When men set out to make themselves righteous, pride, emulation, vainglory, boasting, criticism, fault-finding, and backbiting, leading to open quarrels, are the result. So it was with the Galatians, and so it will ever be. It can not be otherwise. Each individual has his own conception of the law,—for, having determined to be justified by the law, he reduces it to the level of his own mind, so that he may be judge,—and can not resist examining his brethren, as well as himself, to see if they are up to his measure. If his critical eye detects one who is not walking according to his rule, he at once proceeds to “deal with the offender,” who, if humble submission—not to God, but to his judges—be not tendered, must be turned out of the church, lest the robes of “our righteousness” be defiled by contact with him. The self-righteous ones constitute themselves their brother’s keeper, to the extent of keeping him out of their company, lest they should be disgraced. In marked contrast with this spirit, which is all too common in the church, is the exhortation with which this chapter opens. Instead of hunting for faults, that we may condemn them, we are to hunt for sinners, that we may save them. [Sidenote: “Sin Coucheth at the Door.”] To Cain God said, “If thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou shouldest rule over it.” Gen. 4:7, R. V., margin. Sin is a venomous beast, lurking in secret, watching every opportunity to spring upon and overcome the unwary. Its desire is to ensnare us, but power has been given us to rule over it. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” Nevertheless it is possible (not necessary) for the most zealous ones to be overtaken. “These things write I unto you, that ye may sin not. And if any man sin, we have a Comforter with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.” 1 John 2:1, 2, R. V., margin. So, even though a man be overtaken in any trespass, he is to be restored, and not thrust further away. [Sidenote: The Gospel Means Restoration.] “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” Matt. 18:11-14. Christ is now in the heavens “until the times of restoration of all things.” [Sidenote: Save the One.]