Study12B...The Bible says that one of the signs of the end-times will be a great apostasy ( falling away from the faith) (2 Thess.2:3). Backsliding has become a very common feature in all churches now...

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Study 12B...Christian responsibility towards backsliders...
James5:19-20

Life as a Christian can be quite an adventure. ... He may simply fall back through neglect by not praying, reading the Bible, and keeping his focus on living for God. ... It can bring dishonor to the One who laid down His life for us, Jesus Christ...
We stopped from point 2...in the part A.

3 . When a believer backslides it is our responsibility to care for him and to seek his recovery .
This is the burden of James’’ message. He is writing about the Christian being concerned for his brother. When a brother in Christ backslides we are not to abandon him, criticise him, talk about him, accuse him, condemn him, ostracise him –- we are to go after him and seek to restore him, and in Galatians 6:1-2 we read of some of the qualifications required if we are to be successful in this.
4 . The recovery of a backslider needs to be undertaken with love and humility , and by someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit .
Let us introduce Paul’’s teaching in Galatians 6:1-2. See how the verses unfold:


(1) We must be specially qualified to do this work. Paul says, ““you who are spiritual…”…” – compare Galatians 5:25 and Ephesians 5:18. An unsurrendered, worldly Christian engaging in this work will be clumsy and careless and will do more harm than good.
(2) We must be determined. Notice the words ““restore him””; or as James 5:19-20 puts it, ““bring him back””. We are not to cold-shoulder the backslider. Our reaction should be, How can I help him?
(3) We must be humble. Notice the word “”gently””; it is no good going to the backslider in a holier-than-thou attitude. When Jesus restored Peter it was with a tender look (Luke 22:61); with a loving word (Mark 16:7); and with a gracious question (John 21:15).
(4) We must remember 1 Corinthians 10:12. Notice the words ““be careful that you don’’t fall””. Our attitude must be, ‘‘Brother, I am so sorry this has happened……It could have happened to me!’’ Before entering upon this ministry of recovery we should read Matthew 7:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
(5) We must really share our brother’’s need. This is what Galatians 6:2 means.

5 . When a backslider has been restored , the resultant blessing is enormous .
James tells us in verse 20 that when someone has gone away from the Lord and is brought back, two things happen:-


(1) Very many sins are hidden. That is, when sin is repented of, confessed and forsaken, it is at once covered, blotted out, forgiven and forgotten (Proverbs 28:13). Compare Psalm 32:1; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 43:25.
(2) The restored one is saved from death. The ‘‘death’’ referred to cannot mean spiritual death, for the Christian cannot die spiritually (John 5:24; John 11:26). The reference is to physical death. This is very solemn; it is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 11:30-32 and 1 John 5:16-17 – “”There is a sin that leads to death”” –- but no-one needs to commit such a sin, and all sin sincerely confessed and forsaken is forgiven (1 John 1:9).

Let us be concerned, not only to win the lost, but to love, win back and care for the people of God when they wander.


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