You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
1 Brethren
[adelphos], if [ean][kai] a man [anthropos] be
overtaken [prolambano] in [en] a [tis] fault [paraptoma], ye [humeis] which [ho] are spiritual [pneumatikos],
restore [katartizo] such an one [toioutos] in [en] the spirit [pneuma] of meekness [praotes];
considering [skopeo] thyself [seautou], lest [me] thou [su] also [kai] be tempted [peirazo]. KJV-Interlinear
1 Brethren,
even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a
one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be
tempted. NASB
As we finished the previous chapter, we saw that pettiness can easily seize control over your life when you lack spiritual resources in your soul. You acquire spiritual resources in only one way, which is to pursue a daily study, which is to say, a genuine daily study and not some pretended or haphazard reading.
And now we see in the beginning of this chapter that you can easily be caught up in the sins or transgressions of others, by simply reacting to them or to their activities.
And so Paul tells us to not react.
If someone is participating in something that is clearly wrong or abusive, or simply something that does not agree with your beliefs, then do not engage them, do not judge them, do not criticize them, and don’t get into an argument or debate with them.
And this response control likewise applies to things that are done wrongfully or even fairly toward you. Do not take revenge. Do not seek reprisal. Do not try to get even.
And we are speaking of things in the social sense.
In crime or in legal venues, you can and should protect or defend yourself.
But in social settings, and especially with the huge proliferation of online social programs, the keyboard seems to empower and embolden those who would not otherwise be so bold in face to face confrontations.
This is the devils world and every human being has a sin nature, so there will always be those who will take cheap shots.
Do not lecture them, or otherwise entrap yourself in the merits or the lack of merits of their activities. Refrain yourself. Restrain yourself. Do not lower yourself to their level, not even with self-righteous comments.
Simply withdraw and turn your attention to something else.
God, in all of His wisdom and brilliance will deal with transgressors, and He will do it in His way, and in accordance with His timeframe.
Sometimes Gods handling will be swift, other times it many take decades. But, God deals with all people in grace. He knows what they will respond to and what they will not respond to, and more important, when the timing is best for an effective correction.
God is patient, even though we are not so patient. God can deal with someone throughout their entire life, even over the span of decades. Whereas we would want something immediate and permanent and even overwhelming. Which is to say that is why none of us have been placed in charge of the social disciplining of others.
