected Bible Verses from the Study

– *Galatians 6:1-2* (KJV):
“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. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

– *Galatians 5:13-14*:
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

– *Romans 15:1*:
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

– *John 15:12-13*:
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

– *James 5:14-16*:
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

– *Proverbs 28:13*:
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

– *1 Corinthians 12:20*:
“But now are they many members, yet but one body.”

– *Colossians 2:19*:
“And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.”

Transcript

We have less than an hour for our study. I will tell you, I don’t expect us to get through all six questions. If we do, wonderful. If we don’t, it’s great fellowship material. So as we go through this and if we get put, start putting things together, but things slow down, just take that as an indication of something that you can be fellowshipping with with your brethren afterwards, because this is a really important subject.

Bearing one another’s burdens I just want to begin the study just very quickly to give the context of these verses so we really, really see what’s going on. So to deeply receive the lessons from these verses, we need to pause a moment, drop ourselves into the context. Paul’s admonishing the Galatian brethren to, among other things, avoid Judaizing influences as they follow Christ. Now just a few verses from chapter five that set chapter six in order. Galatians 5:1 it was for freedom that Christ set us free.

Therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. There’s a broad context there, jumping to Galatians 5:13 15 for you were called to freedom, brethren only. Don’t turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love. Serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

How often have you heard this concept at this convention here this weekend? But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Verses 16 through 18 but I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another. This is setting this whole concept of bearing one another’s burdens up. These are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please, but if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

And then we just go to Galatians 5, 1926 and again. Context for why the Apostle tells us to bear each other’s burdens now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of angers, dispute, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these of which I forewarn you that just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Powerful words then we all know the next verses. But the fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. Then in Galatians 6, one says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such one in the spirit of meekness. So the apostle had just listed out the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit and showed the contrast.

And he had been talking about not being bound into slavery. Don’t be where you want. You have to be where you are called to be and going in the appropriate direction, and it’s in this context that he says, and again, I’ll read Galatians 6:1:5. Then we’re going to get started again with verse one.

If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Verse 2, and we’re actually going to start with verse 2. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Verse 3.

For if any man think himself to be something, when he’s nothing, he deceives himself. Verse 4. But let every one man prove his own work, and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, and then verse five, a very important conclusion to this piece, for every man shall bear his own burden. So we’re looking at verses one through five.

We’re going to start with verse two, because that’s the burden bearing verse, and that’s where we need to focus in. We’re going to talk about bearing one another’s burdens and what it means. We’re going to hear from you, brethren, and then we’re going to go back to what it means to be overtaken in a fault, and so forth and so on. So, looking at your program, question one, what does it mean to bear one another’s burdens? To bear one another’s burdens.

And now I have answers, but I’m not giving them. So any thoughts. What does it mean, being practical, being scriptural, to bear one another’s burdens?

Okay, Builder Homer, over on the side.

So from a practical standpoint, you need to know who your brother are at this convention. That you can bear one of those burdens is to recognize that there are some brethren who are not here for a variety of reasons, a variety of reasons, and if you have gone to the book table and sent them a note, you have done something along that line over, okay? You need to know who your brethren are and do something about the fact that somebody may not be here, okay? So that’s a practicality that’s very, very important.

I think Brother Jerry has his hand up, and brother, just put your hands. Just got to get my attention, okay? I can hardly see over the podium, so, you know, help me, Brother Rick. I.

Before Brother Homer answered, he got us started. I just wanted to give a little more context, and that verse two there, Galatians, that word burden is barrows, and, and that means await.

And it’s a load. It’s an abundance. So it’s. It’s. I think that’s important.

And because you read in the end that each one will bear their own burdens, and here we’re asking bear each other’s burdens. So I wanted to give the context here that it’s the word barrows that’s being used here. Okay? That’s important.

And again, that Strong’s number 922 Baros, and the word to bear means to lift, and that’s strong number 941. So you put those words together, help lift the weight of one another. Literally. That’s what’s being spoken of here.

Thank you, Brother Jerry, for that, Sister Marilee, and then I think Brother J in the back, and look, brethren, so far I’ve known everybody’s names. That’s luck. All right, so I’m going to say the sister or brother in the back, please don’t be offended.

Go ahead. A burden. That’s my sister. I. I know. Say, you better know me.

A burden shared is a burden lessened. Yes, that’s what I want to say. Because the burdens are heavy, and, you know, usually they. They just bring us down.

But, you know, through this study and through what we know to be true, we have an opportunity to work through, okay? By the sharing of the burden, we lessen the weight on that individual. I think Brother Jay had his hand up in the back, and then sister Tricia over on the side. I know her, too.

