A Daily Devotional – Restoring – The Eternal Word (22)

A Daily Devotional – Restoring – The Eternal Word

Comment: There are many people who seek reasons to reject the Holy Word of God. One of the popular ways people do this is by finding conflicting statements in the Bible, an example will follow in a minute or two. Sometimes when we listen to people talk we can pick up on the things spoken and know that they did not do their homework, or at best that they have forgotten some key points. Of course, the ladder can be the result of elderly communication as it is easy at my age to confuse time and events. How godly it is when brothers and sisters realize this during a conversation. It is very comforting when someone is willing to share another’s burden rather than shoving it back at them in an embarrassing way.

Devotional: One section in Galatians contains conflicting statements in the same chapter and in the same context. Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Then in Galatians 6:5 – “For each one shall bear his own burden” (KJV). The context of the passage helps some in understanding the apostle’s message, but it also requires some knowledge of words.

The following explanation is taken from Norman Geisler’s book, “A Popular Survey of the New Testament”.

Problem: In Galatians 6:2 Paul exhorts us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” But only a few verses later he says “every man shall bear his own burden (KJV).

Solution: The word for burden  in Greek is different in each case. In the first passage Paul urges sympathy for others. In the second passage (vs 5) he is speaking of taking responsibility for ourselves there is no conflict.

To add a thought or two; when we see a brother or sister who is overtaken in any spiritual burden or as Paul calls it “trespass” it is our responsibility as a child of God to help restore that brother or sister in the spirit of gentleness. The bearing of the burden in this case is helping the individual see the problem; thus, fulfilling the law of Christ, see Romans 15:1.

In verse 5, looking now beyond that moment of help from verse 2 the apostle is pointing out that the circumstance of the burden (that is the LOAD) is not lifted and no one can remove it. He or she who was helped and restored must carry or “bear” that load. God forgives sin through His gift of grace, we accept this forgiveness through personal faith. While the burden remains, we experience forgiveness providing spiritual power to carry the load.