You Who are Spiritual
You Who are Spiritual. It is one thing to go to God asking for forgiveness for our sins, but it is entirely a different matter when we are called to forgive others. How easy it is for us to hang on to the wrongs done to us by others, never forgetting what they have done.
1 Brethren, if a man is
overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a
spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if
anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have
rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall
bear his own load.
Galatians 6:1-5, NKJV
You Who are Spiritual
Now the tables are turned. For several devotions the topic has been spiritual restoration - specifically restoration with God. This devotion will focus on spiritual restoration with fellow believers. It is one thing to go to God asking for forgiveness for our sins, but it is entirely a different matter when we are called to forgive others. How easy it is for us to hang on to the wrongs done to us by others, never forgetting what they have done.
Peter wrestled with this very problem; in Matthew 18:21-22, there is a dialogue between Jesus and Peter:
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
How can we truly have spiritual restoration with God when we are not willing to have it with other believers? To illustrate this truth, Jesus goes on to tell the story of the unjust servant. You can read it in Matthew 18:23-35.
In summary, a king was trying to settle his accounts; upon finding that one of his servants owed him a large amount of money, the king ordered that he and his entire family be thrown in prison. The servant pleaded with the king for forgiveness until the king granted his request. Another man owed this same servant a small amount of money. The unjust servant ordered that this man and his family be thrown in prison, and would not change his mind no matter how much the man pleaded.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. Matthew 18:32-34
Jesus concluded the parable with these words in verse 35.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
In verses 2 and 3 shown above, we are told,
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Seek spiritual restoration with all of your fellow believers; do not harbor a bitter heart against them for wrongs done in the past. Just as Christ Jesus died on the cross so that through His blood you might receive forgiveness for all of your sins, pray that He will also help you to forgive others of the small things they have done to you.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
These things are impossible for us to do, however all things are possible in Christ.
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