“Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived” (Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭1-3‬ MSG).

Notice: Paul did not say “If someone falls into sin, ignore it and treat him as if everything’s hunky-dory” or “If someone falls into sin, then it must be okay and you just need to accept that behavior and celebrate it.”

But Paul also did not say that if that person falls into sin to cut him off and treat him like a leper.

No one is above messing up. No one will ever be beyond needing forgiveness. At least not on this side of heaven. But sin is still sin, whether it’s someone else or even if it’s me.

I fall into the trap of wanting judgment for someone else and forgiveness for me if I do the same thing. I think most of us do that.

I love that Jesus loves me just the way I am but refuses to leave me like that. He doesn’t put a band-aid over my brokenness and call me healed. He actually heals me, though sometimes the healing feels worse than the hurt. But only for a little while.

So maybe the point is to speak the truth in love and with humility, remembering that we will all at some point need forgiveness both from God and each other. And we will always need grace.