Galatians 6:1-5 – Getting Your Hands Dirty
Sometimes we’ll see sin in others’ lives – and they’ll see sin in ours – and we’ll just want to leave it there. But just seeing it isn’t enough. We’re called not to look the other way, but to address it. That’s not to say we’re to point out all the rough edges we see in each other. Paul is talking here about things that are actually sinful. Now, not all sins are to be treated in this way. Some sins must be dealt with more severely. Paul comes down hard on the false teachers in Galatia because they’re leading others astray. When people are deliberately and knowingly rejecting the law of God, a gentle correction from a fellow church member isn’t what’s called for. They’re way past that point. Instead, what’s needed in that situation is the leadership of the church to intervene and try and get across to them the seriousness of what it is that they’re doing. Paul’s talking here in v1 about being caught, or overtaken, in transgression. As someone has put it: ‘The phrase “caught in any transgression” doesn’t refer to deliberate, habitual sin’. But lesser sins are still serious. In fact, all big sins start out as smaller sins. If they’re not dealt with, they’ll grow.
We can be all too good at noticing other peoples’ sins and identifying what the problem is, but then just talking about it among ourselves, judging them, condemning them, and not doing anything about it. Nor can we avoid getting involved because we feel inadequate. If this is something that God calls us to do, then saying ‘well who am I to correct them?’ isn’t going to cut it. But maybe you object: “it says in v1 ‘you who are spiritual’. And there are people who are far more spiritual than me”. But this isn’t a description of some sort of super level of Christian. It’s simply a reference to those who are living out the Christian life.
If you have a bad smell coming from somewhere in your house, and you get a plumber out to investigate. You don’t want one who’s too polite to say that they smell something! Neither do you want one who’ll identify the problem and then just leave you to sort it out yourself. You want someone who’s prepared to get their hands dirty, and get to the root of the problem. In the same way, the surface sins in our lives are usually signs of deeper, underlying sins in our thought and attitudes. So other Christians who ignore those sins aren’t helpful. Neither are other Christians who screw up their faces and say: ‘that’s horrible. How could you do something like that?’ We need others who’re going to love us enough to get their hands dirty and get involved.
Questions
- What is the danger of minimising sin?
- How can Christians be helpful to other Christians?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for the help and support of other Christians.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.