The ArT

of
Spiritual Restoration
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

T he Art of Spiritual
Restoration
I think it started in California. Christians meet-
ing each other on the street began asking one an-
other, “How’s your walk?” The phrase was some-
what new to me, but the meaning behind it was
as familiar as could be.

Your “walk” is your course of living, the path

God has set before you. “How’s your walk?” is
another way of asking, “How are you doing on
your course? Are you still heading in the same di-
rection, or have you veered right or left? Is your
lifestyle consistent with the new creature God
has made you?”
How is your walk? There’s a worthy question be-
hind that seemingly-innocent phrase. Sometime
in the future (if not already in your past), the
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

answer to that query may cause you embarrass-

ment or shame. Or, you may avoid responding
altogether. Many of us, at some point, stumble
along the way. A temptation of one sort of an-
other trips us up, and we fall headlong into sin.
Our deviation from the path may last a moment,
or it could be the start of serious long-term re-
bellion that sours us from within.
Obviously, the difference lies in our willingness
to confess, repent, and start again. But there’s
another factor in that equation: the Church,
and its efforts to restore believers who have been
“caught in sin.”

Caught
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who
are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch
yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians
6:1).
As a young boy growing up in Baltimore, I loved to
catch my brother in the act of wrongdoing. Whether
the offense was large or small (it really didn’t matter
to me!), my response was the same: “Ooooo, I’m
gonna tell!”
Why was I so eager for opportunities to turn
“state’s evidence” on my own brother? Simple. It
gave me a chance to enjoy all of the credit with
none of the blame. My innocence made it easy
for me to turn to Mom and Dad and point out
that “he did it.” I remember thinking, “This time
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

it’s him, not me.”

That may be the prevailing mentality on the play-
ground—and perhaps in society in general—but it
has no place in the family of God.
Paul tells us that our goal is to help one another
walk in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16), not to
circle like vultures waiting for someone to slip
up. It has been said with tragic accuracy that the
Church is the only army that shoots its wounded.
The Greek word for “restore” suggests an image
of setting a broken bone. Our job is to help our
brothers and sisters mend, not to add to their in-
juries.
It’s important at this point to be very specific
about what it means to be “caught” in sin. Our
verse does not say, “If you think someone is sin-
ning” or “if someone seems like the type who
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

would sin if given half a chance.” Paul is talking

about clear, unmistakable first-hand observa-
tions.
We should be equally specific about the word
“sin” (“trespass” in the NASB) in this context.
We’re talking about a believer who has strayed
off the path—not someone who has wholeheart-
edly bought into a lifestyle of sin. Outright re-
bellion calls for discipline—a very different re-
sponse. Instead, we are talking about someone
who is on the right road, but got caught making
a wrong turn.
If you catch someone making an illegal turn, it’s
your job to “set his bone.”
One of the reasons that hurting people avoid
coming to church is because they don’t see the
church as a place where broken lives are mended.
Often, church people are more proficient at gos-
sip and back-biting than your garden-variety pa-
gan.
Suppose an unmarried young woman in your
fellowship becomes pregnant. Don’t add to her
problems by demeaning and isolating her in the
name of “moral purity.” Help the girl! Offer her
acceptance, understanding, and practical assis-
tance.
Imagine a hospital that decided to preserve the
health of its staff by refusing to admit sick peo-
ple. Ridiculous!
Your church is a hospital of sorts, specializing
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

in the treatment of broken lives. You can’t fulfill

your calling by stigmatizing or rejecting the very
people who need ministry most.
God saved you to be a bone mender.

You who are spiritual . . .

