What Christian Living is All About

The book of James

You are Your Brother's Keeper

Teacher: Merle Farris

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James 5:19-20

James addresses yet another practical aspect of Christian living - rescuing the wayward.
Christian can backslide (Jas. 5:19-20; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Cor. 10:12).
Terrible fate awaits those who once knew the way and then turn back (2 Peter 2:20-21).

Close Examination of the Text

ìWander from the truthÖî- straying or gradually moving away.

Warned to avoid drifting (Heb. 2:1).

Wandering from the truth can involve either:

accepting a false doctrine rather than holding to the truth or

refusing to live by the demands of truth.

ìBring him backÖî

Erring child of God who persists in sin is under sentence of death (Heb. 10:26-27).

Therefore, it is critical that the faithful Christian is involved in the salvage operation.

ìCover a multitude of sinsÖî

Whose sin? Probably the sins of the erring Christian and the sins that would be committed if no one made the attempt to bring him back.

Christian Duty Toward Erring

Pay attention to the needs of others (Phil. 2:4).

Pray for such people.

Go to the person.

What the Erring Must Do

Come to his senses.

Resolve to go back.

Carry out resolve.

Confess, ask for forgiveness.

Church's Duty toward the Impenitent

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. - 2 Thessalonians 3:6

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:12-13

Questions to Answer

Am I becoming more patient in the testings of life?

Do I play with temptation or resist if from the start?

Do I find joy in obeying the Word of God, or do I merely study it and learn it.

Are there any prejudices that shackle me?

Am I able to control my tongue?

Am I a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker?

Am I a friend of God or a friend of the world?

Do I make plans without considering the will of God?

Am I selfish when it comes to money?

Do I naturally depend on prayer when I find myself in trouble?

What is my attitude toward the wandering brother? Do I criticize and gossip or do I seek to restore him in love?

Conclusion:

Don't just grow old - grow up!

Would you like to study this topic further?

Detailed lesson outlines, audio tapes, and compact discs of this lesson are available free of charge from the Highlands church of Christ.

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