I’m a pastor, so I’ve gotten used to uncomfortable conversations. When I first started taking time to listen to people’s struggles and respond with scriptural advice, though: I’ll admit: I felt awkward. I didn’t know what to do or say. So I turned to Scripture to teach me how to do it the right way.
Thankfully, one of my favorite biblical leaders—Paul—wrote about this in a letter to the first century church. He started by emphasizing the importance of all of us carrying each other’s burdens well. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Then, in the surrounding verses, he told us how. Verses 1-5 say: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”
It’s important we understand the context with which Paul wrote this passage. At this time, the church was growing fast. Many people had converted from Judaism to Christianity, and it was exciting. But there was a problem. Some of these Jews-turned-Christians were not living like Jesus taught them to; instead, they were trying to make Christianity fit their Jewish rules.
For example, they thought every gentile who became a Christian must be circumcised like they were. Of course, this created drama! So Paul wrote this to relieve some of the tension. He wanted all Christians to understand how to relate to each other out of love—not legalism.
Perhaps that’s why he included the phrase “caught in sin” in verse one. The original word in the Greek is prolambano, which means “to get something by surprise.” Have you ever felt that way? You encounter an issue—a burden—in your life and think, “How did I end up here?” You know it was because of your sin, but still, it took you by surprise.
We’ve all been there, and that’s what Paul wanted us to see. When we approach carrying even each other’s sin-induced burdens out of merciful love—not harsh legalism—the load gets a lot lighter, for us and them.
Paul says that to carry each other’s burdens with this kind of love, we should respond with gentleness, remaining tender to their situation, despite our opinions. We should respond with humility, staying honest about our own heart’s sinful condition. He also says we should respond with gratitude, knowing that if not for God, we would allbe stuck with burdens we could never get free of.
When we love like this, we fulfill the law of Christ!
