Daily Bible Verses for 4/21/2017

Daily Verse(s)
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Reading Notes
James concludes his letter with this last piece of practical and godly advice for the church as a body. Which is restore those who repent and turn away from their sins. This is the same advice Paul gave to the Corinthian church. James understood that all people have a sin-nature, even believers. And there will be times when fellow believers will stumble in sin. Times when they will give in to their desires or this world and fall. However, our God is ready and willing to forgive those who truly repent and turn back toward Christ. And if someone repents and turns back toward Jesus, we are to restore them again to the family of believers. In addition, this also has the connotation of rescuing the unbeliever as well. The idea is through the example of love and sacrifice we through our actions may draw others to Jesus.

Church bodies are made up of many different people. The reality is there will be those, though part of the church body have not yet put their faith in Jesus. In addition, there will be those who have turned away from God. Such a brother or a sister is in danger of death because of their separation from God. Therefore, those who help to restore a brother or a sister do a good thing. As the Holy Spirit changes their heart and they accept Jesus, we have the blessing to have helped save a soul from eternal destruction. It’s important for us to remember that our Christian faith is a living faith. As James told us, it’s not a dead faith, rather we are alive with Christ Jesus. Jesus through our faith in Him has the ability to restore lives and bring families back together again. And it should be the heart and responsibility of all believers to seek the lost and rescue those who have fallen away from the faith as the Lord leads us to do so.