Galatians 6:1-5 (ESV Strong's)
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.
Subject: Confronting the Failings of Others
Perhaps the hardest thing a believer can do is correct another believer who is involved in an act of sin. In the above passage Paul gives us the steps and outlines the attitudes for us if such a need arises. Paul himself, earlier in this book, had to confront Peter. Peter was submitting to the leaders who thought believers should still follow the rules of The Law. Note what Paul says:
Galatians 2:11-12
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
Paul instructs us to be humble in our confronting others who are involved in sin. We are to have a "spirit of gentleness." But, in our confrontation we are also supposed to "watch" ourselves. Paul knew how hard it was to keep a humble spirit and not get "high and mighty" when correcting someone else. He was worried in our working with others we would fall into sin. We are to "test" our own work. The minute we start looking at others we take our eyes off our own lives. Paul wanted to make sure that in our helping others we didn't fall into a greater sin.
As a further example of this principle, see Joshua 22
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