Just to share a scripture, Exodus 23:5. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you falling down under its load, do not leave it there. Be sure to you help them with it. So this is even from the law. It wasn’t.

This is just not just something we think new New Testament. This is a principle that’s in the law of eat it for Your enemy, go help them with their heavy load. So that’s sort of that heavy burden that they have. So if we’re to see somebody that has that heavy burden, we’re to help, and it’s, it’s easier said than done.

But that’s, I think we see it even from the law. It was given to the, the Jewish people. I think it’s given to us as well in the scripture, in Galatians. Okay, good, and so the idea.

And Sister Trisha over on the side. So it’s, it’s a principle, a scriptural principle that’s right there. Right from the law. This. Let me help you with that.

That’s that sense of bearing one another’s burden. Sister Tricia well, I just have a question. How does this relate to the. To verse one, when it says, brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who, you who live by the Spirit, should restore that person gently, but watch yourselves lest you be tempted carry one another’s burdens, and it seems like this burden bearing is related to that first verse.

So I just wondered how that works. Okay, I’m going to put your question on hold, not because you’re my wife, but because the way we’re going to do this is we’re going to defining, bearing each other’s burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ. Then we’re going back to verse one. We just want to define what we’re doing, and then we’re going to put it back in the context of, well, what does that mean?

If someone’s overtaken to default, you were so spiritual. We store them in the meekness and all. How do you put that all together? We, we just need to define the bearing of the burdens first. So any other specific questions on that?

Because we do want to move on. Sister no, not on that one. Okay. Oh, okay. Sister Tamara and then brother over on the side.

And then we’re going to move on to question two so we can get back to verse one. One of the commentators says the focus here isn’t on expect others to bear your burden, which is self focused, but that leads to pride, frustration, discouragement and depression. Instead, God always directs us to be others focused and says, bear one another’s burdens, and I like that point because it goes along with this whole convention. Yeah, the concept, the focus is looking outward from where we are not seeking others to look inward toward each of us.

That’s our responsibility. Brother, behind you there’s if someone don’t have, let’s say, for instance, enough Money to pay their bills, and a brethren know that, and then he helped that brother. Yeah, you.

You just help bear his load. But that’s on the bottom of bearing another brother in burden. On top of the list is if you know a brother is caught in a sin or some sinful practice and you pray for that brethren, you can have some words of encouragement, whatever you can do you notice it says those that are spiritual. So for a novice, in the truth, they may not be able to help other than give a word of prayer. But those that are spiritual, they can help.

God can give them ways to help. Thank you very much. Okay, and we’re going to get to the practicality of the ways to help in a moment. All right?

So bear one another’s burdens. Literally help lift the weight. A burden shared is a burden lessened, and so fulfill the law of Christ. That’s how verse two ends. So now let’s just get some comment.

Well, actually, time out before we go there. Just a quick scripture to focus in on the bearing one another’s burdens. Romans 15:1. Now, we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not to please ourselves. So.

So there’s this sense of that giving. Also. First John. I won’t read it, but First John 3:16 to 18. Good, good companion verses here.

What does it mean that bearing the burdens fulfills the law of Christ. How does that fulfill the law of Christ? Sister Becky sand is up.

Well, when Jesus was asked what is the most important law, he answered to love the Lord your God with your. Your whole heart, mind, soul and body, and your neighbor as yourself. So I would think that fulfilling that part of the law by helping your neighbor to bear their burden would be fulfilling that law. Okay, so Jesus, when he’s talking to that Jewish audience who’s essentially quizzing him, brings it right back to help bear the weights of your. Of those around you.

So that. That’s a. That’s a really good place to start, Brother Larry.

It’s the royal law of love, Brother Rick. It’s a royal law of love. It’s the same thing, in a sense, we’ll be teaching others in the kingdom someday. So when we’re trying to help people in the kingdom with anger management issues, with impatience, with jealousy, with endings, with strife, as well as, you know, profound issues that we deal with, some of those of which we probably would be dealing with some of the immoral. Immorality categories.

But, you know, like, there’s. There’s a big issue. There’s A lot of issues here. Right. So I’m just only a few, but I mean, and from the standpoint amongst us, do we have any endings?

Do we have any strife? Do we have any jealousies? Do we have any anger management issues? Do we have any personality clashes? Are we going to be helping people in the kingdom of these someday?

God wants to know, hey, look, how hard are you going to try to help your brother now with these issues? If you can’t try to help your brother and bear their burdens with a law, royal law of love, then you have no business helping me in the kingdom. Right? He wants to see it right now amongst us. Okay.

