Yes, Galatians 6:1 is still our Text, but only for a couple more days. “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.”

“The spirit of meekness,” what a term, an expression, a phrase!

Or is it a Title, referring to God the Holy Spirit?

Whatever interpretation we use here … we had best have this “spirit” if we are going to try to help pull someone up out of some dirty pit of sin! Into which he or she has fallen!

“Meekness” (in Greek it’s spelled “praotes”) means something like “humility, lowliness, submission (really, willing submission).

Do NOT try to restore a fallen comrade with a proud attitude like “at-least-I-did-not-fall” or “I-knew-I-was-stronger-than-you!” 

No!

But rather, “meekness of spirit” would react/behave this way: “Let each esteem other better than themselves.” (As in “you-fell-once, but I-have-fallen-many-times!”) The verse I just used, Philippians 2:3, King James Version.

And when “helping” others, we need to remember Proverbs 16:18 … “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Wow!

Today’s emphasis is Biblical to the core. No doubt. But it is also good “common sense!”

“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.”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

And do not forget that this “meekness” is a actually a Trait (Fruit) of the Holy Spirit Who indwells our lives as Christians!

 

The ministry of RESTORATION, not here reconciliation as Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:18, again I mean “restoration.” 

In this context, our Verse today: “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.” Yes, we are still looking at Galatians 6:1.

Our verb is here written as an imperative! It is a stark command from our old beloved Apostle Paul. We have no choice. Such “restoration” is our duty!

But what does it mean?

To “restore” someone overtaken in a fault?

The Greek verb is “katartizo,” used 13 times in the New Testament! What a ideal number, giving us a pleasant array of Holy Spirit “uses” of the word!

And if we can define it, that data will teach us how to “help” any of our fallen brothers or sisters along the way. Those suffering lapses in their faith. “Temporary” failures, we hope!

Twice (both in Matthew 4:21 and Mark 1:19) “katartizo” is used when some fishermen are “mending” their nets! (Try that for a good word picture! Healing, repairing a “torn” bother in Christ! Trying to assist in his spiritual “mending!”) Yes, that is Bible “restoration,” for sure.

But in Matthew 21:16 Jesus uses “katartizo.” He is there quoting (and adapting) a verse from Psalm 8. And He has God the Father “perfecting” praise from the lips of little children! (Hence … bringing something to completion, to maturity, to fulfillment!)

Wow!

In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul uses “katartizo” to mean “perfectly joined together!” In the King James Version, anyway. (I am told that in the ancient Greek medical world, “katartizo” was the verb used for “setting broken bones” so they “could mend together” once more!

Wow!

Here is Paul again, desiring “to mend” some deficiency in the Thessalonian Church! “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and MIGHT PERFECT that which is lacking in your faith?” This is 1 Thessalonians 1:10. Paul the “restorer!”

In Hebrews 10:3 “katartizo” is used of God the Father “preparing” a Body for His Son, surely in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This is Jesus talking to His Father … “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He (Jesus) saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body HAST Thou PREPARED Me.”

Wow, again!

God, in creating the world, did so via the “katartizo” principle, in that much detail! “Through faith we understand that the worlds WERE FRAMED by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3

These should be enough Bible “illustration” of how the Holy Spirit defines “katartizo!”

Now we should “go and do likewise!” (An allusion to Luke 10:37, a line in the marvelous parable of the “Good Samaritan.”)

I mean … go “restore” someone who may be floundering in the faith.

But do so carefully!

And that’s the thought we will explore in tomorrow’s Lesson, the Lord willing, “carefully!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Not just any Christian can help!

Can help “restore” a fallen Believer.

Not according to Paul in Galatians 6:1.

Watch the phrase I have framed in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, please. You will see what I mean by my assertion. “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.”

First of all, looks like the implication (if not the blatant declaration) is that the “fallen” (or “overtaken”) man is NOT very spiritual. He has succumbed (even if accidentally) to some sort of sin, a debilitating one at that! That’s (ideally) not the trait of a truly Spirit Filled Christian. Not a vibrant, growing one!

Hint: you must be stronger than that downcast Brother or Sister … in order to help pull him or her out of the situation into which he or she has slipped.

(We are going to look more closely at the verb “restore” tomorrow, the Lord willing. “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.”)

But now to the very expression “ye which are spiritual.”

Paul at least means those who are expressing (growing within) the aforementioned “Fruit of the Spirit!” As in “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.”

Those who are living “in conformity” to the nudges and directions of God the Holy Spirit!

They (and they alone) are best suited “to help” any weaker brethren, particularly those who have been deceived/overcome by the ravages of some sin.

