Guiding the Erring (James 5:19-20)
Tammy and I hired a church member to watch our boys when RJ and Wil were little. We didn’t pay Jennifer much—we couldn’t—but she enjoyed the boys, and they adored her. A few months ago, I sadly learned that Jennifer had died from COVID. Heartbroken, I found her obituary, and my heartbreak increased when I read that Jennifer was “a former member of the Alum Creek Church of Christ.” Jennifer fell away.
Have you ever known someone who left the Lord? You might have a child who was raised in the church, baptized into Christ, but some crisis of faith drove him away from the Lord. You probably know someone who once worshiped with this congregation but who has since left her first love. You might even know a preacher or an elder who was once the example of faithfulness but is now far from Jesus.
People have left the Lord since the very beginning. James taught his readers: “The one who guides the erring back home saves him from hell.”
Scripture (James 5:19-20)
verse 19:
The Greek grammar demonstrates that both wandering from the truth and bringing someone back are real possibilities. Many have fallen away from our Lord:
- When Simon attempted to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter told him, “Your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:21).
- In Corinth, a man was fornicating with his stepmother (1 Cor 5).
- “By rejecting [faith and a good conscience], some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander” (1 Tim 1:19-20).
- “Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened” (2 Tim 2:17-18).
Jesus knew the faithful needed to guide the erring. A shepherd will leave ninety-nine sheep to go find one (Lk 15:3-5). Likewise, a woman who has ten silver coins will “seek diligently until she finds it” (Lk 15:8).
verse 20:
Whoever brings a wanderer back “will save his soul from death.” Hell for a wayward Christian will be far worse than for the nonbeliever. “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating” (Lk 12:47). “It would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Pet 2:21).
The redeemer “will cover a multitude of sins.” James borrowed that phrase from Proverbs, and here it may mean that the redeemer keeps things private instead of gossiping. Of course, as the redeemer brings the wanderer home, the Lord covers his sins with his blood.
But notice what’s covered—“a multitude of sins.” James envisioned people with a host of sins. People sin a bunch: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Rom 3:10-11).
Application
“The one who guides the erring back home saves him from hell.” How can you help guide the erring back home?
One: Select
Select—identify—those who are erring: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth. . . .” (Js 5:19). You must recognize, identify, and Select those who have wandered away.
Inspired men identified folks who had wandered from the truth. Stephen said to the Sanhedrin, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). When Elymas opposed Paul and Barnabas, Paul said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10). Paul even called out Peter: “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned” (Gal 2:11).
Select some erring whom you can guide. List at least two names of erring Christians whom you wish to win.
Two: Steer
Once you have selected an erring soul, you must Steer him back to Jesus; “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back. . . .” (Js 5:19).
How can you Steer someone? First, your life must be an example. Why are the qualifications for elders so high? Just think: You’re living in sin, an elder comes to call you home, but you know that his life is full of sin; are you going to listen to him, or are you going to call him a hypocrite? People will readily call you a hypocrite if your life isn’t exemplary: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Pet 2:12).
Second, use Scripture. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). Scripture was written to bring the wanderer home, so use it to bring the wanderer home!
Three: Shield
You must also Shield that erring soul; the one who brings an erring soul back “will cover a multitude of sins” (Js 5:20).
You first Shield that soul from gossip. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matt 18:15). No telling other people, no vague post on Facebook; privacy—you and him alone.
You second Shield that soul through forgiveness. The Corinthian Christians apparently had a hard time forgiving that man who was fornicating with his stepmother. Paul, therefore, wrote, “For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (2 Cor 2:6-7). When someone comes forward, don’t stand around smug, hug. When someone asks for forgiveness, readily accept. When someone comes home, weep tears of joy.
Do you need to come home this morning and allow us to cover a multitude of sins?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.