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PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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In our continuing study of what it looks like for the believer in Jesus Christ to allow God’s grace to overflow in their hearts in such a way that they make the decision to forgive the offenses brought into our lives by others, we look into the redemptive affect that forgiveness can have on others.

In the teaching that follows, we can hear how our choice to lovingly and carefully get involved in the struggles being experienced by those we love can be used for God’s glory. 

Listen

Try to set aside your immediate objections to the idea that follows and instead listen to the heart of God expressed in this teaching.

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

(James 5:19-20 NIV11)

To Whom

As always, when we see that an instruction like this begins with a clarifying note like, “My brothers and sisters,” we should stop and pay attention to what this means. 

This call to get involved is being given to those who are confessing disciples of Christ. The one who is in need of help is a fellow brother and sister in the Lord. They are known to us as fellow Christians. They are a part of our circle, our family of faith. 

Why is this important?

If we were to apply this teaching to those outside of the faith, we would be acting in ways that are not in God’s heart. To come to an unbeliever and challenge them to live according to the standard set by Jesus Christ or given in the message of God’s word would be a wasted effort. 

Those who have not submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives should not be held to the standard of one who has received the message of God’s word and those who have been given the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit. 

But to the believer in Christ, to the one known to us because we are united as part of the Body of Christ, we have an obligation to go to this person and help them in their time of failure and struggle. 

Wander

The one that we are concerned about is one that has left the clear truth of God’s word. They are acting in a way that is demonstrably false or in objection to the heart and nature of God’s word. 

We are not to challenge those who are living in ways that are different from what we think is best. This is nothing more than judgementalism. If we want to be sure that we are aligned with God’s heart in our work with the struggling believer in Christ, then we need to speak clearly about how they have stepped away from the truth. 

Their Choice

If we feel convicted by the Holy Spirit that we must help our brother or sister to see clearly how they have strayed from God’s truth and are now living in a way that is contrary to God’s desire for his children, then we must see that our goal in this situation is to help them make the decision to turn away from their sin. 

We must prayerfully and carefully help them see their need for repentance and change and then we need to point them back to Jesus. Allow the Lord to do his work and do not confuse your part in this process with that which belongs only to the Lord. 

Ghosting

This passage has been included in a study of what it means to forgive those who are a part of the family of faith because we are often included in the number of those that are hurt by the rother or sister who has lost their way. 

When a fellow Christian wounds us and hurts us, it can be a real temptation to simply cut this person out of your life, or leave their church, without so much as a word of correction. This is not how the Lord wants his children to treat one another. 

Forgiveness

Instead of ghosting those who cause offense in our lives, we ought to submit this pain to the Lord and ask Jesus to help us forgive. Part of the process of forgiving another believer in Jesus Christ includes this call to take action, to get involved. 

We are not being spiritual or righteous when we turn away in silence from the brother or sister doing wrong, we are actually doing damage to their own growth and maturity in the Lord. We need to prayerfully consider the meaning of this teaching and choose to take it on board. 

Learn More

If you need help in learning how to follow the teaching Jesus Christ gave us on handling conflict in a God-honoring way, please consider reading the following devotionals:

Good Conflict – https://ryanladen.com/devotions/f/good-conflict-1

Healthy Conflict – https://ryanladen.com/devotions/f/healthy-conflict

Open Conflict – https://ryanladen.com/devotions/f/open-conflict

Wretched Conflict – https://ryanladen.com/devotions/f/wretched-conflict

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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