Lesson 78 December 8, 2002

A warning Given

each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

The why of the warning!!

lest you too be tempted.

- the thrust here is to keep your eye on your own motivation, don't become arrogant or self-righteous, thinking that you'd never do this or that, whatever is the other's sin.

Summary

1. Have a situation where one has forsaken the walk of faith or walking by the Spirit for an extended period of time and is seeking help in being restored from their drift off the course of grace.

2. The first requirement for helping someone like this is to ensure that you yourself be spiritual, which in the context would include a walk of faith (3:1-5), walking by the Spirit not the flesh (5:16-17) and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23).

3. Our objective is to point them in the direction that the Word takes them, back to the cross and the realization that Christ was judged for those sins and that they need to confess that sin to the Father and receive the forgiveness and cleansing that is needed to restore them to fellowship.

4. How should we approach them? What should our mental attitude be?

a. with a readiness to provide what ever spiritual counsel needed to point them in the right direction.

b. doing so with an attitude of forgiveness, need to learn to forgive and forget!

c. remember we are to forgive as Christ forgives and since we are to be manifesting the character of Christ by the fruit of the Spirit Eph. 4:32

5. Considerations in aiding the restoration of the one who drifted of the course of grace;

a. don't seek the gory details, you don't really need to know.

b. be sure your in fellowship yourself so that you have a clear read out of truth, the discernment needed.

c. don't judge the individual, (motivation) just deal with the doctrinal principles needed.

d. make the truth clear to them that they need to apply, first is the necessity of 1 John 1:9

e. encourage them to pursue a consistent study of the Word of truth so that they can acquire the knowledge that they need to have.

- need to reestablish their MPR 2 Pet. 3:18

f. encourage them to apply the truth as they learn it.

2. Toward the fellow believer with a heavy burden 6:2-5

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

- the immediate application in Galatians is towards those believers who had succumbed to the Judaizers teaching and influence and found themselves under the weight of the consequences of the enslavement that resulted.

- Caution: This exhortation is not to be used as an excuse to live the other persons life for them but to give them the encouragement and aid necessary to for them to get there thinking straight and therefore their life.

and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

- fulfill avnaplhro,w basic to fill up completely; here of observing the law fulfill, fulfill the requirement of; to obey, the law of Christ.

The key to this law of Christ is that it is fulfilled not by the compulsion of an external code but by the transformation of the thinking, the viewpoint by the Holy Spirit as he illuminates the Word of truth.

Rabbit trail

James 1:25 The Desired Objective for each Believer - Reality of living the CWOL

James details 4 steps that are necessary in the process of realizing this blessing.

#1 - Step But one who looks intently

#2 - Step in process and abides by it

#3 - Step not having become a forgetful hearer - lit not a hearer marked by forgetfulness

#4 step in the process = he puts the truth into practice

but (alla) an effectual doer - lit a doer marked by work

THE PROMISE IS THEN STATED

this man (the one described as fulfilling the 4 steps in the process) shall be blessed

in what he does. Lit in his doing

^NET But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS:

1. Believers we must accept the Bible as authoritative truth, the perfect and complete product of a perfect God.

2. As such it is the source of the standard's that form the thinking and framework for our lives, that is it instructs us as to the will of God for us.

3. The standard's expressed in this perfect law of liberty are for our provision - including blessing in time as well as for eternity.

4. We are freed from slavery to the OSN and therefore free to obey God's will for us. Gal 5:1; 13

5. If (3cc) we are to realize the full range of God's blessing we must become active practitioners of work - that is divine good production.