Pastor Luther Walker continues teaching from Galatians, focusing on knitting together a fellow saint overtaken in a trespass. He reviews walking by the Spirit—governing life by the Holy Spirit’s desires—contrasted with the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit. Those in Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions (sufferings) and strong desires. Since believers live by the Spirit, they should also step in the Spirit, following the pattern He lays out, while avoiding conceit, provoking, or envying one another, which produce works of the flesh.
In Galatians 6:1, if a brother is overtaken in a trespass—meaning the mind has already determined to violate God’s standard before the opportunity arises—those who are spiritual must restore (knit together) such a one in a spirit of meekness/objectivity, watching themselves lest they be tempted. “Overtaken” denotes a prior decision in the mind. A trespass is the mental process of determining to act against God’s standard, distinct from sin, which is the outward act. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and anything not of faith (Romans 14:23). Trespass relates more to spiritual death, while sin brought physical death through Adam.
Using James 1:14-15, temptation comes from strong desires (from the sin nature, Satan, or world system); when conceived, it births sin. Christians possess two lives—soulish (physical) and spiritual. Death is separation, not annihilation. Believers are not held liable for trespasses as Old Testament Israel or future kingdom saints will be; instead, they mature by stopping trespasses before they become sin. Restoration involves those walking by the Spirit helping knit the overtaken believer’s mind back to truth—framing it on things above (Colossians 3), being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5), discerning spiritually (1 Corinthians 2), and scoping oneself to avoid temptation. This process restores fellowship and prevents fulfilling fleshly desires.
