Restoration

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Ga 6:1-2 AV)

 

Restoration is a lost ministry in today’s churches.  The ministry of restoration is not limited to the pastoral staff alone.  The fault here might very well be those who were taken with the false doctrine of the Jews who wished to add circumcision to faith for salvation.  But restoration is not limited to false doctrine.  Note here that Paul includes all in his instruction.  In other words, we might be the spiritual ones doing the restoration.  Or, we might be the one overtaken in a fault.  Either way, restoration is a ministry of the local church that is sorely lacking in today’s churches.

There is a parable concerning a fig tree.  Three years were given by the husband of the vineyard, but the tree produced no fruit.  He commanded it be cut down.  This would be the normal practice.  By the third year, a fig tree that does not produce fruit more than likely would never do so.  So, it wasn’t cruel or a matter of rash judgment which called for the loss of this tree.  However, the servants asked the master if they might dig around it and dung it one more year.  If, after that year it produced fruit, then well.  But if not, then they agreed it never would.  This parable is directly aimed at Israel’s rejection of the Messiah.  They had three years of His ministry and refused to respond to it.  The servants of God asked for more grace that the nation might be restored to fruitfulness.  The point of this parable is never to give up on someone, or a nation, that may not be showing fruit in their spiritual growth.  Rather, dig around it and add more fertilizer, that it might respond.  The restoration of that tree is far more profitable than abandoning it.  What is interesting about that parable is the outcome is never known.  Which is a great principle for restoration.

The effort we put into others may never result in what we had hoped for.  The opposite is also true.  The effort we put into restoring someone may just result in fruit that was never expected.  People make bad choices.  We all do.  What we do not need is a church family who will condemn us for things we have done without first making an effort to help us overcome our faults.  We need people who will support us in our deepest hour of need.  Restoration, like digging and dunging the fig tree takes a plan.  Restoration does not mean we ignore the fault or refuse to address it.  Restoration here is more than restoration to fellowship.  This restoration is a restoration to godly living.  This requires a confrontation over the fault and a plan on how to get out from under the fault.  This restoration requires prayer and follow-up.  Restoration also requires the one who needs it to come to the end of himself and admit his need for restoration.  When done correctly and humbly, restoration strengthens the erring saint as well as the church that restores him.  It is a beautiful thing to behold when a brother or sister in Christ is pulled out from the mire in which he or she had sunk, cleaned up, and placed into full fellowship with the body of Christ who was abandoned.  We need more of this and not less of this.