Sometimes the most important things to do in life are actually the hardest things to do. James outlines one of those important, difficult things in chapter 5 of his book in verses 19 through 20 which says:
“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
It can be really hard to extend a hand to one who has wandered from the truth. You may think that it will get slapped away, that you are risking a relationship, or that some form of conflict might occur for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. But James tells us that “whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins”. So, when we put our relationship at risk in an effort to bring someone back to Christ, it is a selfless act, not a judgmental one. We have everything to lose, but they will have everything to gain. If you find yourself in that place, I encourage you to dare to put your relationship at risk for the sake of that wayward person. If done with love, you can’t go wrong. Even if it doesn’t seem like you’ve made an impact, the Holy Spirit may use your efforts as a seed that could grow to conviction, leading that person back to Christ. But in all cases, before you make your move, I would encourage you to make sure you earnestly pray for the Spirit to take control of the encounter.
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We are safest when we concentrate only on our walk with God, but even that can be difficult. Even so, consider how much more difficult it would be to turn a sinner from the error of his ways. It means that we might face rejection, conflict, or a host of other negative reactions. If you choose to put your relationship at risk in an effort to put this verse into practice, remember that it is only the Holy Spirit who can change a heart. Hopefully, that will take some of the pressure off of the result of your encounter. And as James says, your efforts can save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. So yes, it is difficult, but it will be well worth it in the end.