He wants to see it right now amongst us. Okay. Several hands up. I’m just going to give you a scripture. Maybe some of the brethren will be bringing it up, but just want to put it on the table.

John 15:12 to 17 and a brethren, if that’s your comment, certainly comment on it. I think Brother Mark, you were next, and then sister all the way in the back.

Yes, I appreciated a comment, and reprint 3647. That’s 3647. Brother Russell is directly bearing on this. He says that we bear one another’s burdens to fulfill the law of Christ.

And he says there are times in the experience of almost everyone where the surges of trouble roll high and they’re almost overwhelming to them, and then how soothing it is to have the sympathy on counsel of a fellow member of the body of Christ, and he says there are various kinds of burdens to be born. There are burdens of bereavement, financial embarrassment, business and family cares, physical and mental suffering, sudden disasters, perplexities and anxieties, and the burdens also of conscious sins. In all of these, if we are diligently seeking to fulfill the law of Christ, we may be able to cheer and strengthen fellow members of the body of Christ with sympathy and counsel.

And so that’s, I think, what Paul was bringing out. You know, it’s to not look at others with criticism. But if you notice, and we should, if we know our brethren and we love them as God loves us, if we see that they’re a little bit off, having difficulties, we should rush to their aid. Okay, and I appreciate the way you ended that comment. We should take our time and think about going to their aid.

That’s not what Brother Mark said. He said we should rush to their aid. That’s, that’s one of the fundamentals of this, what Brother Larry said, this law of love, Sister, all The way in the back corner.

Thank you. Just a companion text of James 2. 8 From what we everyone’s discussed. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. You do.

Well. Okay, thank you. That was James 2. 8. So just very quickly, because we’re putting this in in order.

So fulfill the law of Christ in John 15. This is my command it that you love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends, and you are my friends if you do what I command you. Greater love is no man than this.

The one lay down his life for his friends. Did Jesus bear our burden? He bore a burden we couldn’t carry, and it cost him. That’s the that’s the template of this bearing one and of his burdens. Another scripture on this piece before we move on to more of the practicality and getting Back to verse 1, Paul In Colossians is warning about the temptation of Christians worshiping men, specifically those who were Judaizing Christians in the place of our Lord and head Jesus.

And in Colossians 2:19, here’s what he says in that context. There’s a similar context to the writing in Galatians. He says in Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. The message of that is, we are fully supplied through Jesus, but we are held together by the joints and ligaments the body has to work together. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

That’s the job. That’s what we’re called to Companion Scripture. Because we’re going to want to get on to the next question, the Companion Scripture for this, and you are all very familiar, First Corinthians 12, 20, 20. There are many members in the body. We won’t read the Scripture just for your study and reference.

Okay. Bear one another’s burdens. Lift the weight of the burdens of your brethren, and that fulfills the law of Christ. Okay, that’s established. Question 3.

What is meant by being overtaken in a fault? Let’s go back to Galatians 6, verse 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Now, there’s a lot of pieces to this verse, and that’s why this verse is Going to be taken in a couple of different questions. So the first part of the verse says, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault.

Pause. What does that mean? What does it mean to be overtaken in a fault? Anyone? Sister front?

This is important. Yeah. It’s not intentional. You stumble by a weakness or a besetment, and the quicker we don’t judge, but we say, there but the grace of God go I is something I could use to reach out.

Okay. So Sister Debbie’s thought is, is that it’s not overtaken in a fault. The concept of being overtaken is something gets out in front of you. Okay, and the concept that this is not intentional, this is not what I’m trying to do.

This is what happens to me. Now, maybe we have bad habits. Maybe whatever it is, something happens. If a man be overtaken in a fault, something gets in front of them. That’s a good start for understanding what it means of what we are trying to bear for one another.

And we can all relate. I won’t ask for a showing of hands, but have you ever been overtaken in a fault of your own? Yeah. You have? If you haven’t, look again.

Okay. Because we’re all the same. So that’s an important concept. It’s an important baseline for us to have to really understand bearing one another’s burdens. Any other thoughts, comments, Scriptures?

Yes, Sister Kathy. Kathy. I know you. Yeah, yeah. It’s okay.

I’d like to substitute the word overtaken in a fault. The word overwhelmed in a fault. It helps me to understand that scripture a little bit better. Thank you. Okay.

Overwhelmed. Yeah, we can get overwhelmed. Okay. Several hands. Brother Mark and then sister in the back.

You know, dear brethren, we’re with a privilege that our heavenly Father gives us to help and guide others. Is, is. Is. Is a really true blessing. You know, sometimes we need to look inward to ourselves.

