Brethren, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.
Galatians 6:1 AMPC
Paul’s words in Galatians remind us of the tender responsibility believers carry towards one another. He writes “if anyone falls into sin”, not “when”. This distinction matters. Sin does not define the believer’s life, nor does it represent the expected order of our walk with Christ. Yet, when it occurs, God calls us to pursue restoration, not condemnation.
The task of restoration falls on those who walk in step with the Spirit. A person who relies on the flesh cannot free another from the grip of sin, because the flesh never defeats the works of the flesh. Only believers who are yielded to the Spirit can guide the fallen back into fellowship with God.
This truth challenges me personally. If I want to help someone who has stumbled, I must first keep my walk with God steady. Restoration cannot flow from self-reliance or human wisdom. It flows when we surrender to the Spirit and allow Him to work through us.
Paul also warns against superiority. Pride has a way of creeping in when we think ourselves stronger than others. But we, too, remain human and vulnerable. We need to remember that the same grace sustaining us is the same grace that lifts others. Humility and gentleness, not judgment, must shape the way we approach someone who has fallen.
Finally, Paul urges us to stay alert while we help others. Restoring someone requires more than compassion; it demands vigilance. We must keep our eyes on Christ, watch our own steps, and lean on the Spirit, lest we stumble into the same traps we seek to rescue others from.
Living It Out
Restoring a brother or sister in Christ means reflecting God’s mercy. When you meet someone who has stumbled, don’t rush to condemn. Ask the Spirit to guide you in gentleness, humility, and love. At the same time, guard your own walk with God, remembering that you, too, depend on His sustaining grace. True restoration comes when the Spirit leads, empowers, and sustains.