Restoration When A Brother Stumbles

The sins that should concern us the most are our own sins!

WHEN you witness a brother or sister becoming weak, having a fault, or committing sin, GOD’s call for you is to help them be brought to repentance and restored to Him and not to run them through with the rusty sword of your own self-righteous judgment (Galatians 6:1-2; James 1:20; Romans 8:33-34).

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34

The curse of Ham occurred when he wrongly uncovered the nakedness of his father (Genesis 9:22)… When we expose the sin of another unduly, without warrant, God may bring this curse on us….. Are we not called to help them overcome? Let’s not stone them beloved but rather humbly lift them, help them up (Galatians 6:1-2).

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ²Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2

“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

“he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death”

Restoring those in sin is the duty of the members of Christ’s body and “shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:7-8 

WHETHER you like it or not, God is NOT willing that ANYYY perish-not one!

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Aren’t you glad today that God is not willing that you perish?

If God is so good and gracious and “ready to forgive”, should that be our own disposition toward the fallen?

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalms 86:5

“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalms 86:15

“We may be assured that perfect chastity will not be attained by any merely human efforts. You must ask for God’s help,” one writer once observed. Then he wrote:  “After each failure ask for forgiveness, pick yourself up and try again. For however important chastity may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn on the one hand that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments … We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us: it is the very sign of His presence.” Mark Joseph

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

How should we handle the matter with a sinning Christian? Fortunately, Christ himself left an example that His followers can imitate, for one of His disciples committed a deed far more wretched than adultery — he actually denied even knowing Jesus (Mk. 14; Lk. 22; Jn. 18).

It would certainly have been appropriate for Christ to ask for and receive Peter’s resignation as a disciple — he could certainly not be expected to turn the world upside down for his Master after such a tawdry display of disloyalty. Yet his Master, understanding human nature as He did, reacted differently.

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31-32

Note here that Jesus told Peter “when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Peter was told, in advance of his transgression, to build up the saints of God, his “brethren“, when he was restored!

In so doing, our LORD set an example for how leaders should treat people who fall, should they be repentant as Peter was. And while there clearly is Biblical justification for removing pastors caught in adultery, radio talk show hosts whose work happens to minister should be held to the same standards all Christians are: the standards of forgiveness, eventual restoration and a firm reminder like the one Jesus gave another caught in adultery: “Go and sin no more.” (Jn. 8:11)

Church discipline serves to bring the transgressor to repentance and restore his faith in God (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2:5-11).

IF we are still judging instead of restoring believers who are weak or stumble into sin, the Word tells us we are not mature in Christ yet (Galatians 6:1-2).

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual (mature in Christ), restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2

PASS IT ON.

This article was originally written by Mark Joseph.
It has been modified by myself…todd tomasella

For a topical study of deeper proportions on this subject, see The Blood of Jesus.

If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay:  Born Again: What is It?

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