Christian Living

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"The Spirit Of Correcting Another"

By: Crystal Diaz


Galatians 6:1-3 NASB
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

° We must never think that we are so strong that we cannot be tempted to sin or fall into temptation and sin. Especially when we see another falling into sin. Yes we are kept by God; however, this is in regards to his will being done.

* 1 Peter 1:2-5 KJV

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

° We do have the free will to make choices in this life. And most are done out of disobedience, obedience, pride, ignorance, etc. Hence why we must always remember.

* 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

° Wheter we have ears to hear and choose not to listen, choose to listen, or we are unsure of what we are being told. His word doesn't change, and never will.

* Matthew 24:35 NASB

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

° Our very nature is one of sinful desires, thoughts, decisions, and behaviors. We are born to be at war with authority especially God's because we are born sinners. It is our pride of life that wants us to be God when it concerns governing the things of it. So even when we are born again we still struggle between the flesh and the spirit.

* Galatians 5:16-17 NASB

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, so that you may not do the things that you please.

° Though we are made new creations in Christ Jesus we don't always listen to the counsel of the Lord, and we don't always understand his guidance and direction. We'll always find ourselves battling inwardly that at times will manifest outwardly. As Paul writes:

* Romans 7:14-25 NASB

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

° This is why we must remember that the understanding we gain is from his word, that is taught and confirmed by the Holy Spirit who empowers us to win this battle by the application thereof in our lives. Our diligence to study the word and obey it by applying it first internally then externally is a responsibility and a necessity.

* Psalms 19:7-14 NASB

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord , my rock and my Redeemer.

(Also read Psalm 119)

* John 14:15, 21, 23-24 NASB

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

° It is very difficult to approach another in error if we ourselves have not embodied a life submitted to Christ. With the love for His word, the application of his word, and a life devoted to prayer. As we see from the words of Christ, if we love him we will keep his commandments. Remember unless we have removed the plank from our eye we must not inquire as bout another's speck.

* Matthew 7:1-5 NASB

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

* Christ tells us exactly how to judge and we must righteously judge before we approach another. And we are too judge according to the word, not our opinion, or gossip, only the truth from what we see, and know, and we are to line it up with the scriptures always.

* Matthew 7:16-20 NASB

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.

° Yes we are to correct that one in sin; however, we are to do it free of pride and self gratification. Let us remember the sins we've committed, as we approach one in error, and how difficult it can be to be yoked into the bondages of sin.

°"To restore such a one" as stated in the text is defined as this in the Greek.

Restore: fit (join) together;compact together, act, prepare, perfect, for his full destination or use, bring into its proper condition (whether for the first time, or after a lapse).

° Now we also are to do this in the spirit of gentleness.This spirit of gentleness is one of the fruits that come from the Holy Spirit.

* Galatians 5:22-25 NASB

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 Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

° So it is available for us to operate in. Because we are regenerated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Now this passage says the one to be in gentleness is the one who is spiritual. As well as,

* Timothy 2:24-26 NASB

The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

° This word used in these verses as defined in the Greek as.

Spiritual: belonging to the Divine Spirit; in reference to things; emanating from the Divine Spirit, or exhibiting its effects and so its character: the acts of a life dedicated to God and approved by him, due to the influence of the Holy Spirit equivalent to produced by the sole power of God himself without natural instrumeutality, supernatural, teaching, etc. thoughts, opinions, precepts, maxims, ascribable to the Holy Spirit working in the soul. In reference to persons; one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God.

° To fulfill the law of Christ is to take on the the mind of Christ.

* 1 Corinthians 2:16 NASB

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

° Having this mind set will compel us into baring each others burdens. Jesus in his own words said.

* John 15:13 NASB

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

° And we know and understand that this is exactly what he did in his earthly life.

* Philippians 2:3-8 NASB

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

° So from this text above we see how Christ regarded himself last. He did this all the way to his last breath. At any point he could have called on the angels to save him, and they would have. But he took on the burden of our sins and the penalty for our sins, for our sakes. The weight of the burden of sin is far to heavy for any of us to bare. So Christ bore it for us on the cross as he became one of us. Yet he was never a sinner like us. So let us fully understand all the word says on how we are to be when it comes to us correcting another in error. So I pray this prayer for us as Paul prayed:

* Philippians 1:9-11 NASB

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Amen!

Yours in Christ,
Crystal Diaz

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