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Bible Questions and Spiritual Discussion
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Carry One Anothers Burdens
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Holman Christian Standard
Indexed 6/11/2010, from www.biblegateway.com
Galatians 6 1-10
Carry One Another's Burdens
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won't be tempted also. 2 Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.
6 The one who is taught the message must share his goods with the teacher. 7 Don't be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
Verse 1)
As I read this I was convicted and reminded of a few things. Verse 1 means it is our responsibility to restore those who are in sin and do it with the right attitude. So many of us carry a better than thou spiritual complex forgetting we were saved from sin ourselves and did not need someone approaching us with the wrong attitude, but rather with the leading of the Holy Spirit from that person with the gentleness mentioned. God knows what that person needs to come back to Him and we should rely on the Lord to tell us what to say to restore that person. If we are geniunly in Gods leading one will more than likely respond. Points: A) We are to restore the lost/sinner/falling away from the fold B) Following the Holy Spirit in doing this we will have the gentleness towards those who are in wrongdoing. In addition, we will not fall away ourselves as we will be in Gods will relying on Him.
Verse 2)
How many of us today say to one another how can I help. Specially in todays economy we are so focused on surviving ourselves that we forget that Gods principle is to carry each others burdens. What does carry one anothers burdens mean? If one is falling pick one up, if one is suffering assist one in relieving the suffering, if one is in financial hardship restore them if able, if one is sick bring healing, etc. In addition, Praying for one another and encouraging one another, meeting together and showing our love, and not being judgemental towards one another. Although this list in not complete it give perspective to our responsibility in showing Gods love. We will show people by our love that we are Christians and this is one way that really sticks out is carrying each others burdens.
Verse 3)
This verse speaks for itself. I think sometimes, because we are free in Christ we sometimes let our confidence in this new freedom take over the humility we are to have knowing we were saved by grace. That translates into considering ourselves something we are not. Yes, we are free in Christ, but we are not superior to others as a result. This does not give us the right to pridefull in our new freedom, but humble in where Christ has saved not. Now we should have confidence within ourselves that Christ has saved us and we have the power of Christ in us, but how we carry this attitude makes the difference. My point is to always remember we are saved by grace and not of ourselves and it will be easier to perform verse 1-2.
Verse 4-5)
We should focus on making sure we focus on ourselves first. We are still walking in the flesh and have our own struggles to overcome. This is true rather one is a minister, pastor, praise leader, 40 year believer, etc. We all have to live in the flesh and overcome it. We must first make sure to carry our own load. As the bible says if we take the beam out of our own eye first then we can clearly see how to take it out of another persons.
Verse 6)
Now this one really hit me. Wow, we must encourage our pastors, teachers, and the like as we recieve the good news. How by telling them how the message has made us better, how it lead us closer to Christ, how we were convicted to change, etc.
Verse 7-9)
This principle is quite clear. We reap what we sow. If we sow bad seed its obvious what will grow. We need to stay in the spirit and not the flesh so we can have eternal life and sow God message and reap His rewards. There is no middle ground here. Spirit or flesh what do we chose to do?
Verse 10)
Now this is counter intuitive as we ussually (as Joyce Meyer would say) say, "what about me?" We need to take care of ourselves first. To a certian degree this is true as if we don't, how can we successfully help others? Yet, at the same time, if we focus on only ourselves and not remember we are to bring our work for the good of all then we lost the point. We as believers of the faith need to focus on how to bring others to Christ, carry each others burdens as the mainpoint of our work. If we don't then we are missing the mark.
Prayer:
Lord Help us to retain and live these principles. Its is our desire Lord and we need You to do this. We are only as good as how much we surrender to You and Your will. We desire to carry each others burdens, and make our main point working for the good of all and not for just ourselves. In Jesus name I pray...Amen.
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 John (Yuahan) smith 09/21/2011 13:57 |
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