If
“Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;” Galatians 6:1
If – What’s the difference between these two uses of “if”?
- “If I had $10 million dollars, I would give more money to the church” and
- “If you apologize, you will feel better.”
The first is completely hypothetical. I don’t have $10 million. It’s not likely that I ever will have $10 million. So, my statement is merely a supposition based on something that isn’t real.
But the second “if” is real. It works itself out in my reality. There will be plenty of times when I need to apologize and if I do, the result will follow.
The first use is merely theory (it’s the Greek word ei). The second is about facts (it’s the Greek word ean). Now which do you suppose is the proper understanding of “if” in this verse?
Paul was a pragmatist. He knew that there would be plenty of times when brothers and sisters would be caught up in sins. His choice of ean means “if as a matter of real living fact”. So, it will happen. But Paul’s advice about what to do is not usually how we react. Christians have a great tendency to shoot their own wounded. They have forgotten that sins are not just hypothetical. Sins are reality. The job facing us is not to blame, criticize and reject. It is to restore with gentleness because what is real for this hurting brother could just as easily be real for me. Christians are all sinners redeemed by God. We are called saints only because God accepts us, not because we have become so pure and holy on our own steam. That’s important to remember when we confront the likely experience of someone who is struggling to stay on course. We are a community of strugglers. So, we need to help each other. Burden bearing is often seen in lifting the load of guilt and shame off of someone’s back.
Sin is always an option. As long as I live in this hostile territory as an alien resident, I will be confronted with self-serving choices. Sometimes I will choose wrongly, even after I recognize my need for redemption. That’s why I need you. When I am stumbling, I’ll need you to grab me and pull me back on board. Your hand can be the hand of Jesus pulling me out of the sea.
