The Erring Child of God

Jas. 5:19-20

a. It is possible for a child of God to so sin as to be lost.

Ø I Cor. 10:12

Ø Heb. 3:12

Ø II Pet. 2:20-22

b. The strong have a responsibility toward the fallen, those who are weak.

c. The one who falls can be restored.

There are some who are members of this congregation who by their actions indicate that they are in a weak of fallen condition. They are not our enemy, but our brothers and sisters.

I want you to think about the weak and the fallen, the erring child of God

Let us begin first of all by noticing…

The Majority of those who fall away do so un-intentionally.

A. Never intended to be unfaithful, just drifted into it.

1. Heb. 2:1

2. Boats drift down, must be rowed back up.

3. People drift into sin; must intentionally do right.

4. Often folks don’t really know when they fell away. They simply began to lose interest on doing God’s will.

B. A number of reasons might be given for a person’s falling.

1. One is not rooted and grounded in the truth.

a. Lk. 8:13

b. Some baptized without realizing the commitment involved.

c. Lack of study with its resulting lack of faith.

2. Because of unwholesome surroundings.

a. Lk. 8:14

b. I Cor. 15:33

c. A person tends to take on the character of his environment.

d. Sometimes the one who influences another to be baptized is not an influence for faithfulness.

What are the responsibilities of the strong toward the weak and fallen?

C. Give support.

1. Gal. 6:1-2

2. I Thess. 5:14

D. Strengthen by teaching.

1. Mt. 28:19

2. I Pet. 2:2

E. Rebuke and discipline the disobedient.

1. Mt. 18:15-17

2. I Tim. 5:20

3. II Thess. 3:6, 14-15

4. "Thou art the man."

5. Sometimes a person needs to be shocked into the realization of the wrong.

6. We don’t want to spank our kids but if we love them.

7. Gal. 4:16

What must one do to be restored?

F. Not act as though nothing has happen.

G. One must repent. (II Cor. 7:9-10)

H. One must confess.

1. Jas. 5:16

2. I Jn. 1:9

3. Confess to God.

4. Confess to those offended (by the way, unfaithfulness in attendance is an offense to the whole church)

5. Public confession required for public sin; private confession for private sin.

Jim Pharr

Lenoir,NC