Restoring the Erring
"We must be concerned for lost souls."
What can we do to restore the erring one? This is a question that deserves deep thought. We need to first define some terms.
The first term is “erring”. What does it mean that someone is “erring”? The word means “having failed to adhere to the proper or accepted standards; having done wrong” (Dictionary, MacBook Module). When one leaves the standard, then that one is erring.
The second term to define is “restore”. The word means “to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair” (Thayer, E-Sword Module). So, what can we do to mend or repair the one who has failed to adhere to the proper standard which is the Word of God? I put forth to you that there are four things we can do.
The first is to get them to fall in love with Jesus.
The second thing is to get them to fall in love with God’s Word.
The third thing would be to get them to fall in love with God’s church.
Last, we must get them to fall in love with the hope of Heaven.
Let us explore these things together.
The first thing that we can do is to get the erring one to fall in love with Jesus.
Philip, in Acts eight, taught the Eunuch about Jesus (Acts 8:35).
It may be the case that the person has never truly fallen in love with the Savior Jesus Christ. They may have liked Him but have not dedicated their life to Him. They might just have fallen in love with the blessings rather than the Blesser. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15, NASB).
Remember that the erring one has failed to adhere to the standard. Jesus said those who truly love Him will love obedience to Him. When talking with Nicodemus, He said, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36, NASB). Obedience is necessary to the one that loves Jesus.
We must be like the Macedonians who “first gave themselves to the Lord” (2 Cor. 8:5). If our heart is for the Lord, then our actions will support this. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21, NASB).
The second thing that we can do is to get them to fall in love with God’s Word.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NASB).
God’s Word is from His very breath. They are the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68). How can anyone love God without loving His Word? It equips us, edifies us, gives us hope, and warns us of the consequences of disobedience.
We must be like the noble Bereans. They did two things: (1) they “received the word with great eagerness” and (2) examined “the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
We must be eager to read God’s Word and fall in love with it. The erring one cannot be restored without having done so.
The third thing that we can do is get them to fall in love with God’s church.
Jesus promised to build it (Mat. 16:18-19).
It was established on Pentecost (Acts 2).
Jesus purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
It is the greatest organization that has ever been established. It is more than an organization. It is a relationship. It is an intimate relationship. Paul compares the relationship between Christ and His church as being a marriage relationship in Ephesians chapter five.
If I leave Christ, then I have divorced Him. If I leave Christ and go to another organization that is not His then I have committed spiritual adultery. We need to be the bride of Christ. This includes loving His people. If we truly love Christ, then we will love to be a part of His bride.
The last thing we must do is get them to fall in love with the hope of Heaven.
If one misses Heaven, then he has truly missed it all. Jesus promised in John fourteen to return for His people to bring them to a place that He has prepared (John 14:1-3). This is the greatest hope that we have as Christians.
The Hebrews writer pinned,
"In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil" (Hebrews 6:17-19, NASB).
This hope is being applied as a strong anchor of the soul. This hope is not speculative. It is an assurance. John wrote, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, NASB).
We must get them to love this hope.
We have noticed some key things about restoring the erring one.
James wrote, "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20, NASB).
We must be concerned for lost souls.
If we can show them how to love Christ, His Word, church, and hope of eternal life, then we will truly win them back. By doing this, we will cover a multitude of sins!
Jonathan Exum preaches for the Hannibal Church of Christ in Hannibal, Missouri. Jonathan also writes articles for the “Preacher’s Blog” and publishes them on the church website.
Jonathan graduated from a couple of classes behind me at the Memphis School of Preaching. Jonathan does good work in our Lord’s kingdom, and I’m grateful for his writing!
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