CHRISTIAN LIFE: Bringing the Wanderer Home

Restoring those who have gone astray…..

 

 

Some of the loveliest stories ever to be told must be those that came from the lips of our Saviour and are preserved for us in the fifteenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel. Tax collectors and sinners had drawn near to listen to the One of whom it was said, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (1). They were the first to hear that simple yet now well-known parable of the lost sheep.

 

 

4. What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5. And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, “Rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.                                                   

                                                  (Luke 15:3-7)

 

 

How thankful we are that “this Man” still receives sinners! Gospel preachers have often used this beautiful parable to good effect in illustrating the extent to which the Good Shepherd went in order “to seek and to save that which was lost.” (2)  But perhaps the parable can be understood in another way.

 

At the close of his highly practical epistle, James draws our attention to a very necessary work which we need to think about. “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,” (Jas.5:19-20). Not only do sinners need to be saved, but those who wander away need to be restored. Notice carefully that this message is addressed to Christians. One “of you” – one of the “brethren” – can turn from the truth. It is something that can happen to anyone. Peter thought himself perfectly safe, above the danger line. Yes, others might deny the Lord – but not he! (3)  Within the space of a few hours Peter’s self-confidence had evaporated as he suddenly realized that he had wandered from the One who is, in Person, the Truth. (4)

 

 

SO EASY TO WANDER…

In the familiar “Shepherd Psalm” David wrote, “He restoreth my soul” (5). Here we learn that God Himself is in the business of restoring those who go astray. If David wrote this Psalm as a young shepherd, he may have had little idea of just how much he himself would need this very restoration one day. After his shameful fall when he committed adultery and murder, the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to restore him. David had written of the comforts received from God’s instruments of restoration, the rod and the staff (6). Sometimes we do not appreciate this comfort until later. One this occasion the word of the Lord hit home hard. “Thus saith the Lord…” Nathan thundered, “thou art the man!” (7)  The rod hurt, but it also healed. With a broken and contrite heart David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (8)

 

The context here in 2 Samuel is significant. David had been enjoying close fellowship with God, and things generally had been going well for him. Under his leadership, the ark had been returned to Jerusalem(9). David had then been given the wonderful promise that the throne of his kingdom would be established for ever because of his godly desire to build a temple for the Lord (10). Victories had been experienced over the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Syrians, and David had shown unmerited kindness to Mephibosheth – a descendant of his one-time enemy, Saul (11). The background could hardly have been better; in so many ways David had pleased the Lord. Yet this very same man fell into gross sin and needed to be restored! It reminds us again of James’ sober warning that any of God’s children can wander from the truth.

 

Thinking again of the lovely parable of the lost sheep, James tells us that we can be like the shepherd in seeking to turn the wanderer back to the truth (12). A believer may have wandered from the truth morally and be guilty of sexual sin. It could be that unbiblical teaching has stumbled him, causing him to wander from the truth doctrinally. Alternatively, it may simply be that his heart has grown cold towards God. There are many ways in which this can happen. However, when a brother or a sister does go astray, how do we go about restoring them?

 

 

THE WAY TO RESTORE ANOTHER

Some very good advice is given to us by the apostle Paul in Galatians 6:1:-

 “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.”

The possibility is always there: a believer can be overtaken by sin. When this happens, we find it easy to point the finger accusingly or to think, “I would never have done that!” Rarely will such an attitude result in the brother or sister being restored. Instead, whenever we see that someone has wandered, we should immediately think, “That could have been me – but for the grace of God.” Only when we realize this can we seek to “restore such … in the spirit of meekness.”

 

W.E. Vine points out that this “meekness” is an inwrought grace of the soul. It is closely connected with the word humility and is, first of all, a spirit of meekness before God. (13)  It therefore means going after the erring one with all the loving compassion and tenderness that the Lord Jesus displayed. Coupled with this there will be a transparent honesty, causing us to admit, with Robert Robinson,

                                      “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

                                        Prone to leave the God I love…” (14)

Part of the work of restoration, too, may be helping to bear the burdens of the one who has wandered away (15). 

 

 

WHEN DISCIPLINE IS NECESSARY

Of course, sometimes the rod of discipline is necessary. A case of flagrant immorality in the church at Corinth could not be ignored. So serious was the sin that the offending brother had to be excommunicated from the Christian fellowship (16). Discipline of this kind is never pleasant to administer. However, the object should always be the restoration of the offender. Later, Paul could write to the Corinthians telling them that the punishment inflicted had been sufficient. Obviously the man had repented of his sin, and so the Corinthians were told to receive him in love once again (17).

 

If the “rod” of discipline has to be used today, it must be with the right motives. Holiness in the Lord’s house must be maintained for the honour of His Name. Some wilful sin may still merit excommunication. If such a step is necessary, however, it must be taken in godly humility, and the prayers of God’s people for the wanderer to be restored to the Lord in due course must follow the action. Other matters at Corinth needed attention, but Paul quite clearly preferred to come “in love” rather than wielding a rod of discipline (18). That spirit of love must characterize all our disciplinary actions today.

 

 

A WORK FOR THE “SPIRITUAL”

One further little word in Galatians 6:1 must not be overlooked. Only those who are “spiritual” can restore the wanderers. For the Lord to use us, we must be living near to Him and must have His mind in our service. But for those who do cause the sinner to turn again to the Lord, a double blessing is promised. All those who engage in this vital ministry are assured that they will both “save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins,” (Jas.5:20). Sometimes, in His providence, God allows a disobedient Christian to experience premature death. Salvation is never lost – it cannot be – but life upon earth can be shortened. The promise is that the restored “sinner” will be saved from this punishment and his “multitude of sins” will be completely hidden from God’s sight.

 

 

END NOTES:- (1)Lk.15:2.  (2)Jn.10:11; Lk.19:10.  (3)Mk.14:29-31.  (4)Jn.14:6.  (5)Ps.23:3.  (6)Ps.23:4.  (7)2 Sam.12:11a,7a.  (8)Ps.51:17; 2 Sam.12:13a.  (9)2 Sam.6.  (10)2 Sam.7.  (11)2 Sam.8-10.  (12)Jas.5:19.  (13)EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS, by W.E. Vine, Oliphants Ltd, 1940.  (14)Hymn 470 in GOLDEN BELLS: Come, Thou Fount of every blessing.  (15)Gal.6:2.  (16)1 Cor.5:1,13.  (17)2 Cor.2:6-8.  (18)1 Cor.4:21.  (19)Jas.5:17-18.