The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 351

1. It is not a case of mere inadvertence or ignorance, but a case of fallin!J away from a Divine commam~ore probably misconduct than heresy. The doctrinal reaction at Ge.le.tie. may have bad a morally unsettling tendency. It was a case in which the offender yielded to the force of temptation, as is implied in the words, " lest thou also be tempted;" yet a case in which he endeavoured to hide his transgression from the world. 2. It is the case of a member of the Ohurch who had fallen out of rel,ations to bretliren. A Christian shares in the infirmities of our nature, and may be surprised by sudden temptation, like Peter and David. The honour of Christ, the credit of religion, the offender's benefit, demand the prompt but tender interference of Christian brethren. II. THE DUTY OF BRETHREN, "Ye who are spiritual, restore such a one." It was not a mere admonition to replace the backslider in his old Church relationship, but rather to recover him from his sin and place him in a right relation to duty. There is no hint given as to the method of restoration, but it would naturally be by kindly admonition, by faithful instruction, by prayer. There must be no blind love to inter- cept the friendly remonstrance ; there must be no careless disparagement of the fault ; there must be no suffering a sin upon our brother. It was the praise of the Ephesian Church that" she could not bear transgressors" (Rev. ii. 2). Those urged to this duty must be" the spiritual "-those whose lives illustrated the graces of the Spirit (eh. v. 22), for they only would have the capacity and the inclination, while their action would be backed by the full confidence of the Church. III. 'fHE SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS DUTY IS TO BE DONE. "In the spirit of meekness." Not with harshness or want of sympathy, dwelling bitterly on the sin and expatiatin:;r with self-complacent severity on the weakness that led to it; but rather in a spirit of love, patience, an·d humility, as if they had a sincere compassion for the backslider and a supreme interest in his welfare. IV. THE BEASON OR GROUND FOB THIS SPmIT. "Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." The apostle marks this emphatic consideration by an individoalizing transition to the singular number. The case may be thine. You who are spiritual may err. The saints of God have often failed in the very grace for which they were most distinguished. Therefore " let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." We are, therefore, admonished to bring offenders with all love and tenderness to a due sense of their sin, and to comfort them lest they should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Ver. 2.-The bearing of others' burdens. "One another's burdens do ye bear, and so ye shall thoroughly fulfil the law of Christ." 'l'his verse is an advance upon the first verse, for it greatly widens the sphere of duty. Consider- !. THE BURDENS TO BE BORNE. They are not simply " the infirmities of the weak," which the Roman Christians were called upon to bear; but sins, sorrows, errors, and temptations. It is a serious thing for the weak or the wayward to make themselves a. burden to others, who have burdens enough of their own to carry. The Apostle Paul is an illustration: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? " II. THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS. As if to show that there is no separate interest in the Church of God, the apostle tells believers that the sins and infirmities of others are not only to be tolerated, but taken up as burdens. This is more than a counsel to "support the weak, to be patient toward all men." Travellers have often to carr,y the burdens of their comrades who become faint by the way. It would be a serious thing for the weak, if believers were to draw away from them and allow them to carry their own burdens. " A Christian must have strong shoulders and stout legs in order to bear the flesh, that is, the weakness of the brethren" (Luther). Christian life is a burden-bearing, but, after all, it is something short of the supreme Sacrifice. " \V ~ ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Let us, therefore, bear transgressors upon our hearts at the throne of grace, and upon our shoulders by brotherly help and patience. Our gratification is not to be the rule for the exercise of our Christian liberty. III. THE MOTIVE TO THIS DUTY. "Ye shall thoroughly fulfil the 'law of Christ." That is the new commandment, "that ye love one another" (John xiii. 14). '!'here oould be 110 burden-bearing except from a principle of love, and the fulfilment of the  THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANB. [cR, VJ, 1......18.