I just think of the scripture in Matthew our Lord speaking about two, seven forces, the moat that is in my brother’s eye. But considereth not the being that is in thine own eye. Wilt thou say to thy brother?

So I think we be. We need to be very self reflecting on what counts we want to give to our brethren and that we don’t. You know, you just think within our own fellowships. Go back 10, 15, 30 years and look at the, maybe the, some of the controversies and within our own fellowships, opinions that brethren have and how do they deal with their fellow brethren over different issues that might come up. Are they uplifting to those brethren or Are they denouncing them and causing separations?

So we need to be very careful how we counsel others, but look inward to ourselves on that. We are not overlooking what problems we might have ourselves and have comet. Yeah, and, and that really is focused in. On the part.

Latter part of the verse. Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Let’s see, there was a sister in the back, and then brother over on the side. Thank you, Sister Joni, and thank you.

I noticed Pastor Russell refers to this phrase 50 times in his writings, and this is. This is from the fifth volume, page 118, I believe, where he says that in our flesh, as new creatures possessed of the new mind or will, a weakness of heredity, a tendency toward passion or strife, so that they may need continually to keep on guard against these, and may occasionally be overtaken in a fault contrary to their wills. Nevertheless, these unintentional weaknesses are not counted unto them as sins, but as brethren. Of course, we want to be close to our brethren.

And if they share something with us or we see something where they need help, then we’re willing to do what we can. We just say, what can I do? How can I help? Over. Okay, thank you.

And Brother Dan on the side has a thought, and on the way, when the mic’s on the way there, I want you to consider brethren also. Romans, chapter 8, verses 5 to 8. Hang on, brother Dan, one second. For those who are according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh.

But those who are according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit. Mind is set on the flesh is death. Mindset on the spirit is life. Because the mindset on the flesh is hostile toward God. It is not subject itself to the law of God.

It’s not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. We are still in flesh, in our fleshly being, even though we are a new creation. So we have this fight, and that’s where what Sister Kathy said earlier about being overwhelmed by something, because it’s part of your fight, and sometimes we might turn our head and get overwhelmed by something.

Somebody may need to come and say, let me help you with the weight of that burden. That’s what this study is about. That’s what the apostle is. Is teaching us to focus on, and this is where we start to deepen our discussion.

Go ahead, Brother Dan, thank you for waiting. I’m Dan Landow, and I wanted to say we. Paul frequently uses the imagery of running a race, and this fits right in there. Because to overtake means to catch up and pass, or catch up and, and grab them.

So as you’re running the race to be overtaken, is the enemy running after you and trying to catch you? Okay. All right. So we’ve established the burden is a weight. We’ve established that bearing it is helping to carry the weight of that burden.

And if you’ve ever had too many things to carry and been trying to carry, whether it be grocery bags or whatever it is, and someone comes along and says, let me take some of that, you immediately feel relief. That’s the picture that we have here. Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Brethren. If a man be overtaken, overwhelmed by their fleshly imperfection, if a man be overwhelmed by that, it says, ye which are spiritual, restore them.

Okay, so we want to understand the concept of being able to restore someone. Ye which are spiritual, restore them. So question four is, what does it look like to restore them? We’re going to pick up the concept of spiritual first. Okay, so what does it mean to be spiritual?

And then what do you do to restart? Brother in the back. Brother. Yeah, I know you, Ben. Yes, yes.

I think it’s very interesting that the definitions for these are actually given in the previous chapter. So in Galatians 5, when it talks about what this fault is, it’s specific. Right in there, and also referencing back to your scriptures on Romans. Right.

In Galatians 5, verses 17, it says, for the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for those are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do, and then it goes on to talk about what it is that the faults in the flesh are. It says, now the works of the flesh are evident, and then it says, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery. The list goes on.

But it then says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such things, there’s no. The point is, is that we have definitions there. Just before he gets into this one part, that was it. Okay, so we understand the difficulties of the flesh, and now we’re looking to help.

But it said it qualifies. Helping by saying, ye which are spiritual. What’s that about? How do we. How do we understand what qualifies you to be spiritual?

Sister on the side here. Yes, Sister Hannah.

I would say that those who are spiritual are those who are guided by the Law of love. Because to help restore such a one would be in the spirit of love, and I like what it says on volume six, page 405. It says, the law of love says for shame that the weakness and shortcomings of brethren and others should be exposed before the world. For shame that pity and sympathy did not at once advance to speak a word in their defense, if too late to spread over their faults the mantle of charity to hide them entirely.

So we should be ready with our mantle of charity, our emergency blanket of love, whenever the faults and human weaknesses of our brethren become apparent to us. Okay, and that really does go back to the. Let’s see, there was another hand up, Brother Mark, that, that goes back to Brother Arbor’s discourse on the. The agape love and, and the application or Brother Peter’s discourse.

