This article is from an assignment in Soul Winner’s Overcome Temptations.
As you read this article, consider how you respond to believers overcome by temptation. The Lord has given us his church to evangelize the world and disciple believers. Restoring those who fall into sin is part of discipleship. It is not good to gossip about or to ignore fellow believers’ sin. The Bible describes how the church is to respond.
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Galatians 6:1
It is important for believers to be in community with other believers. That is why we have the local church. In a healthy church, there is a mixture of mature and spiritual believers with those who are new to the faith. In a healthy church, when a fellow believer is “overtaken in a fault” others are there to restore them. In a healthy church, even–and especially–mature believers understand everyone is vulnerable to temptation.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isaiah 35:3–4
Have you ever seen a newborn calf or foal? When they come out, their legs wobble under the weight of their body. They are unsure and unsteady as they work to get themselves upright. It is their instinct to stand and find their mother for protection and nourishment. New believers are like a new calf. They are unsteady and unsure. They need time and nutrition to develop a strong faith that will sustain them.
Likewise, when a fellow believer falls into temptation or wanders, it is the responsibility of those who are mature to gird them up and encourage them to “be strong, fear not”. Instead of weighing them down with the guilt of their sin, the righteous response is of encouragement, and hope in the Lord who is their salvation.
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
James 5:19–20
We think of “conversion” as something that is done when we turn to God, and put our faith in Jesus once in our life. Sure, it is important for a person to come to a point where they choose to follow Christ. This is the first conversion. James reminds us that we are to be going through these conversion experiences throughout our life as we grow closer to the Lord and crucify our sinful nature.
The soul winner is not just one who wins souls from the wrath of Hell, but is also one who works alongside other believers to restore them to the truth and away from sin. When the believer confesses and turns to the Lord a “multitude of sins” is hidden, but not in the way a guilty person tries to hide his shame. This is the truth of the gospel: that Christ’s righteousness covers our sin and his atonement is perfect.