Not all Christians are restorers. For every gen-
uine, spiritual “orthopedic surgeon,” there is at
least one quack who is as likely to kill you as cure
you.
In 1970, I was playing a serious game of football.
During a routine play, I was hit with a cross-body
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

block. My cleat was planted so firmly in the ground

that when my body was slammed in one direction,
my leg twisted in the other direction. The result
was a loud pop and some of the worst pain I have
ever experienced.
After an ambulance ride to the hospital, a fresh-
faced intern walked in, intent on impressing his
superiors with his diagnostic talents. He managed
to spot my broken leg on sight, and set about the
standard procedure in such cases: twisting and
jerking the fractured bone back into place. Though
well-intentioned, this inexperienced medic didn’t
realize that my bone was not only broken, but
shattered. The last thing my leg needed was to be
yanked about.
I’m sure they heard me screaming up on the fifth
floor. The birds outside probably thought I was
trying to sing with them. I can’t describe the
pain. I tried not to compromise my testimony,
but somehow, this “doctor” had to be stopped!
At last, a real physician came to my rescue. This
man had some experience under his belt, and
specialized in bone disorders. He took X-rays,
analyzed them carefully, and acted accordingly.
I was admitted to the hospital and taken into
surgery. There, my leg was opened up. Steel plates
were installed. My bones were reassembled with
screws and pegs.
The intern meant well, but he was clearly out of his
league.
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

When a brother’s life is shattered, he needs

more than a well-intentioned amateur. He needs
someone who knows what God wants done, and
how to do it. “You who are spiritual” are to do
the restoring.
What does it mean to be spiritual? Paul defines
spirituality at the end of 1 Corinthians 2: The
spiritual individual possesses the mind of Christ.
How do you know if you meet this standard? Very
simple: Do you view life from a divine perspective?
That’s it. Are you going to give me God’s solution to
my dilemma, or will I be saddled with your opinion?
I’ve seen people become “spiritual” only when it
is convenient. They’ll say, “Well, girl, here’s what
I think the Lord would have you do…” when it
is obvious that they haven’t given a thought to
God’s wishes. What they want is to get a little
further into your business. That’s why it’s impor-
tant to seek restoration from people who’ve de-
veloped a long-standing reputation for genuine
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

spirituality.

Gently . . .
If someone is hurting, they need tenderness.
They need somebody to apply a healing salve to
the wound, not salt and vinegar.
That gentleness is one of the fruits of the
Spirit described in Galatians 5:23. But Paul
adds another perspective to the term in our
passage, Galatians 6:1. “. . . watch yourself, or
you also may be tempted.”
A gentle spirit is the result of realizing that we
are what we are by the grace of God—not as the
result of our own wisdom, intelligence, or skill.
Often, the only distinction between us and the
person caught in sin is simply that we didn’t get
caught.
Consider the pregnant young lady I mentioned
earlier. Her situation may be the result of a single
sexual encounter, while another woman who’s
been sleeping around for years escapes notice.
Which has been more immoral?
Don’t approach restoration with a condescend-
ing attitude. “Watch yourself,” as our verse tells
us. Look at what God has saved you from . . . and
for, remembering that you are vulnerable to the
same temptation that trapped the brother or sis-
ter seeking your help. Those who consider them-
selves “beyond” such temptation are usually the
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

most vulnerable of all!

Members of a family help one another; that’s
part of what it means to be a family. And God
says that His family should be a healing and lov-
ing community that cares enough to restore.

Bearing Burdens
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you
will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he
is something when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. Each one should test his own actions.
Then he can take pride in himself, without com-
paring himself to somebody else, for each one
should carry his own load (Galatians 6:2-5).
What is a burden? It’s any load which is too
heavy to handle.
Every Christian, at one time or another, finds
himself under the weight of one or more of life’s
stresses. Some carry the “single parent” burden,
trying to function as mother, father, and pro-
vider. Others have shouldered the load of living
with an unsaved spouse. Financial troubles weigh
heavily on many of us. The list goes on and on.
The Bible tells us to bear one another’s burdens.
Whose burden are you helping to bear?
“Professional Christians” are often avid church-
goers, generous donors, and shout “Amen!” with
the best of them. But that wasn’t my question.
Whose burden are you bearing? Whose load is
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

lighter because you showed up?