I’m sorry, on that, and, and putting that in order, and having that selflessness, that. That ability to just simply reach out, because reaching out is needed to be available. That’s part of defining spirituality. That was volume six, page 405, Brother Mark.

Yes. In. In reprint 5491, Brother Russell talks about, you know what? This. Overtaken in a fault in a couple different ways.

It says through ignorance or temptation. So you, which are spiritual, kind of restore that one. If, if someone is overtaken through ignorance or lack of information or knowledge, what possibly God’s will is or what’s right and what’s wrong, you could help by helping him point them out. You know, we’re supposed to be love, righteousness and hate iniquity, and then if the temptation or the overtaking is through temptation, then we recognize that.

That God isn’t tempted by evil. Neither does he tempt any man. But we’re tempted when we’re drawn away after our own lust. So if it’s something that you’re unaware of, you know, it’s kind of like back in the horse and buggy days. They used to put blinders on horses so they wouldn’t be distracted from things on the side.

But if you’re supposed to go from point A to B, you look at B, you know, you just. You go to B and not be distracted, and so that’s one way ye, which are spiritual can do that, considering yourself and whatever weaknesses. But you might be able to relate some personal triumphs over problems or difficulties, temptations or sins, and.

But it’s not a haranguing. It’s not a, you know, it’s not a. A guilt fest. You know, it’s out of genuine Help or genuine love for the brethren to help them. Okay, so.

All right, a bunch of hits going up. Ye which are spiritual. This is an important piece of this conversation, brethren, because understanding that spirituality, that desire to help because of love, not to, and one of the brethren mentioned before, not to be looking down and saying, well, you poor soul, if you were like me, you wouldn’t be in that situation. You know that.

That’s not. That’s not where we’re coming from. We’re coming from this place of ye which are dwelling in the salvation and redemption that you’ve been given, not because you’re so good or so smart, but because you were given this opportunity beyond you to be chosen to say, let me take the strength of that and help others. So. I’m sorry.

I forgot. Okay. Yes, Sister Camille. Sorry. Oh, okay.

Wait for the mic. It’s a much lighter note because we can’t hear you. Yeah, lighter note. Agape love implies being proactive and looking to meet a need, and I’m thinking of a time we were going to a funeral, and we knew the.

The ones that were. Were mourning the loss were kind of beside themselves. They were tired, they might not act appropriately, and so taking some food into the back room for them to have a break helps. Moscow convention.

When we met there, we were happy when all those young people were with their little T shirts on and helping us take the suitcases up because we were tired and we probably weren’t going to be real. We were a little on the grumpy side. Okay. To be honest, coming to this convention, the little things that brethren did, proactively, putting water out and just having such a nice arrangement made it better to act appropriately. So that kind of smoothed over what might have been a character flaw.

Okay, so again, you. Which are spiritual, putting things in the right place for. For the right reasons. Okay. There was Sister Julie, There’s Brother Bill, and then there was a brother over there.

Will go in that order and go ahead. Well, I think there’s a reason why Alcoholics Anonymous is set up with sponsors. Because before you’re about to have a problem, you call your sponsor, and that person is responsible for you to work through it, and to a spiritual mentor, someone who will help you be accountable with this sin that you’re dealing with, and that person has to be spiritually mature.

That person can’t judge, can’t be gossipy, can’t, you know, not be available to them, and that’s shepherding, and that’s being accountable and having a partner like that. Okay. Let’s see, brother. Brother Bill’s next on the way over.

So did you ever hear Jesus say when he was going to heal somebody? So what did you do? Put yourself in this situation? Never heard that. Because he took what they were, how they were, and where they came from, and he touched them.

Now, we can’t heal, but this scripture implies that we can help to restore someone who’s been overwhelmed. That’s the attitude with which we need to approach it. Brother Bill, put your hand back up. Yeah. Okay.

The microphone’s behind you. He just didn’t know where you were. It’s Brother John, but. John. I’m sorry I keep calling you Bill.

Well, that’s okay. It’s. That’s a better name. I’m going to dump that one. I’m sorry, brother.

Translates nice to what I’m about to say. No, you know, I just want to comment on the restoration and like, the what and then, and how do you get there? So first, Thessalonians 5, 11, 16, let’s say for the first one, 1 Thessalonians 5, 11th, the restore, therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as you’re factor doing. I think that’s a good way to look at the restoration.

There’s this encouragement, but you’re actually also building. There’s a more active role you’re playing, and then in terms of the instructions between verses 12 and, you know, 16, there’s some key themes here. Live in peace with each other, help the week, be patient with everyone. You know how you get there.

