By Glen Seaman
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”(Galatians 6:2).
It seems the older we get the more burdens we have. To our dismay we must admit we will never be without burdens. We will never become so spiritual that we no longer will have burdens. But we can always bear our burdens and be overcomers through the power of the Holy Ghost and the compassionate concern of fellow Christians.
The message here is given directly to the saints in the Galatian Church. It is the responsibility of the saints to bear one another’s burdens. We should not be without feeling but we should be willing and ready to help one another through life’s problems.
WHAT IS A BURDEN!
A burden is a weight, load, or something that makes a demand upon our spiritual resources. Verse one of Galatians chapter six describes a person with a burden as “a man overtaken in a fault”. We can better
understand this description if we understand what Paul means by “overtaken” and “fault”.
Overtaken means to anticipate, to forecast, to overtake, to come upon, to take unaware. Fault means to fall beside, a false step, a blunder, a failure to achieve. What we are viewing here is the thing that often
destroys the new convert as well as the established saint. It is the inability to overcome problems that come to us without warning. These situations may cause us to become overwhelmed and angry with ourselves,
feeling that we are no good, that we are sinners, doomed for hell. In this state we may become weak, indifferent, lukewarm, and unteachable. We may feel as if prayer is not the answer. Sin and failure are heavy burdens to bear alone. For this reason we, the Church, are a “body fitly joined together” for the purpose of helping one another.
“For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Psalm 38:4). David is saying his burdens were like a flood that would destroy him unless he received help. We must
become sensitive to one another so we can help one another carry the burdens of life. Satan would like to cause us to fall under the pressure and be lost.
Each of us should desire to be sensitive enough to be able to restore
those overtaken in a fault instead of destroying them.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BEAR!
Bear means to bear what is burdensome. Paul is here instructing the saints to bear the burden of others willingly. He is not trying to coerce us into reluctant participation in the ministry of burden-bearing. The “strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak” (Romans 15:1-3). “Infirmities” refers to physical, mental, or spiritual weaknesses. Can we lay hold on this! Can we who are strong help bear the infirmities of the weak? If so, we please not ourselves but fulfill the law of Christ. It may seem troublesome to help someone in need, but love for our brother or sister makes this ministry easy. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations” (Romans 14:1). We should not be quick to criticize or pass judgment on a weak believer or one who is going through a trial. We need to lift one another in prayer and with words of kindness. We sometimes fail to realize we are in the Bride together and we are going to be translated
together. With that in mind we should start here and now enjoying one another.
HOW TO RESTORE THE WEAK
“…Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself…” (Galatians 6:1).
With the spirit of meekness one should be restored to the fold. To consider means to look attentively at …to fix the attention upon a thing with an interest in it … to give heed to. We must consider how we wish to be treated and then treat others that way. Do I want to feel a rod of correction or the gentle touch of love! I do not feel we are very effective in restoring the weak with the rod; but we can be with the spirit of meekness.
There is restoration when the strong show interest and love and gentleness. The weak will never be restored without a helping hand. Will you give a helping hand to one who is weak!
(The above information was published by the INDIANA APOSTOLIC TRUMPET, June 1986)
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