You may say, “Pastor, there are 1,000 people in
my church, and they all have burdens. I can’t bear
them all.”
Fine—don’t try to bear all 1,000 burdens. Find

one. Do you know why so many faithful Christians

suffer burnout? Because you’ve got 100 people try-
ing to bear 1,000 burdens. The others are sitting on
the sidelines, saying, “God hasn’t led me to a minis-
try yet.” Obedience has nothing to do with feelings.
Find a need, then minister.
Now don’t misunderstand me. You’re not supposed
to own another person’s burden; you’re simply to
help them carry it. Don’t make their misery your
own. But you can weep with those who weep and
mourn with those who mourn.
When we bear one another’s burdens, we fulfill
the law of Christ. “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” If we put that admonition into prac-
tice, we would never rob, cheat, steal, or defraud.
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

Yet we live in what has been called a “dog-eat-

dog” world. That means I’m going after mine
before you get yours and if I can get yours, too,
so much the better. That’s how the world thinks.
Remember, the spiritual man has the mind of
Christ.
Something or nothing?
Some people act as if they’re too good for bur-
den-bearing. Maybe they have a few extra clothes
in the closet. Perhaps they pull down a bigger
paycheck, or drive a faster car, or live in a nicer
neighborhood.
Watch out!
Our passage says, “each one should test his own
actions.” Are you really the “something” you think
you are? The proof is in your works, your actions.
If your feet aren’t taking you where God says to
go, then your self-assessment was in error. Be care-
ful—your opinion about yourself may fail to mea-
sure up to reality.
As chores requiring my attention pop up around
the house, my wife records them on a list we
keep on the refrigerator door. On Monday (my
day off ), my job is to work through the list. Lois
knows that, because of my schedule, anything re-
maining on the list on Tuesday won’t get done
for another week.
Though Lois is quite understanding about my
shortcomings (usually!), she would be quite jus-
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

tified in responding like this:

“You said you’d clean the garage.”
“Well, I meant to, but…”
“‘Meant to?’ ‘Meant to’ doesn’t fix anything; the
garage stays just as dirty. ‘Meant to’ may be nice
for you, but it doesn’t help me.”
Many Christians live their entire lives with good
intentions that never turn into action. “I meant
to get involved in the church. I meant to serve
the Lord. . .”
How is the church to function until you and the
Lord get right? What will happen to Christ’s
body between now and the day you decide to
bear somebody else’s burden? How long must
God wait?
Your actions are the measure of your spirituality,
not your noble aspirations. And those actions
are to be measured on their merits alone, not ac-
cording to how the “crowd” is performing.
A wife came to her husband and said, “Honey, I
need more attention. I need more of your time.
Don’t you love me?” In typical male fashion, the
husband answered, “Girl, if I didn’t love you, I
wouldn’t bring my money home; I’d gamble
it away like Billy up the street. Or I’d work 25
hours overtime each week like Jim who never
comes home. Or I’d chase anything wearing a
dress like Frank down at the office. I don’t do any
of those things. Come on, am I really so bad?”
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

Everything the husband said was true. But he

failed to answer the question. His wife isn’t in-
terested in what Billy or Jim or Frank might be
up to. She wants more of him.
This story reminds me of the parable of the pub-
lican and the Pharisee in Luke 18:10. The Phari-
see came into the temple and said, “God, I thank
you that I am not like all other men—robbers,
evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax col-
lector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all
I get.” Meanwhile, the tax collector stood off at
a distance, beating his breast in repentance, not
even daring to glance heavenward. “God, have
mercy on me,” he cried. “I am a sinner.”
Only the tax collector left the temple forgiven.
The Pharisee had met his own criteria for holi-
ness, but not God’s. Who are you pleasing?
Are you pleasing God, or do you merely dis-
please God a bit less than your neighbor?

Backpacks
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

Our passage closes with a key line. “Each one

should carry his own load” (Galatians 6:5).
Only a few short lines ago, Paul was telling us to
bear one another’s burdens. Now we are to carry
our own load. How do we reconcile this appar-
ent contradiction?
This is a place where the original Greek text helps
us out. The burden we’re instructed to share is
a load that’s too heavy too carry. The load men-
tioned in verse five is more like a backpack. It’s
what the soldiers used to carry their garments as
they marched. Every Christian carries a “back-
pack.” It represents your basic responsibility as a
member of God’s army. That’s why the Bible says,
if a man doesn’t work, don’t feed him (2 Thes-
salonians 3:10). If he can’t work, that’s another
story. But if laziness is the problem, the threat
of starvation is the cure. He must carry his own
backpack.
Husbands will sometimes call me on the phone
and say, “Will you straighten out my wife?” I tell
them, “You’re the head of your household. That’s
your backpack.” I’ll be happy to come
alongside you when you’ve got a real burden.
But don’t try to pass me your backpack. Taking
it from you is not in your best interest.
Part of each Christian’s backpack is a duty to care
for the brethren. Members of God’s family with
legitimate needs should not be turning to the
government for welfare. Meeting those needs is
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

the job of the church. First-century Christians

would be appalled at the idea of childless widows
in their fellowship living on government subsi-
dies; that’s the church’s job. The greatest social
system the world has ever known is supposed to
exist within the church. It’s part of our backpack!