This is not easy, right? You, you encourage when somebody says something that’s really way off or they’re doing something wrong. You encourage, you build up. Well, it sounds good. It’s not easy.

It is good. It’s not easy. Be patient, be gentle, be kind, and I think those are good instructions here. You know, even verse 15, make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

I think these are good ways of looking at how you help restore that individual. All right, thank you. So that was 1st Thessalonians 5, 11, 16. Correct. Okay.

All right, thank you, Brother John.

John, Bill. Same difference, and, and it’s just. It’s just an important.

Okay, we had. Let’s see, there’s. Okay, there was handover on this in the side. I’m sorry. Sorry, Pat.

I missed you before. All the way in the back, and then there was, I think, another hand on that side. A couple of hands on that side. Okay.

You know, I think when I think about that, those which are spiritual, you know, part of the, and you’re running the race, we’re all in this together and. But it’s in a spirit of meekness. But all of the instructions that we’ve been hearing so far are building the ones that are spiritual. You are exercising and practicing the talents we’re going to need in the next stage.

So I think that that’s. This is so beautiful because it’s given us an opportunity to practice and get in shape for the next. The next chapter, the whole body, and I was thinking that the body has to work together. When you think of the physical body, there’s so many ways our bodies work harmoniously when they’re healthy and in so many different ways.

Being a nurse, I think of the joints and if they’re young and active and everything, they work and they don’t ache and they move fluidly. But just like the body of Christ, we have to support one another so that, and we come out with that character of agape love. Okay, and now as we move the microphone over to the other side, I think Sister Tamara was next over on the other side. Okay, There’s.

If there was somebody, I don’t know who was first, you guys decide just let’s think about this. That this qualification for spirituality is being put in place because the next phrase in the scripture is ye which are spiritual restore. So there’s a responsibility, a deep responsibility, and I don’t want to scare anyone, but it says, ye which are spiritual restore. Such a one in the spirit of meekness. So we’re going to need to get into what this restoration actually looks like.

Go ahead. Who’s next? Yes, I’m going to rephrase that. You that are spiritual, let’s say you that have a large degree of God’s Holy Spirit. Because that’s what he’s.

That’s what Paul is saying here. He’s saying that when you first consecrated yourself and God accepted that consecration, you didn’t have a large measure of God’s Holy Spirit. But as you grow in grace, you do receive a large measure of God, Holy Spirit. So then you have that spirit of a sound mind. You have that love, joy, peace, etc.

And when you have all those things, you can do the right thing. When a brethren find themselves in a fault and you know about it, you know exactly what to do.

I may not know exactly all the steps need to be done, but those that have a large measure of God’s Holy Spirit, they would Know what to do. Thank you. Okay, so now it comes down to you, which are spiritual, and again, it really is down to Tamara will be next, and then there’s another hand on that side, and then I want to pause because we want to get into the restoration, because we want to.

We’re already three quarters done with our time, and it’s a matter of you as your spiritual being, driven by God’s spirit within you. That’s an important factor in this balance. Go ahead. I was thinking about the other side of this. So we are admonished that if we are in a position to help someone who is at that moment overtaken with a weakness, we are to do so.

But on the other side of that, and this is maybe almost a harder part of it, if we are overtaken with a weakness, we have to accept that help, and that oftentimes is very difficult because we have to admit to the weakness, and that’s number one, and number two, if we are a person that is used to being strong and used to being the restorer, it’s very difficult to let go enough to accept restoration from someone else. So I was just thinking on that. That end of it is that there’s two sides to this.

And the admonishment is for those that are strong to help the weak, but then it falls on the weak to allow themselves to be helped. Yeah, and you’re really talking about the restorer in the spirit of meekness being able to handle this. So you can see, brethren, there’s a lot to this. There’s a hand up over here or the sister over on the side, and then Brother Ernie, and then.

And then two more on that side. I said we were going to move along, but I guess you didn’t listen, so that’s okay. Well, maybe we are moving along to the restoring part a little. Right. Weren’t you asking a little bit?

I was thinking of the. Well, first of all, he’s talking to the consecrated by saying spiritual. So the Spirit begotten ones who are begotten of the Holy Spirit, and I was thinking of First Corinthians 2:12 and 13, and the brother was saying this. I mean, the brethren are saying this, obviously, but just bringing it up, like, more directly.

So the First Corinthians 2:12 and 13, mainly. Now you. We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also, we speak not in the words which man’s wisdom, teach, teaches, but with the whole which the Holy Spirit teaches. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual, and I think it was.

