Scripture Text: Galatians 6:1-5
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
We often hear that as Christians, we should carry each other's burden, but what does it really mean to be an accountability partner with our fellow believers? This is the duty of being a help not only to those who are in need, but also to those brothers who are sinning and struggling with sins.
The closing remarks of Apostle Paul to the Church of Galatia was to encourage them to focus on fulfilling the commandment of loving our neighbors, for which Apostle Paul gave an example by bearing each other's burden in love.
Oftentimes, Christians tend to cage the idea of carrying each other's burden as to having empathy with our fellow believers. While it is true that we should understand and share the feelings that others have, it is also our responsibility to make sure that if we see that someone is struggling with overcoming a sin, we should remind and rebuke them with love.
Paul emphasized the manner of restoring someone in Christ with gentleness because the goal of doing this is to gain back the person to Christ which is the true essence of carrying each other's burden, and we also must be careful because all of us are subject to sin.
Rebuking someone is an action of a person with genuine love which will not tolerate sin. It is oftentimes hard to address because it may affect the relationship we have with our co-believers, but it is our duty not to let anyone completely fall to sin and we do not want that because it is not the will of God.
It is our duty to do this, and neglecting to carry each other's burden is a sign of a lack of love to the person and negligence to the command of God. All of God's children should walk in this way because it is the right thing to do and it is fulfilling the command to love our neighbors.
Reflect
1. Do we genuinely love our brethren and have the courage to the point of rebuking them in love because it is the right thing to do?
2. Are we concerned with our brethren's welfare? Since we are part of Christ's body, we are accountable to each other.
Read
Romans 15:1-3; James 5:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14
Remember
It is our responsibility to make sure that we check our brothers, those who are weak, struggling, discouraged. Let them be reminded of the promises of Christ and if they are sinning, gently remind and be patient with them in love as this is the will of God.
Pray
I pray to my merciful and just Father, Creator, and Sustainer of everything. I ask for Your guidance as I carry my brethren's load, so that I may do it with love and not out of self-righteousness. Remind me that me and my brethren are here for each other with one goal and that is to advance Your kingdom.
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