How to Carry Burdens
Galatians 6:1-5
Nemo resideo. This Latin phrase may not mean much to most American civilians. But to our armed services, it is the creed they live by. The various branches of the American military state it slightly different, but the core message is the same: leave no one behind. Soldiers on battlefields around the world have lived by this creed for centuries. Today, it is enshrined not just in creeds, but in regular military operations. Soldiers commit to being there for each other no matter what their comrades may endure in the plight of battle.
If you have seen any military documentaries or war movies, you have seen this value reenacted. Actors put on fatigues, carry firearms with blank bullets, and apply fake blood and dirt to their faces and fingers to visualize what soldiers go through. When you see an extra go down because of enemy fire, almost always another actor dressed as a soldier comes alongside him and carries him to a medic or an aid station. Actors learn that kind of commitment to your comrade in arms for a movie or show, but it is the genuine experience of our servicemen and women. They live by nemo resideo.
The battlefield of the Christian life is not one fraught with bombs, bullets, and cannon fire. Instead, it is a field where our enemy lies in wait to catch us unawares. Instead of constant barrage, we face irregular bouts of spiritual oppression and fleshly temptation. Like the soldier on the battlefield, our Commander has not left us alone. The army of Christ's church stands ready to aid you and push you forward to victory.
This is the idyllic picture of the church, but it is sadly not the case in many churches. Believers struggling with temptations to lust fight their battles alone, depressed, and wondering if there is any hope of escape. Those Christians in the throes of legalistic thinking isolate themselves as well by presuming the church will cater to their spiritual preferences. In both cases, the church is often caught missing in action and vulnerable believers are left to fend for themselves.
Believers carry each other's burdens
Main Thought
Recognizing this great need, the Apostle Paul exhorts the believers of Galatia to help believers who have fallen into sin. We do this by carrying each other's burdens. Just as a soldier carries a fallen comrade on his back to find safety, so we must share in the heavy burdens that we all carry. As we will see in this passage, there are several ways we can involve ourselves in burden-bearing ministry, including bearing our own burdens. We need the grace of God for this ministry, and we need to hold in our hearts the grave responsibility of leaving no Christian behind.
Bearing the Burdens of Others
Paul acknowledges the real possibility of genuine believers falling prey to besetting sins. Though patterns of fleshly living can indicate an unregenerate heart, they may also indicate spiritual weakness and immaturity in a believer. The church must respond to this reality by preparing believers to confront and restore their sin-laden brothers and sisters.
Restore Fallen Believers
Paul does not limit the kind of sins that a Christian may need restoration from. Though our flesh has died, we still possess a sin nature capable of ensnaring us in all kinds of sinful addictions and behaviors. He does not have in mind sins which a Christian is unwilling to repent from, even after multiple confrontations; such situations require church discipline. Rather, he has in mind believers who fall into sin and want to get back on their feet.
The sins he has in mind "overtake" the believer, a word which means to take by surprise. When sin overtakes us, we may first give in to small changes in behavior, accepting moral failures or entertaining inappropriate thoughts that seem insignificant. But those little compromises eventually overtake us. In moments of weakness when temptation feels overwhelming, our unsuspecting hearts yield to sin. Eventually, it just becomes easy to say "yes" to sin every time it knocks.
If you have ever been in this situation, Paul wants you to know that you are not alone. You can find the help you need in the camaraderie and support of a church family. In that family, Paul appeals to the "spiritual" ones to restore hurting believers broken by sinful choices. By "spiritual" ones, we can assume Paul is addressing those who walk in the Spirit. A believer in tune with the Spirit's working in his life will produce the evidence in his own moral choices. Likewise, the Spirit can equip him to bring restoration in the lives of fellow believers.
The responsibility to restore involves bringing a fallen believer back to a state of spiritual health. The word "restore" means to put something back in working order. The same word is used in the Gospels to describe how the disciples James and John mended their fishing nets (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19). In the medical world, it referred to setting a broken bone or dislocated limb in place. When we restore others, our goal should be to see them reestablished in their spiritual life. Patterns of sin take us backward in our spiritual growth. We need the restorative abilities of Spirit-led believers to lead us forward in sanctification.
No one would remodel a car or reupholster furniture without taking careful steps and following certain guidelines. Similarly, spiritual restoration does not occur haphazardly. The Lord provides guidelines for how we can bring healing to brothers and sisters broken by sin. He gives us two important attitudes in which restoration occurs - a spirit of gentleness and caution. With the second attitude comes a warning - lest you also be tempted.
Gentleness in Restoration
Gentleness is one evidence of the Holy Spirit's influence in a Christian's life; we need his leadership and enabling if we will restore fallen believers effectively. As we mentioned in our study on the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness does not implicate weakness. Being gentle toward an erring believer does not mean we can excuse her sin or remove her responsibility to repent. When we seek to restore someone else, we should do so with sensitivity to their need and consideration for the best way to help them.
