James 5:19,20
Aid To Fallen Brethren
Verse 19,20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; {20} 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.
These two verses are an encouragement to help a fallen brother. It is not a means of salvation or of hiding (erasing) our sins. Not talking about doing penance, atonement, restitution or amends for our sins, or paying for our own sins.
I. Things that a brother in Christ could fall from:
A. Christ, who is the truth.
1. by forsaking His ways,
2. His worship,
3. His ordinances.
B. The Scriptures of truth.
1. not speaking according to the scriptures.
2. embracing notions that are contrary to them.
C. The Gospel, the word of truth. (after making a profession of Christianity, joining a local church of the Lord Jesus Christ and has walked in the path of truth and holiness.)
1. From the doctrine of faith.
2. from uprightness of life and conversation.
D. He is fallen in principle, practice, or both.
1. If he has fallen in principle, he will soon fall in practice.
2. It is always necessary to fall in principle before there is a fall in practice.
II. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth.
A. Brethren - a saved person. A person in the commonwealth of faith.
B. Sometimes saved people err from the truth.
C. The error is either doctrinal or a falling into sinful practices.
D. We ought to have such a love for our brethren that we would constantly encourage them to remain faithful to God's Word. (even when they're not going away)
E. If we see our brother going away from the truth, our love for him should cause us to be especially eager to help by carefully pointing out his sin, but never to condemning (judging) him.
III. And one convert him. (helping a fallen brother to understand where the real focus of his a happy, contented life is.)
A. Means to turn, turn about again.
B. Luke 22:32 - Jesus tells Peter to strengthen the brethren when he is converted. (Not saved, but stop trusting in himself and start trusting in God.)
C. Acts 15:3 - Paul and Barnabas tells of the conversion of the Gentiles (speaks of more than salvation, but a changed life).
IV. Let him know - so the one who helps will be encouraged.
A. Verse 20 shows the blessings that will come when a rebellious saved person is encouraged to return to faithfulness.
B. How do we convert a sinner from the error of his ways?
1. II Tim. 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2. By reproving them: using the Word of God to show them where and how they have gone astray.
3. By encouraging them: show them that the blessings of God is much, much greater than the pleasures of sin for a season.
4. By praying for them.
a. James has just finished saying that the prayer of faith shall save the physically sick.
b. He now enlarges on that thought by saying that the prayer of faith shall return the rebellious to the fold of God.
V. converteth the sinner from the error of his way.
A. Any sinner, but it'll most likely be a sinner we are well acquainted with.
B. Reclaiming people from the snare of sin is a work of God that we are responsible to do.
1. We do this work by the grace of God.
2. Matt. 7:1-5 - God has not set us up as a judge that we try to get everybody to fit into our mold.
3. Gal. 5:1-5 - We must bear others burdens, while we (and they) bear their own burdens. We must help them and they helping us.
C. The reason for converting the sinner is for the truth's sake (that they will understand, believe and live the truth).
1. Not that we shall receive any reward at all.
2. Our reward is III John 4 - "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
VI. Save a soul from death.
A. Save his life from destruction, not the soul from eternal damnation.
1. A person won't have to endure the penalty of sin.
2. If there are no sins, there is no penalty to pay.
B. The soul of the one converted.
1. The word "soul" in this place does not refer to the eternal soul, but to the life of the saved person.
2. Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, there is no other.
3. Jesus Christ does intend for us to be used of one another to aid and encourage to faithfulness.
4. I Tim. 4:16 - Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
5. This verse doesn't mean that Timothy will save anybody from eternal hell, but by taking heed to his life, he can not only save himself, but those that watch him.
C. Death of the soul.
1. In eternal hell (if the soul refers to the spirit). This is not the case in this passage.
2. or a wasted life (if the soul refers to the life). This is the case in this passage.
VII. Shall hide a multitude of sins.
A. The word "hide" means to hinder the knowledge of a thing.
1. The sins of the one converted will be hidden, or stopped, therefore will be hidden from knowledge.
2. Relating to responsibility VS the sovereignty of God – God knows all about everything, even our sins, yet we are always responsible to live correctly before a most holy God.
B. Not the sins of the one doing the converting.
1. A danger of believing that something other than the atonement takes care of our sins.
2. A danger of believing that our works cause us to be acceptable to God.
C. All the sins the person committed during their rebellion against God would be forgiven.
D. All the sins the person would have committed if they had continued on their rebellious way would never have been committed.
1. There are many paths of our lives. We are not programmed robots, but we make choices (which God already knows about, of course). We can go down the path of sin, or the path of righteousness.
2. There are many paths of sin we can walk down, but the path of righteousness is strait and narrow. (Matt. 7:13)
a. People can either help us or hurt us.
b. We can either help or hurt others.
c. Many times God leaves the choice with us as to whether we will serve God or Satan (ourselves - our fleshly lusts).
d. I Sam. 23:7-15 - God left the decisions to David. There would be various results according to David's actions.
e. II Chron. 7:14 - "If my people..." God knows what Israel will do, but leaves the choice to them as to which path they chose to walk.
f. Joshua 24;15 - Joshua told Israel to "...choose this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.