Monday 6th September 2021
Restoring A Brother With Love and Gentleness
Pastor Soong Kok Kee

Galatians 6:1 ​“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”

Only those who realize their own potential and tendency toward sin in their own lives will have the humility that is necessary to help restore a wayward brother or sister.

There was a member of a church board who had fallen into sin. The pastor called together the other board members, and with love and compassion, he told them the sad story. Then he asked them this question: “If you had been tempted as our brother was, what would you have done?” The first man, confident of his ability to withstand temptation, said, “I’m sure I would never have given in to that sin.” Several others made the same statement.

Finally, the pastor addressed the question to the last member of the board, a man the others respected as being deeply spiritual. “Pastor,” he answered, “I feel in my heart that if I had been tempted and tested as he was, I would probably have fallen even lower.” There was silence. Then the pastor said, “You are the only one who can go with me to talk with our erring brother and try to restore him to fellowship.”

We must never take a superior attitude toward fellow believers who have fallen. We must seek to lift them up with love, humility, and gentleness that comes from knowing ourselves. Martin Luther says we must “run unto him, and reaching out your hand, raise him up again, comfort him with sweet words, and embrace him with motherly arms.”

If Peter, the chief of the apostles, could have denied our Lord three times after being forewarned, how much more we lesser souls? Yet, our Lord in his grace and mercy forgave him and truly restored and used him mightily on the day of Pentecost. There is no sin so big our Lord will not forgive us if we truly come to him in repentance. God will always forgive but sometimes we men don’t.
​
Let me not judge my fellow men,
​But understand them, Lord, and when
​the casting of the stones begin,
​Remind me of my many sins Vandegrift

PRAYER: Father God, none of us are perfect this side of eternity. Help us not be judgmental when one of our brothers or sisters fall into sin. If not by your grace and mercy, we would have fallen too. Help us, with love and humility, to reach out to restore them back into your presence. You are a God who will never turn away anyone coming to you for forgiveness. In Jesus precious Name we pray this, Amen.

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
星期一，2021年9月6日
标题：用爱和温柔挽回弟兄
讲员：宋国基牧师
翻译：陈劲年姐妹

【加拉太书 6:1】 _ “弟兄们，若有人陷在一些过犯里，你们属灵的人，要用温柔的心使他回转过来。自己却要小心，免得也被引诱惑。”_

只有那些认识到自己在生活中潜在犯罪倾向的人，才会有必要的谦卑，帮助挽回任性的弟兄姐妹。

有一位教会董事会的成员陷在过犯中。牧师召集其他董事会成员，带着爱和怜悯，向他们讲述了这个伤痛的事件。然后他问了这个问题：“如果您像我们的弟兄一样受到试探，您会怎么样？” 第一位相信自己有能力抵御试探的人说： “我敢肯定我绝对不会屈服于那罪恶。” 其中几位也发表了同样的声明。

最后，牧师向董事会的最后一位成员提出了这个问题，他被其他人视为非常属灵的人。 “牧师，” _ 他回答，“我心里觉得如果我像他一样受到诱惑和考验，我可能会跌得更低。”_ 一片寂静。然后牧师说：“您是唯一可以和我一起去和我们那犯错的弟兄倾谈，并试图让他恢复团契的人。”

我们绝不能以优越的态度对待跌倒的信徒。我们必须寻求以爱、谦卑和来自认识自己的温柔来使他们振作。马丁路德说我们必须 “奔向他，伸出您的手，把他扶起来，以良言安慰他，用慈母般的双臂拥抱他。”

使徒的领袖彼得在被预先警告后尚且会三次否认我们的主，何况我们更卑微的人？然而，我们的主以祂的恩典和怜悯宽恕了他，并在五旬节那天真正恢复并极大地使用了他。没有什么罪大至我们的主不能赦免的，只要我们真心悔改来到祂面前。上帝总是会饶恕的，但有时我们人不会。

让我不要评判我的同伴，
但是，去谅解他们，
主，当开始指摘时，
让我想起我的许多罪孽
_ 范德格里夫特（Vandegrift ） _

祷告：父上帝，在世上我们都不完美。在我们的兄弟姐妹犯了罪时，帮助我们不妄加评判。如果不是祢的恩典和怜悯，我们也会跌倒。帮助我们以爱和谦卑伸出援手，让他们重新回到祢的跟前。祢是一位永远不会拒绝任何向祢寻求宽恕的人的上帝。我们奉耶稣宝贵的名祷告，阿们。