Who do I need to go after and turn from sin?
Yesterday
We LOOKED at the strayers who are sinners.
Today
We want to LOOK at our responsibility.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray
Lord, what a privilege to come to Your Word of Truth today. We come with many things on our hearts and minds that can keep us from focusing. We need Your help. Help us to have hearts that are right before You so we will hear! Give us eyes to see and understand what is at stake for so many we know. May we walk away today committed to live out what You teach us!
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha guide you.
Open the LOOK Section
How will you get underway?
READ God’s Word
Read James 5:19-20, asking the 5W’s and H.
Let’s LOOK and REASON
What We Just Read, and Let It Sink In!
Incorporate All Our Strategies
Incorporate All Our Strategies>
Listen Up!
According to these verses, Who turns the strayer, the sinner back?
Any one among the brethren.
That means – you and I do.
What does ‘turns him back’ mean?
Turns him back, epistréphō; To turn upon, toward. (I) Trans., in a moral sense, to turn upon or convert unto. . . In the sense of – to turn back again upon, to cause to return from error, (James 5:19, 20; Sept.: 1 Kgs. 13:18–20).
“. . .and one turns him back (to convert; turn from sin toward God)”
Let’s Do Some 
Cross Referencing
1. What do you learn from the 3 parables in Luke 15 to help you understand why Jesus came?
A man who had 100 sheep, but went after the lost one/found it and rejoiced. (Luk 15:1-7)
The woman who lost 1 coin, searched until she found it, and rejoiced. (Luk 15:8-10)
The prodigal son who turned, what was lost was found, and the father rejoiced. (Luk 15:11-32)
We see: Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He pursued and rescued us.
2. What is our responsibility?
Understand: Because Jesus pursued us, we are to pursue and rescue – turn and save – the lost sinners.
a. Gal 6:1
We the brethren are to restore, in gentleness, one caught in any sin. (Gal 6:1)
Note: ‘Restore’ is a command!
b. 2Co 5:18, 20
Believer’s who have been rescued, restored, reconciled to God through Christ have been given the ministry of reconciliation, called to proclaim to sinners they can be reconciled to God. (2Co 5:18, 20)
We see: It is every single one of us who have been rescued by Jesus, and turned!
c. Jud 1:22-23
We are commanded to:
Have mercy on some, who are doubting (remember we saw back in Ch 1 these are sinners);
save others (if need saving, they are unbelievers), snatching them out of the fire; and
on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. (Jud 1:22-23)
Do you remember where we saw mercy? Mercy>
What about the flesh? Flesh>
We see: It is our responsibility to help turn others from sin to God.
LISTEN. . .
Am I moved to pursue and rescue others as Jesus did for me?
Can I think of anyone I know who has professed faith, but has strayed?
Am I willing to go after them?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
3. How do we help others?
a. Mat 7:1-5
Check and deal with the log in our own eye, THEN, help get the speck out of our brother’s eye. (Mat 7:1-5)
b. Mat 18:15-17
Jesus taught us in Matthew. . .
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
But if he does NOT listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;
and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Mat 18:15-17)
LISTEN. . .
When and how have I had to lovingly reprove a brother/sister?
Or, when did someone love me enough to reprove me? Did I listen?
4. What must the sinner do?
How do you know the straying sinner listened?
Mar 1:15
They are willing to repent and believe the gospel.
a. What is the gospel?
1Co 15:3-8
Christ died for our sins according to Scripture
He was buried
On the 3rd day He rose from the dead according to the Scriptures
And it was witnessed by over 500 people.
b. Do you remember what repent means?
We looked at this back in Ch2 Dead Faith>
Repent, metanoéō; a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Turning from unbelief and sin unto God and the gospel of Christ.
It means to turn from walking independently of God, to walking dependently upon God.
To turn from our sin to God.
Do a Word Search
Check out Luk 13:5; Act 11:18; 17:30-31; 2Ti 2:25.
Do you remember James called sinners to draw near to God; to be cleansed and purified in Jam 4:8?
c. What does believe mean?
We have looked at this over and over again.
Do you remember the 3C’s?
What does the straying sinner believe?
Believe:
The gospel.
Jesus is God, or you will die in your sins. (Joh 8:24)
d. What will be the result?
Joh 3:3
The sinner who repents and believes Jesus is God, who came in the flesh purposely to die for us, was buried, and resurrected will be born again. (Joh 3:3)
Do you remember:
In Ch 1> we saw being born again as we zoomed in on being brought forth by the word of God.
In Ch 2> we saw Nicodemus had a dead faith because he wasn’t born again.
Luk 15:7
There is much joy in heaven when a sinner repents. (Luk 15:7)
Please hear me you all,
Jesus, NEVER said,
‘accept Me’;
Or, ‘ask Me into your heart’.
I might add: Neither did John, Peter, Paul, or James.
Check it out! Don’t take my word for it.
Understand: Jesus doesn’t need our acceptance.
Jesus NEVER said,
‘I will accept your heart’.
Understand:
Our hearts are deceitful and wicked, filthy. (Jer 17:9)
We need new hearts. (Eze 36:26)
Jesus NEVER directed us to walk an aisle, say a prayer, sign a card, etc.
I don’t know where this teaching came from, but it is leading precious ones straight to hell.
Jesus said, “Repent and Believe the gospel. . .you must be born again.”
LISTEN. . .
What do I believe about myself and Jesus?
When did I repent, turn from sin to God, to be saved?
What change has and is taking place that proves am I born again?
Respond. . .LIVE it out!
5. What do we do?
1Co 5:5
If the wanderer is not willing to repent and turn, then they are delivered to Satan so they may be saved. (1Co 5:5)
Understand: There are those who profess faith, but stray from the truth and their conduct is in error. We won’t know the condition of their hearts until we seek to help them and see how they respond!
Our Day Has Come to An End
Chew on all God has taught you!
Dear ones, if this is you, do not run from this, receive this Word from a gracious loving Father who loves you and doesn’t want you deceived!
He may be wooing you and drawing you to Himself!
Oh, talk to the the Living God of the Universe!
For the rest of us, who has God laid on your heart that needs to turn?
Will you be obedient to talk with them to save their soul from death?
Record Your Discovery in Your Notes
As we bring this day to a close, journal your discovery and communion with the Lord in your Notes – save them forever!
Turn What We Have LEARNED Into Prayer
Perhaps. . .
FATHER GOD, thank you for pursuing and rescuing us and moving us to turn from our sin to You. Oh what a tremendous responsibility we see that we have. Help us to take this ministry of reconciliation seriously. Show each one of us who we need to be burdened for and help. Anyone we know who is caught in sin, that needs to be restored. May we truly have mercy on those who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy with fear. Give us the wisdom we need with every opportunity, having Your heart and concern, following Your way to reprove someone in sin. Help us to be able to share without fear their need to repent – to turn from sin to You. May we be able to explain the gospel correctly, and I ask ahead of time that You would move their hearts to believe and be born again. Oh Father, may we be faithful and obedient. For Your honor and glory we pray and ask this. Amen!
Next: We will look @ why we turn the wanderers back.
Need theGODcha Bible Guide? Go to www.Godcha.org and subscribe.