This was leading into. There are times when someone could be. You have a misunderstanding, I mean, of a principle in a scripture or something, and overtaken by the adversary, skewing their thinking on, you know, I’ve had this experience with others, you know, and, and could start like, you know, isolating or leaving, you know, leaving the brethren or getting some different thoughts, and so we can help in this way with presenting scriptures and promises and, you know, asking questions and reasoning with them again and, you know, showing the harvest message and all of that.

It can be helpful too, and that can even be with being overtaken in a sin of some sort too, that we can present these scriptures and also, if we had experiences and we have the same problem, same weakness, we can show how the Lord helped us, and, you know, these are the little things, okay, this helped me, you know, and come to them and say, you know, I can sympathize with this trouble, and this has helped me. Okay? And so the part about the spirituality is drawing from the scriptures to have.

That’s. That’s the. That’s the ammunition, if you will, of the help is to have something that is beyond our own selves to be able to offer you which are spiritual. So good, good thoughts, Brother Ernie. Go ahead.

This movie stretches into foreign restoration, but I like the NLT translation of this because I think it makes it pretty clear, at least to me. It says, you are godly should gently and humbly that person back onto the right path. Okay, and that really does. Is the introduction.

There’s a couple hands on this other side, and then Brother J, your hand was up, and then I do want to spend the time. The rest of the time. I know there’s parts we’re not discussing, but on this restoration, because that’s such an important thing, what’s the object of all of this?

Bear one another’s burdens? Why? What is it supposed to look like? Well, the verse tells us, and Brother Ernie started us along those lines by saying back onto the path.

Those are. That’s a. That’s a simple quantified statement, but there’s a lot to that. Who are the hands on this side? Go ahead.

Well, yesterday, Brother Brett ended his discourse with John 16:33, where Jesus says to his disciples, for I have overcome the world. The implication being that we can too, and so that was a very encouraging thought. What it looks like in your question? What does it look like?

Jesus walking beside the erring one. Jesus Walking beside us, and we’re walking beside our. The one that we’re trying to encourage, and like Brother Ernie just said that.

Well, the reprint 3647, kindly urging the erring one to strive against his fall. Like, you can do it. Okay, and that’s, and I’m going to jump ahead into the restoration process.

That doesn’t necessarily just happen because you show up. All right. That happens because you support in a spiritually driven way. In other words, it can take time. Yeah, you can do it.

I’m going to walk next to you. We can do this together. By God’s grace. Prayerfully approaching. Sometimes it takes time for this restoration to actually take place, because sometimes the burdens are very, very heavy.

Who is next? Sister Brenda? Thank you, Brother Rick. This actually reminds me of how Jesus restored Peter after he had denied him three times, and he didn’t focus on what?

On Jesus, didn’t focus on who he was. He basically focused on. Reminded Jesus, Peter, who he was, and I think that that’s for. At least from my personal experiences, is just remember helping other brethren remember to remember who they are, you know, as children of God.

And that what they have done is not, you know, is. Is not going to affect that. It’s, you know, it’s a setback. But ultimately, like, you’re a child of God. Okay.

The hands just keep going up. Who. Okay, Sister. Sister Debbie and then Brother Larry. Did I miss somebody?

If I did, I apologize. Oh, I miss Brother Homer. Okay, I’m sorry. Let’s go to Brother Homer first, because his hand was up before. I apologize, Brother.

Missed you.

Those who are spiritual also have burdens. If you don’t believe. When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, he said, could he not watch with me one brief hour? They were asleep. So one of the things that we have to remember is we do not want.

Job’s comforters were wonderful in the beginning because they sat still. But after a while, they started telling him, the reason we’re having problems is because you are a sinner. You’ve done this, this, and this. Wait. Make pace slowly.

Very good, and it’s important to recognize Jesus had burdens. He looked for the encouragement to bear those burdens, and nobody was there, so he had to do it himself. We want to, as the body, make sure we are interlinked enough to be aware and then active. There’s two pieces to that, to be aware, then active.

Sister Debbie and then Brother Larry.

The word restore, when I was looking at this, reminded me of the Abrahamic promise, and from there, you know, you shall bless all the families of the earth, and we got to practice restoration, we got to practice reconciliation, and somehow or another, we have to learn to see each other first, practice on each other. To the reconciliation is so that we can conform to God.

And one of the words that restore, which is 2675, it means to mend. It means to be perfectly joined together from the same word, and it also, in Hebrews 11:3, really fascinated me. The worlds were framed by the word of God, and I thought, okay, that’s something I can look at.