“Ye which are spiritual” as opposed to those who display the works of the flesh! Remember that list? “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.” (Each of these is defined in one of the previous Lessons, archived here on the Website.)

So … the Holy Spirit not only works/lives “within us,” He also works/lives “through us!” Reaching out to help others! James 5:19-20 literally says “saving” our brother or sister, who has veered away from the truth! Look: “BRETHREN, if ANY OF YOU do err from the truth, and one convert him. Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner (meaning that fallen believer, James just uses pretty ‘rough’ terms at times) from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Wow!

There’s a lot in today’s little descriptor … “Ye which are spiritual.”

What a noble goal this is … “Be ye filled with the Spirit,” quoting Paul elsewhere, in Ephesians 5:18 specifically. (“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be FILLED with the Spirit.”)

Tomorrow, we shall go further into our Text, Galatians 6:1, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, we are “holding” another morning or two in Galatians 6:1, studying its intricacies. Here’s that Text, word for word … King James Version. “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.”

In a “fault?”

I suppose it is some kind of “sin,” don’t you?

And it is!

But the word Paul uses is so technical, so very precise.

“Paraptoma,” in Greek.

It means “having fallen down!”

“Down,” but yet “beside” or “near” something or someone.

In the “hole” of sin!

In a spiritual “mud-puddle!”

(Now … the normal Greek word for sin is “hamartia,” basically meaning you have “missed out” on something, something good! “Fallen short” of some goal or ideal. “Lost” a blessing of some kind!)

But “paraptoma?”

This noun is only used 23 times in the New Testament’s entire 260 chapters.

Wow!

It is most often translated “trespasses,” 9 times in all. (Meaning in English … “to step across the line!” Almighty God’s “DO NOT GO HERE” Line!)

Then, it (“paraptoma”) is translated “offense” 7 more times.

Now add “sin” 3 times.

Then it is rendered “fall” 2 times, along with (as in our Text here)  “fault” twice.

The implication of this “fault” is that the “hole” into which this Christian has fallen … or the “slippery place” which has so deceived him (tripped him) … was an accidental thing, not a failure he or she planned ahead of time.

Not a deliberate sin!

An accident!

After all … “If we sin WILFULLY after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” Hebrews 10:26

Therefore … if (or when) your brother or sister slips, “falls” (near you, in your sight) … go and help him! Assist her! Pick him up! Restore him!

This helpful encouragement … is just what we do for each other as Christians!

After all … you might “paraptoma” (fall down) tomorrow!

And if so … don’t you hope there’s a fellow Believer somewhere nearby … to help you stand back up, to rectify yourself?

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault …”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

We are discussing (studying) a single verse of Scripture for a few days! That being Galatians 6:1 … “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.”

Today we must take some note of the initial verb “be overtaken.”

I (surprisingly) see that it is written in the “passive” voice! The Greek word is “prolambano.”

This is a sin in which a man (or woman) is “captured!” He is “caught” by this temptation!  This error (whatever it may have been) reached out its hand (its long tentacle) and “laid hold of” its victim!

Unforeseen!

Now, I am not blaming God for this “fault!” James 1:13-14 is clear: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

But still, James’ truth must be balanced with Paul’s truth here.

This Galatians 6:1 “fault” is extremely persuasive and powerful … and deceptive!

Next I tell you the verb (“prolambano”) is here expressed in the subjunctive mood. It is not an unavoidable situation! It is a suppositional situation! Sort of … “just in case” a man sins, then one of you should try to help restore him!

Then the verb is singular … not a whole crowd of Galatians so sinning, just one individual! Paul is not even imagining a mass defection here!

But there is more to tell about “be overtaken,” about “prolambano.”

The word is only used 3 times in the whole New Testament. That’s all I can find, anyway.

Here are the other two occurrences, apart from our Text today.

In Mark 14:8 Jesus is commending a woman who has been anointing His Head with very expensive perfume! He observed: “She is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.” The verb “is come beforehand” … that’s “prolambano,” folks!

Then Paul (in 1 Corinthians 11:21), when rebuking wrongful behavior at the Lord’s Supper,  wrote: “For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.” And here “taketh before” is “prolambano.”

Wow!

Now here’s a definition for “prolambano” that fits our context. It is a “fault” (a sin) that runs ahead of a person … covertly crouches in ambush … and jumps out to capture him! Particularly if he is aware of his current dangerous situation, if he is not extremely alert!

Of, the deceptiveness of sin!

I am saying this person did NOT deliberately plan to fall into this sin.

He was “deceived, tricked, outsmarted” by it!

And after all, the devil is a deceiver!

Note: the erring person is still responsible for his wrongdoing. But he was deceived! 

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

More next Lesson, the Lord willing.