Galatians 6 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. (1-3)
I am fascinated by Paul’s description of “Godly” behavior in this passage. Typically, we focus here on the one who is caught in sin and their restoration. However, there is another side to this verse and that is for “those who are godly.” By this, Paul means those who are currently in good standing with the Lord and observing the behavior of a brother or sister who has been “overcome by sin.” Paul is not speaking about the lost, but about the church; he is not referring to people outside the church who are overcome by sin but those who are our fellow believers.
The “godly” person is someone who “gently” and “humbly” helps people back onto the right path. This tells me that godly people are gentle and humble. They are also people who help others—they help those who are lost find Jesus, and they help those who are on the wrong path know how to get back on the right one. Self-righteousness and critical spirits are not character traits of the godly. Instead, they are helping the weak today from the position of a fellow traveler who knows the right path from the wrong path because at one time or another they have experienced both. Paul warns the godly to be careful because they could very well fall into the same temptation tomorrow; godliness, humility, and self-awareness go hand in hand.
The godly are those who delight in sharing the burdens of others and they do this out of obedience to Christ. The godly do not have a “savior mentality.” That is something that comes from pride and a desire for self-importance. No, the motivation of the godly is simply obedience to Jesus. They realize that they are not too good to help others, but their assistance is born from a love for Jesus and not a superior attitude. These people are rather rare. Typically, we have two ends of the spectrum in our churches. We have those who don’t lift a finger to help others and say, “They got themselves into it they can get themselves out.” Conversely, others help everybody with zero discernment because they have a savior mentality or are looking for a great photo op for their Instagram. The godly person delights in sharing the burdens of others and doing it for the right reasons.
