Galatians 6:1

GALATIANS CHAPTER 6 Galatians 6:1 Paul adviseth them to reform the faulty with gentleness, Galatians 6:2 and to bear one another's burdens. Galatians 6:3 A caution against vanity. Galatians 6:6 He exhorteth to be liberal toward spiritual instructors, Galatians 6:9 and not to be weary in doing good, Galatians 6:12,13 He showeth the carnal views of those who preached circumcision, Galatians 6:14 and his own professed dependence on Christ only, regardless of the world. Galatians 6:18 He concludeth with a prayer. In the term brethren, there is a secret argument persuading the duty which he is pressing, because Christians, particularly members of the same church, are all brethren. By persons overtaken in a fault, he means such as do not make a trade of open and scandalous sinning, (for such must be rebuked sharply), but such as may be sometimes through infirmity overborne, and run down with a temptation to sin. By those that are spiritual, he means not only the pastors and governors of the church, (though this care and duty is much incumbent upon them), but such as have received the Spirit of Christ; more especially such as were more knowing in the ways of God, and had spiritual habits more confirmed in them; in which sense spiritual is used in 1 Corinthians 3:1. Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness: the word translated restore, signifies to put again into joint, or into right order and place. Sin is an inordinate action, and putteth the soul that committeth it out of its due order and place. He willeth the brethren that are spiritual to use all due means to put such a member in joint again, but not to do this roughly, and with passion, and severe correption, but meekly, so as may be most probable to win the sinner's soul. Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted; having an eye and respect to themselves, as neither being free from sin, nor from temptations to sin, dealing with others as they would have others deal by them.