The Letter of James - 5:19-20

James spends most of his letter reconciling belief with action. Calling his readers to put action behind their belief. If one claims to believe something, their behavior should match.

This letter of James is very practical. He lays out simple actions that a true believer should follow with great illustrations to help express his point.

In the last two verses of James’ letter, he makes a switch. Now he is telling his readers, in light of everything he has taught up till now, that if a fellow believer wonders away from the truth, it is their job to bring that person back.

James 5:19–20 NLT

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Wanders away from the truth

Now, the truth he’s talking about isn’t necessarily intellectual truth. It isn’t that they have strayed from the truth in their beliefs, rather the have strayed from the truth in their behavior, their actions.

It’s not that they have wondered away from “christian doctrine” as in thought, rather they’ve wondered from “christian doctrine” in behavior.

John references this thought in 1 John 1:6.

1 John 1:6 NLT

6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

We are not practicing truth.

There is a fine line between intellectual belief and heart belief. Intellectual belief makes sense, but doesn’t cause life change. More often then not, is a coping mechanism that tricks us into believing we’re safe.

For instance, someone hears that sinners will go to hell unless you believe in Jesus. If you do, you will go to heaven and be saved from hell. Intellectual belief will cause you to say the right things, sometimes do the right things, just to avoid hell.

You’re not in love with Jesus, you just don’t want hell.

I believe this is what James is referring to when he says, “You’re fooling yourselves” and states that this is not true faith.

This is not the “wonderer” James is referring to. This is an outsider with insider access. They think if they do just enough good to escape hell and will be truly shocked at death.

2 Peter 2:20–22 NLT

20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

This second “wonderer” is difficult and challenges some christian doctrine.

This person is the one who hears the truth and actually escapes from the wickedness of the world. They get tangled up and enslaved by sin again. They reject the command to live a holy life. They are worse off then before.

I do not believe that a believer can lose their salvation, or that they can fall from God’s grace after receiving his gift of salvation.

So what is this verse saying? I think the key word might be reject. Reject has the thought of refusing something or throwing something away. I’m still wrestling with this passage.

All I know is that Peter refers to someone who seems to be a true believer, at some point rejects God and gets tangled up and enslaved by sin again, and they are worse off then before. It would be better if they never knew the way to righteousness.

I don’t believe this is the “wonderer” that James is talking about either.

James 5:19–20 NLT

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

This third “wonderer” is a believer, part of the church and wonders away from the truth. Again, this is not referring to intellectual truth. As James has been communicating throughout this letter, correct doctrine cannot be separated from correct action.

Here is a quote from a commentator that seems to sum up this thought.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James C. A Concluding Summons to Action (5:19–20)

What the mind thinks, and the mouth confesses, the body must do—anything less is worldly, sinful “double-mindedness” (1:8; 4:8)

The christian life is more then a set of beliefs, it’s beliefs with correct action. Not to be confused to works based salvation. James isn’t referring to action to become saved, or to stay saved. He’s suggesting that true, genuine faith will be accompanied by genuine action.

Our actions must match our beliefs. If not, we are only fooling ourselves.

James 5:20 NLT

20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

1 Peter 4:8 NLT

8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Love covers sins

Story of Bobby

It’s interesting how God can remind us of what we should be doing.

James 4:17 NLT

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

I repent of my sin.

It’s crazy that we can have an impact on someones eternity. God can use you to bring others to himself, wether they are “wonders” or someone that has never put their trust in God.

God’s overarching story is redemption.

Throughout his book, James continually reminds his readers that in everything, God must be the center of our lives.

As we close with a song, I want you to reflect on that statement and ask yourself, is he?

Is God the center of my life?