1. Saving The Sinner
James 5:19-20

2. Saving The Sinner Tonight we wrap up our study of the book of James
We end up tonight with the last 2 verses of chapter 5
There is a lot of truth that is taught in these 2 verses that we need to know while we live as God’s people

3. Saving The Sinner
Jesus made it clear that we are to love people (Matt. 22:39)
He also made it clear that this command included everyone, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ (Lk. 10:29-37; Jn. 13:35; Gal. 6:10)
So an erring soul should be important!

4. Saving The Sinner
So James addresses the erring sinner in the last 2 verses
Perhaps he does so because of what was previously stated in 5:1-11
There are some biblical truths we learn from James words in chapter 5 that we should heed

5. Saving The Sinner 1. Possibility of Apostasy
The first thing we learn from James is that it is possible for one to fall away
“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth…”
Many in the religious world teach that once you are saved, you are always saved

6. Saving The Sinner 1. Possibility of Apostasy
There may be some in the church that believe that as well
The Bible teaches something completely different
Paul told those who clung to the old law, “…you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4)

7. Saving The Sinner 1. Possibility of Apostasy
Some argue that those who have fallen away were never really saved in the first place
The language of the Bible teaches us otherwise
Listen to the description given to the one who has fallen away in Hebrews 6:4-6

8. Saving The Sinner 1. Possibility of Apostasy
Again, II Peter 2:20-22 teaches us that going back into the world is possible
We also see examples in the Bible of those who fell away
Demas forsook Paul and went back into the world (II Tim. 4:10)

9. Saving The Sinner 1. Possibility of Apostasy
Simon the sorcerer had just been converted when he sinned and was told to repent because he needed forgiveness (Acts 8:9-24)
Judas was an apostle of Jesus, yet he too fell back into the ways of the world because of his love of money (Matt. 26:14-16)

10. Saving The Sinner 2. Responsibility to Restore the Erring
James clearly teaches here that it should be our duty to bring back the one who wanders
We see the same thing stated throughout scriptures
Jesus spent an entire chapter on the idea of restoring the lost (Luke 15)

11. Saving The Sinner 2. Responsibility to Restore the Erring
Paul commanded it in Galatians 6:1
Paul said that it was the job of the spiritual to restore those who wander away
“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…” (Jude 1:22-23)

12. Saving The Sinner 3. Sin Condemns
Perhaps we do not take sin as seriously as we should sometimes
Maybe that’s because we take God’s forgiveness for granted or that time will always be on our side
However, James teaches the seriousness in sin

13. Saving The Sinner 3. Sin Condemns
James teaches that when we turn a sinner back that we save a soul from death
We may not like that word death, but it is there
When sin is full grown it brings forth death (1:14-15)

14. Saving The Sinner 3. Sin Condemns
“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son in Mine; the soul who sins shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23)

15. Saving The Sinner 4. God Forgives
James also does not want us to forget a very powerful lesson
God does in fact forgive our sins
Even if we wander away from Him, we can still come back to Him as long as there is life in our bodies

16. Saving The Sinner 4. God Forgives
If we do our best to live life right, we have the blood of Christ to wash away all of our sins (I Jn. 1:7, 9; Rev. 1:5)
James spoke of the forgiveness of sins that God offers when we pray about it (5:15)
We should be forgiving also (Matt. 6:14-15)

17. Saving The Sinner 5. Forgiven Sin is Forgotten Sin
James uses the word “cover” in connection with the idea of sin and salvation from them
That word “cover” means to hide, veil, or hinder the knowledge of a thing
When God forgives, He no longer remembers or brings up our sins any more

18. Saving The Sinner 5. Forgiven Sin is Forgotten Sin
Can something truly be forgiven if it is brought up over and over again?
God tells us that He will not bring them up again
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Is. 43:25)

19. Saving The Sinner 5. Forgiven Sin is Forgotten Sin
That idea is not only stated in the OT, but also in the NT as well
Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17 both state this very thing
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more”