Spirit-led gentleness protects us from the wrong kinds of "help" church members are so often inclined to offer. Not every personality or gifting in a church is suited for every occasion in which a fallen brother needs help. Some of our personalities tend toward harsh judgment, often unfairly and without full knowledge of the situation. Christ warned against this kind of judgment, condemning it as hypocritical because people tend to make bad judgments when they have not first carefully examined their own hearts (Matt 7:1-5).
Other personalities tend toward ignoring a believer overtaken by sin. Rather than addressing problems in fellow church members, we run from them and assume it's the pastor's job to handle them (or a more experienced believer). But Paul addresses "spiritual" believers in this passage, which could include any of us led by the Spirit. Spirit-led people do not go looking for problems in others; none of us should act as spiritual antennae for the church detecting sin-bound Christians. Instead, we should be prepared to help a believer when the opportunity arises.
Each of us should be someone that a brother or sister can come to if they are overtaken by sinful behavior. Some believers are more equipped to handle certain situations because of their experience, influence, or training. As such, these believers have more opportunities to pick up those who have fallen. We should not let that stop us from helping fallen believers when we can. Take Paul's exhortation as a challenge to better equip yourself for restoration ministry by studying the Bible, seeking input from others, and even pursuing more training if possible (i.e. counseling courses).
Caution in Restoration
Restoring fallen believers is a risky business. That's why Paul leaves a word of warning to the spiritual believer when teaching them how to restore. The second attitude we must inculcate in addition to gentleness is caution. "Consider yourself" means to pay careful attention, with an emphasis on continual action; we must regularly be on guard when lifting up a fallen believer. Surely, one concern is that in our restoring "ministry" we become proud and judgmental. But Paul's chief concern is that we do not fall into the same sin as the person we are trying to help.
If you have flown before, you have seen the safety guidelines they always demonstrate before take-off. Airlines always include guidelines about how to respond in the event of an emergency landing. When the oxygen masks descend from the compartment above your seat, whose mask do you put on first, yours or the person sitting next to you? What if that person is your spouse or your child? In either case, you always put on your mask first, then help someone sitting next to you if they need it.
In the work of spiritual restoration, we can become so focused on helping another believer we neglect to protect ourselves. We have the same sin nature and have the same potential to fall into the same besetting sins. Put your mask on first. Establish yourself in your walk with God. Keep a close guard on your spiritual life so you can be most effective in restoring someone you care about who has fallen.
The Principle of Carrying Burdens
Paul now moves from a specific application to the broader principle. As Christians, we need to be on guard for each other if one of us falls by the wayside so we can pick them up. Verse 2 speaks to our general responsibility as a church family: carry each other's burdens. As with temptations to sin, the members of a church need to work together to bear the different burdens represented within the body.
Burdens come in all shapes and sizes. Paul uses a word that describes something oppressive, a heavy weight that brings pain or discomfort. Temptations can be oppressive, but many other things weigh us down in this world: physical ailments, emotional pains, past trials and experiences, financial challenges, relationship conflicts, etc. These terms describe most of the heavy burdens we carry in this life.
The reality of these burdens leads us to an important realization: self-sufficiency is a myth. No one here (or watching at home) is an island to themselves. Every body part is essential for the whole body's proper function. Church members can become belabored by the burdens they carry, thus weighing the body down and preventing it from fulfilling its purpose. We need spiritually-minded believers equipped to give counsel, encouragement, prayer, or even meet a financial need if necessary so these burdens are lifted.
Paul motivates us to serve each other this way by telling us what it accomplishes - the fulfillment of the law of Christ. Through our study of this letter, we know that the Mosaic Law has no legal jurisdiction over the disciple of Jesus. Paul is not instituting a new law here, but putting a label on our new responsibility as children of God. As believers, we have no obligation to OT rules and regulations. Instead, we have an obligation to live as Christ did, to walk in his way, to follow his "law." Bearing the burdens of your brothers and sisters meets that purpose.
Though we all have this responsibility to share one another's burdens, we must temper our role with humility. Paul echoes his earlier admonition to not be conceited (5:26) in verse 3 - "For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." In his moment of need, a Christian can allow pride to preclude him from seeking a helping hand. Likewise, in seasons of ministry, pride can corrupt our acts of love and nullify them into wood, hay, and stubble. Temptation to pride exists on both sides of restoration ministry, and it leads to our own deception.
If we seek to be a blessing to others in need, we cannot think so highly of our own spirituality that we swell with pride and false conceit. We also should not think of ourselves as too busy, important, or spiritual that we cannot come to our family member's aid. The temptation for swollen self-conceptions exists on the side of the fallen believer as well. When we are overtaken by sin, we should not be so proud that we dare not ask for the prayers and encouragement of fellow believers. It's in those times that we most need intercession and encouragement from our brothers or sisters.
If you need any other reason to involve yourself in burden-bearing ministry, look no further than two of our church's core values - mentoring one another and serving one another.
Mentoring One Another
God calls us to make disciples. Therefore, we are committed to building friendships and families that teach, encourage and provide one another with personal accountability to grow in our obedience to God.
