Question Card Session 11/30/25
Notes
Transcript
Turn to Romans 3:10
This morning we are going to consider this question:
Next slide here
Question: How do we approach someone when we know they are doing wrong biblically without sounding like we are above sinning or that we are perfect?
As I’ve thought about it, this is a broad question that could mean at least two different things and I want to address both. So first, the person was asking this question:
When you are telling someone that they need to be saved…
Next slide here
How do you tell an unsaved person that they are a sinner without sounding like you are better than them?
Maybe you are spending time with a friend and you know that they are not saved. Maybe in the course of conversation, you are talking about family and your friend shares about some broken relationships that they are hurting from. That is an open door to start telling them about our Lord Jesus who saves sinners and can heal broken relationships.
In that context, how do you tell your friend that they are a sinner without sounding like you are better than them?
Next slide here
Explain from Scripture that you are a sinner too
Read Romans 3:10
When you share that verse with someone, you need to emphasize,
“here’s what a holy God says about you and me. Here’s what a holy God says about every single human being. Here’s how He sees all of us whether we are a church member, a pastor, a Baptist, or a Catholic. It doesn’t matter who we are, God isn’t impressed with our credentials. In our natural condition, we’re all sinners before Him.”
If you are telling someone that they are a sinner, you need to put yourself under that label too because its still true of you also. Of course, a believer in Jesus Christ is also called a saint in Scripture, but we must never forget that we are sinners saved by grace.
Next slide here
Additional references: Ecc. 7:20, Romans 3:23, Galatians 3:22
Next slide here
Share your testimony of salvation
Turn to and read Acts 22:1, 4-5, 20
You’ll notice, Paul doesn’t sugarcoat his personal testimony. He admits to being complicit in the deaths of an unknown number of Christians and most importantly, of Stephen.
Next slide here
Additional references: Acts 26:9-11, Galatians 1:13, 1 Timothy 1:12-15
When you are telling someone that they are a sinner who needs to be saved, follow Paul’s example. Make it clear that your righteousness isn’t good enough for God either, and share your testimony of how God saved you from your sinful past.
Now, to go back to the original question, there’s a second way that this could be understood and I want to address that also.
Next slide here
Question: How do we approach someone when we know they are doing wrong biblically without sounding like we are above sinning or that we are perfect?
In other words, what should you do when someone is living in sin? Should you talk to them about it? How do you talk to them about it?
Consider these three questions:
Next slide here
Is the person saved or unsaved?
If they are unsaved, the fundamental need is that they be saved. The specific sin issue may/may not need to be addressed right away, but it really depends on the situation.
Next slide here
What kind of relationship do you have with them?
Is this a neighbor? A family member? A church member?
Are you close enough to them where they might hear your concern, or is this just a distant Facebook friend that you barely know?
There have been times where I’ll see someone who claims to be a Christian who is obviously living contrary to the Scriptures, but God doesn’t have me in a close enough relationship with that person to lovingly confront them about the need.
Next slide here
You must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance on what to do and when to speak or not to speak. You must be spiritual!
There’s a third important question you need to ask:
Next slide here
What does the Bible say?
Turn to and read Galatians 6:1
Notice the first word, “brethren.” Who is Paul writing to here? Believers. All believers.
Brethren: Paul was speaking to his entire Christian audience here. Likewise, we must understand this verse as speaking to all of us, not just church leadership like pastors and deacons.
There is one qualifier. Paul addresses every believer in the local church, and then he says, “ye which are spiritual.”
Ye: plural pronoun
“All of you which are spiritual…”
Next slide here
Spiritual: those who are filled or controlled by the Spirit of God - Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 5:18
What should the spiritual ones do? “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness…” Restore the person that is overtaken in a fault.
Next slide here
Restore: to mend, to repair, to put in order or arrange, to strengthen, to complete, to make one what he ought to be
Next slide here
Overtaken: to take before, to take one by forestalling him, to surprise
Next slide here
Fault: a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness, a sin
If a brother or sister in Christ is overcome by some sin, a spiritual Christian must come alongside that person and help them - how - with a spirit of meekness. You must approach that person lovingly, graciously, and with an acute sense of how easily you are tempted also. Consider own yourself whether you are being tempted in the same way.
That’s how you approach a fellow Christian that has been overcome by a sin. Don’t go barging into their life telling them how wicked they are and how shocked you are that they would ever do such a thing. Instead, Paul says, at the same time that you are looking to restore that person, be considering your own self whether you’re failing in that way also. In other words, take a good dose of humility if you’re planning to have a conversation with someone who has a spiritual need in their life.
Within the content of the local church, we must never content ourselves to look the other way and let a brother in Christ stay defeated by sin. Restoration is commanded. The Spirit’s guiding is paramount. Humility is a must.
That is how you approach another Christian without sounding like you are above sin or perfect.
