HOFC Sermon Archive: Book of James Part 18: The Straying Believers

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction to the Book of James

2. Trials and Temptation

3. Gaining Wisdom

4. Poverty & Wealth

5. Dealing with Temptation

6. Slow to Anger

7. The Implanted Word

8. Pure & Undefiled Religion

9. Sin of Partiality

10. Three Kinds of Faith

11. A Warning about Teaching

12. Heavenly & Earthly Wisdom

13. How to End Wars

14. Our Plans & God's Will

15. When God Gets Angry at the Rich

16. When You Are Oppressed

17. A Call to Prayer and Praise

18. The Straying Believers

INTRODUCTION

Today is Sunday. September 15^th, 2024

Today is the final message of our series on the Book of James. We have read about how believers face trials and temptations, how we are to gain godly wisdom, which comes from the word of God, and through enduring until the end of our sufferings, we grow more spiritually mature.

In the closing of his letter, James ends with a warning for those who wander from the truth and the importance of their restoration.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

James 5:19-20

"My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

This letter from James is written to all believers. He refers to them as brothers. So, the responsibility to restore the brothers who stray is given to all of us who are believers.

“Brothers, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

Many times, restoration is assumed to be the pastor's “job,” along with outreach, ministering, missions, and bringing people into the church. Too often, people are Christian on Sunday, then hang that hat at the door on the way out.

It can be easy to forget that what God has called you to do, is where you are at and where you go, which are places I am not. We each have our calling in life, and will be held accountable for it.

Galatians 6:4-5 “…each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5 For each one will bear his own load.”

My church does this, my church does that…my question is, what do you do?

We must understand the importance of the restoration of straying saints and how it, just as sharing the gospel of Salvation, inviting people to church and having good works because we have faith that saves is all essential to serving the Lord.

Remember, Jesus is not your Lord if you are not His servant.

Let’s break down James 5:19-20

I. SAINTS WHO HAVE STRAYED FROM THE TRUTH

a. As defined in the text

i. James is speaking to believers who have strayed

ii. They are in danger of death

iii. One who strays from the truth has also strayed from the source of forgiveness

1. 1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

iv. Separated from the blood of Christ that cleanses him of his sins, he is in danger of suffering the consequences of sin: DEATH!

1. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

v. Death? But everyone, whether Christian or sinner, dies.

1. Yes, so what death is scripture referring to? The Second Death!

Revelation 19:20 – Beast, False Prophet, into the Lake of Fire

“And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with burning sulfur.”

Revelation 20:10 – Satan into the Lake of Fire

“And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Revelation 21:5-8 – all those who do not belong to God

“And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “They are done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and vile and murderers and sexually immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death.”

b. As depicted by Peter

i. 2 Peter 2: 20-22 “For if they are overcome, having both escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and having again been entangled in them, then the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 The message of the true proverb has happened to them, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

1. “the last state has become worse for them than the first…”

ii. These people are in danger of a more serious punishment, according to Jesus.

1. Luke 12:47-48 “And that servant who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many beatings, 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a beating, will receive but a few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

c. As described in Hebrews 10:26-31

i. “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy by the mouth of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as defiled the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

d. As declared by Jesus Himself

i. Revelation 2:4-5 “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. But if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.”

ii. Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Understanding the state of one who has strayed from the truth should terrify us, because the word of God and Jesus Himself says their judgment will be worse than what the lost will face.

II. RESTORING STRAYING SAINTS

a. Restoration requires special attributes

i. Believers who are Spiritually Mature – Galatians 6:1

1. They are producing the fruit of the Spirit in their own lives – Galatians 5:22-23

ii. Those who are not Spiritually Mature

1. Need to work on themselves first – Matthew 7:3-4

2. THEN they can help others – Matthew 7:5

iii. Believers who are in a constant state of self-examination – Galatians 6:1

1. If we are not careful, we can fall into the same sin!

iv. A believer with ample knowledge of God’s word (where true wisdom comes from!) – 2 Timothy 2:24

1. We must be able to teach and apply God’s Word to the situation

2. They must respond to God’s Word, not our opinions

3. This can only be done if you know God’s Word

III. THE PROPER PROCEDURE OF RESTORATION

a. The wrong way to restore:

i. Running around talking to everyone but the person who needs to be corrected and restored

b. The right way, outlined by Jesus

i. “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault, between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed.

17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;

and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17

ii. Go to him privately; if he refuses to listen, take one or more people from church with you; if he still refuses, present him to the church (elders); if he still refuses to listen, THEN he is no longer considered a “brother.”

1. This is generally referred to as “church discipline.”

Withdrawing association from someone who wants to call themselves a Christian yet continue to live sinfully is for the purpose of not appearing to give approval to their behavior.

1 Corinthians 5:1-13 speaks on this. In fact, Paul states in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people;

10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Are you not to judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God will judge. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

This is why churches sometimes have to tell people they are no longer welcome to attend. It has happened a few times here. One who was an adulterer. Another was constantly causing strife, dissension, and cliques within the congregation.

In both cases, restoration, with much time and effort, could not be achieved. Therefore, disassociation was the last recourse.

2 Timothy 3:1-3 “But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, [a]malicious gossips, without self-control, without gentleness, without love for good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these.”

Romans 16:17-18 “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

You are either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.

You may have all the right words, without the Spiritual Fruit (Dead Faith)

You may “believe” there is one God, and even fear Him, but no Spiritual Fruit (Demonic Faith)

However, what reveals whether you are a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness is not the words you speak, what you believe or know, or even how you “feel.” Rather, it is whether or not you produce the Spiritual Fruit which is evidence you have Saving Faith.

Matthew 3:8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;”

The genuinely repentant examines himself continuously and lives within repentance, with fruit showing as much. Not for obtaining Salvation, but because you have it and have received the Spirit of God, to whom you submit.

A slave to sin submits to the flesh and its desires, producing fruits of the flesh.

A slave to righteousness submits to the Spirit of God, producing fruits of the Spirit.

CONCLUSION

The work or restoration of a brother can be unpleasant. But there is potential for great joy!

IN HEAVEN: Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

AND IN OUR HEARTS: 3 John 4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Do we really love God? Do we really love our straying brother?

1 John 3:16-19

“By this we have known love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

19 And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him”

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