Conversion of the Sinner

James 5:19-20

 

INTRO: Our study brings us to the last two verses of the book of James.

In these two verses, we see first of all the primary interpretation of the passage.  That is when a brother, a born again person errs, we are to seek to get him back on course.  Secondly, we have the implied message.  That is we are to seek the lost sheep and bring them to the Lord.

 

I.        VSS 19-20, THE ERRING BROTHER

A.       Vs 19, This verse begins, “brethren....”  So we know that it is directed to believers about believers.  That is the primary interpretation.

1. “Brethren, if any of you do err.....”  If says that there is the possibility of getting off course.  We need to be on guard and stay on course.  Here are a few scriptures that will help us to be on guard.

a. I Cor 10:12, “Where fore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

b. I Cor 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit [be brave] like men, be strong.”

2. “Err” the Greek word is planetheio meaning “to go astray, to wander, to be led aside from the right way, to get off course.”

a. Many people drift off course a little at a time, a little compromise here and there.

b. In the Old Testament, it is called backsliding.

c. Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”  Let’s not slip up.

3. “If any err FROM THE TRUTH.”  Friends, here is the real danger for the Christian today– wandering from the truth, getting away from the deep channel, forsaking the lighthouse, “drifting like a ship without a sail.”  When we forsake the truth, the Gospel, we get off course and are headed for shipwreck (I Tim 1:19-20).  I want to give you four causes of shipwreck:

a. Running aground in shallow water causes shipwreck.  Many ships have been broken apart by running aground.  A good sailor stays away form shallow water.

1- We go aground when we get shallow in our relationship with God, when we quit praying, reading our Bibles consistently, and fellow shipping with the saints.  Hebrews 10:25 says: “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together....”

2- To keep from running aground, leave Captain Jesus at the helm of your life.  He’ll never let you go aground.  Trust Him to pilot your ship (Prov 3:5-6).

b. Neglect of the vessel will cause shipwreck.

1- The vessel must be kept clean, caulked, painted, and in continuous repair.  There is never a time when we can neglect our relationship with God.

2- We must stay away from the filth of the world.  We must be separated from the world for the things of the world will cause us to neglect our vessel.  James 1:27 reminds the Christian to: “keep himself unspotted form the world.”  Avoid the lusts of the flesh– flee.  “Flee also youthful lust.”

3- Once in awhile we need a sanctuary, a place to take the ship out of the water for special repair.  We need time for prayer, fasting, and quiet time with God.  A time to put the vessel in dry dock for repair.

c. Collision causes shipwreck.

1- There are Christians who are on a collision with the ships of heartache, pain, and bitterness.

2- Playing with sin is a collision course.  The Bible warns us: “be sure your sins will find you out.” The Bible says in Galatians 6:8: “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption [destruction].”

3- If you let bitterness control you, you will become a derelict: useless, lonely, and abandoned.

4- If you do have a head on collision, repair as quickly as possible.  Get out of sin and stay out of sin.

d. Ships are wrecked by being crushed by storms.

1- Child of God, anchor in Jesus and always face the storm in the power of Christ (Heb 6:19-20).  I do not know what storm you are facing, but I do know that Jesus is an anchor you can trust in.

2- One day there will be no more storms for those who trust in Christ.  One day, we will anchor in heaven’s harbor forever safe from life’s storms (Psa 107:29-30).

4. We are to convert the erring brother.  The Greek word for “convert” is epistrepho meaning “to cause to return, to bring back to love and obedience to God.”  If someone does get off course, if he is wind swept and battered, then we need to help this vessel get repaired and back on course, like a tug pulling a ship from the sand bar.

a. The fact that believers need to be converted is brought out in Luke 22:32 where Jesus says to Peter: “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

b. It is important to win the lost, but it is also important to reach the saved who have erred from the truth.

B.       Vs 20, Here we have the result of converting the erring saint.

1. Saving a soul from death.

a. I John 5:16 says: “There is a sin unto death,” for the child of God.

b. The sinner in this verse is not a lost sinner; he is a saved sinner.  Saved sinners need to be brought back to fellowship with God and His people.

c. If we can bring back a saint by prayer, preaching, or practicing discipline, then we may have saved a soul from death.

2. Secondly, when the saint is brought back, a multitude of sins are covered.

a. True repentance brings forgiveness of sin in the life of a child of God (I Jn 1:9).

b. The reclaimed saint does not continue in a life of sin, thus those sins are uncommitted.