Conclusion
As our world becomes increasingly hostile to-
ward the cause of Christ, we cannot continue to
expect comfort or assistance from sources out-
side the Body. We must start ministering to one
another. In the same way that a healthy body
possesses antibodies which automatically seek
out and destroy disease, the Body of Christ has
been uniquely equipped to address the weak-
nesses, sins, and struggles of its members.
Whether you’re the pastor of a church that
needs to become a more caring congregation,
an individual believer seeking to minister to the
wounded, or a victim of temptation in search of
a helping hand, the biblical principles we have
examined in these pages are vital. They represent
the survival strategy of God’s family. As members
of that family, we must fulfill our responsibilities
before the Lord as individuals, as families, and
as churches. Brothers and sisters, we must move
beyond lazy Christianity!
If you’re not currently a committed member of a
local church, find one and join! Don’t wait until
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

all your wounds have healed; the church is made

up of people under reconstruction. Seek out a
fellowship where mutual concern is a hallmark.
Don’t expect perfection—that’s a certain path
to disappointment and frustration. Instead, find
a church with its heart in the right place and a
steadfast dedication to the Word.
Because each of us is vulnerable and fallible, the
time will eventually come when you are the one
needing spiritual restoration. When that day ar-
rives, you will hope that the members of Christ’s
body have understood the bottom line of this
booklet: You are your brother’s keeper. So am I.
So make sure you’re providing the help to oth-
ers that you will expect when your day of trouble
comes.
It’s time we began caring enough to restore, sup-
port, encourage, motivate, and act.
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

GO DEEPER

If you enjoyed this, you may also be

interested in other Tony Evans teachings.

The Caring Christian CD Series

Our image of the church is a place

where hurting people can come
for help. It’s a safe place where care,
compassion and sensitivity are
available to anyone who needs them. Unfortunately,
real life doesn’t always match up with our image. In
this probing series of messages, Dr. Evans examines
a number of characteristics of the caring church and
the people who make them up. He explores subjects
like encouragement, confrontation, comfort and
sharing, as well as some difficult concepts including
church discipline and restoring wayward believers.

Messages include:
Caring Enough To Encourage - Hebrews 10:19-25
Caring Enough To Restore - Galatians 6:1-5
Caring Enough To Comfort - 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Caring Enough To Confront - Galatians 2:11-21
Caring Enough To Love - 1 John 4:7-12
Caring Enough To Forgive - Colossians 3:12-17

HERE'S HOW

TonyEvans.org
1-800-800-3222
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

About The Urban Alternative

The Urban Alternative (TUA) is a Christian
broadcast ministry founded over 30 years ago by
Dr. Tony Evans. At TUA, we seek to promote
a kingdom agenda philosophy designed to
enable people to live all of life underneath the
comprehensive rule of God. This is accomplished
through a variety of means, including media,
resources, clergy ministries and community
impact training.
The Urban Alternative’s daily radio broadcast airs
on nearly 1,000 radio outlets in America and in
over 100 countries worldwide. Find us online at
TonyEvans.org.

About the Author

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and president of
The Urban Alternative, a national ministry dedi-
cated to restoring hope and transforming lives
through the proclamation and application of
God’s Word. For over three decades, Dr. Evans
has also served as senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bi-
ble Fellowship in Dallas. He is a prolific author
of numerous books, including the best-selling
Kingdom Man. His radio program, “The Alter-
native with Dr. Tony Evans,” is heard daily on
nearly 1,000 radio outlets. Dr. Evans is also the
chaplain for the Dallas Mavericks and former
chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys.
THE ART OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

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