It’s not about me. It’s about us sharing the words of God to each other so that we can be framed, fit in the frame. We can’t just. It’s. It’s not chaotic, and we have to walk in that.

We have to be in that frame. Brother Russell often says, you know, you don’t necessarily go out, you demonstrate so that others can see by God’s grace. Okay, so I liked that word. Yeah. That word is strong’s 2675.

And going back to Brother Larry, just hang on, Brother Larry for a moment, and, and that word literally means to complete thoroughly, to repair, and in Hebrews 11:3, it says the worlds were framed, like Sister Debbie just said, by the word of God, they were fit together the way they belonged. Another verse along those lines is First Corinthians 1:10.

I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus, that you speak together the same thing. There be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together. So when it says restore, it means to get back into the framework that God Almighty has put for us as the Body of Christ. That’s a big responsibility to take part in. But that’s what the Apostle Paul is telling us we have to watch out for and we have to reach out for.

So there’s a lot of sobering thoughts here. Brother Larry. Yeah, I want to go back to this comments right here, which were really excellent, talking about Peter, because, you know, sometimes you can be right but doing things in the wrong way. Correct, and so when we look at Peter and continue on what you were saying, Jesus could have devastated Peter.

I mean, you know, he prayed for Peter, that the adversary wouldn’t sift him, and he could have said to Peter, peter, how could you have denied me? We. We walked together, we talked together, we slept together, we ate together. Three and a half years you were with me.

And then for you to deny me, not once, Peter, not twice, but three times, you Know, like he could have come across that way. That would have wiped him out. He was already feeling guilty enough. But instead, like Brother Ernie was talking about, he gently said it and didn’t even. I mean, was just like, Peter, love is now me.

Three times. Peter got the point, but it was a gentle approach. So he restored Peter by the methodology and manner in which he did it. All right, Brother Jay, you have a thought now. You know what?

I think your hand was up before and I missed you. I apologize, brother, and then we’re going to need to wrap this up lots for fellowship. I told you. Yeah.

I appreciate Brother Larry going to the Peter and the sister bring up Peter. I think it’s the. It’s like the textbook example. He gave. He gave.

He prayed for Peter, and we see that also in James 5. Right. We’re talking about how to restore one another. I’ve just put it out there for James 5, 14, probably through 15 or 16.

Is any of you sick? I think that’s spiritually sick. It talks about the elders praying over him. So how did Jesus help Peter, who prayed for him? It says in James that they spiritually anointed him.

Anointed the sick one with oil. You know, Jesus gave Peter hope. He says, you’re going to fall down, but I’m going to. But you’re going to get back up, and we.

We. I’m happy to share later. Fellowship, and then when he came to restore him, he addressed it three times gently, and all the brother have been talking about gentleness.

Right? And that. I think that’s the other key. But after, as he restored him, he. He gave him a work to do.

He didn’t let him just say, okay, Peter, you’re restored. He said, go feed my sheep. Go feed my lambs. Tend to my sheep. Feed my sheep.

He restored him and gave him a work to do every single time, and I think that’s really powerful. That means there’s tr. You’re restoring trust with an individual. You’re saying, I trust you to go do this work.

That’s really hard when somebody’s falling down, fly in their face. But the Lord’s doing the same thing with us every time. I just. I can add, this is the one that always helps me. Verbs 28:13.

He who conceals his sin does not prosper. But whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Confession plus renouncing, that’s moving. Going away from the sin and endeavoring not to do it again is what brings mercy. All right, thank you.

Proverbs 28:13 Brethren, our time is essentially up. Let me just conclude by saying this is a sober responsibility. That’s why it says you, which are spiritual. It’s not something that you can just reach out your hand, pull somebody back on the path, and walk along as though nothing happened. Sometimes it’s a long and tedious process.

And that’s why the spirituality is so important to be ever present when there is a need, and I want to compare that just very, very quickly with the last verse of our section, that which it didn’t get into. It says, because you. You also ought to bear your own burdens. It sounds like, okay, you, which are spiritual, bear the burdens of others.

And you got to bear your own, too. Different word for burden. Entirely different word for burden. The word for burden at the end is literally means your own invoice. So what the apostle is telling us is you should all be willing to help each other bear the weight of your experiences.

But you, who are spiritual, you still have to bear your own responsibilities. Now, the weight can sometimes get heavy, and you need help, like Sister Tamara mentioned earlier. But it doesn’t mean that we relinquish our responsibilities. On the other hand, we accept them. We embrace them.

And as the body of Christ, we reach out, we hold on to one another, we embrace one another, we walk with one another, we pray with one another so that we can walk the walk of faithfulness. We all fall, but that’s why we have each other. May the Lord add his blessing.

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