James 5v19-20
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (ESV)
Definitions:
What is Truth? Truth spoken and expressed is a faithful articulation of reality. The Word of God is the faithful articulation of the truth.
What is Apostasy? The abandonment or renunciation of our faith.
We see the following in the text:
- The Reality of Apostasy
If any of you wanders from the truth… (cf 1 Timothy 4v1). Consider the following people mentioned in the scriptures and how they wandered from the truth:
a) Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26 ,27)
b) Demas (2 Timothy 4v10)
c) Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1v19-20)
d) King Saul
e) King Solomon (see 1 Kings 11)
f) Simon the magician (see Acts 8v9-24) - The Reasons for Apostasy
a) False teaching and deceit: see 1 Timothy 4v1.
b) Persecution and trials: see Matthew 24
c) Excessive focus on legalism and self-righteousness: see Galatians 5v4.
d) Willful and deliberate sinning: Ignoring your conscience (see Hebrews 10v26-27).
e) Love of the world and worldly influences.
f) Lack of deep roots and shallow faith: see Matthew 13v20-21. - The Restoration of Apostasy
a) We need to pursue those caught up in apostasy. Pauls imparts the importance of proactively caring for one another and restoring those who have wandered away: see James 5v20, Mat 18v12-14.
c) We are called to evangelize. - The Results of Apostasy
Caught in a multitude of sins: 2 Peter 2v2-9.