Serving One Another
God delights in meeting the needs of people. Therefore, we are committed to meeting the material, emotional, and spiritual needs of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and of those whom we hope to reach with the gospel.
As a church, we are committed to living out these values because they reflect the how NT Christians should live. Do you bear the burdens of others, no matter what they are, because God calls you to meet the needs of your spiritual family? Do you disciple others by providing mutual teaching, encouragement, and accountability (Heb 10:24-25)? You can serve your church family by restoring struggling believers and carrying their burdens.
Bearing Our Own Burdens
As with many theological truths, there are two sides. Paul has challenged us as Spirit-led believers to bear each other's burdens. Mutual ministry is essential to the proper functioning of the body of Christ. But just as we all must support one another in our endeavor to follow our Savior, so we must encourage one another to take personal responsibility in our Christian lives.
Taking Personal Responsibility
The beginning of verse 4 contrasts what Paul has just been teaching with what he is about to say. "But let each one examine his own work," speaks to your duty as an individual to evaluate your walk with God. When companies want to demonstrate good faith to their employees, stockholders, and the general public, they often bring in financial auditors. These auditors examine their books, budgets, expenses, payroll, etc. They make sure that the company is following the law in all their financial dealings. We are called to act as spiritual auditors for our own hearts to make sure we are following the law of Christ.
The work of self-examination is a difficult one. It forces us to deal honestly with ourselves, to compare our lives not to our spouse, fellow church members, or even the pastor, but to Christ himself. Self-examination requires a humble and repentant heart, confessing our failures to Christ, receiving his forgiveness, and submitting to his Spirit for future victory.
Self-examination is the way of life for the Christian. We should assume we always have new steps of maturity to take, especially if we are transparent about how well we exhibit the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). We even remind ourselves to look inward before we take the Lord's Table lest we dishonor the purpose for his death and sacrifice. Dealing with ourselves first also gives us the opportunity to help believers who have fallen in a similar fashion. We need that brotherhood and sisterhood in Faith Baptist, but it starts with honest evaluation of ourselves.
Paul tells us our reward when we examine our own work: rejoicing in ourselves alone. This is something Paul talked a lot about in his letters. As an apostle and church-planter, he knew that ministry did not happen by his own hand; many hands were involved in the winning of souls and the building up of the church. Yet, Paul also knew that in this life and at the judgment seat, no one could accuse him of taking credit for the labor of another; everything he did for the church and for God could be attributed to his own labor, sacrifice, and expense (Rom 15:17-20; 2 Cor 10:13-18).
Many boys growing up have watched their dads do home improvement projects, work on home appliances, or fix the family car. When dads give their sons the chance to work with them on these projects, boys feel very proud of themselves. But that feeling is only surpassed when the same young men who got to help their dads as kids become adults and use the same skills they learned to benefit their families.
Let's not be spiritual children who always need the help of spiritual mentors to guide us along. We all need a brother or sister to come alongside us at different times. But at some point, we need to mature by standing on our own two feet and walking in the Spirit. As verse 5 says, each one of us must bear our own loads. This might seem to contradict verse 2, but it is another principle of Christian living. Bearing burdens of all kinds is a responsibility we all share. But in the final evaluation, we all will stand before Christ on our own for the choices we made. That load we must carry alone, and rightly so.
Taking Pastoral Responsibility
Paul makes one final application of this ministry of burden-bearing. In verse 6, the apostle presents one of the clearest statements on paying pastors. To "share in all good things" can have several applications, but it primarily deals with financial benefit. He is arguing that a man who teaches God's Word should receive financial remuneration from the people who benefit from his ministry.
This exhortation seems oddly positioned in the letter, but in context, it serves as an appropriate application of burden-bearing ministry. In addition to spiritual encouragement, carrying the burdens of others may involve meeting financial needs. The members of a church help carry the burden of the pastor's ministry by paying him a salary. They provide for his family's needs and fulfill his right to receive recompense for his labors in God's Word (1 Cor 9:14; 1 Tim 5:17-18).
This principle of paying teachers of God's Word is an awkward principle to preach about. Pastors can preach it nonetheless because it accurately represents NT doctrine that Jesus himself taught (Matt 10:10). It also affords believers the opportunity to carry their own loads. If you have been blessed and spiritually nourished by the ministry of your pastor, then contributing to his material needs is part of your load to carry. In return, a pastor must meet his obligation to feed the flock of God, oversee the church, and act responsibly as a leader.
Christ carried our burden on the cross - the burden of our sin and all the law's demands. Since he lifted your burden, won't you show your gratitude by lifting the burdens of your family in Christ? It may involve getting your hands dirty while lifting a brother out from chains of sin. It may involve humbling yourself and being vulnerable should you be the person who has a heavy burden you cannot lift. It will involve giving to your church and ministering to the needs of faithful shepherds who feed the flock from God's Word. When we bear each other's burdens with the Spirit's enabling, by God's grace none of us will be left behind.
