Watching for the Wayward in the Family of God

The First Baptist Church of Columbus Dr. Paul Large, Pastor Sermon Notes Outline August 1, 2021 T I T L E: Watching for the Wayward in the Family of God T E X T: James 5:19-20 I. EVANGELISTIC RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FAMILY OF GOD A. It is a biblical as well as a sad reality that not every person associated, in some fashion with the family of God, is a genuine child of God and is therefore someone in need of salvation. Matthew 7:21-23 ---- 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' Matthew 13:20-23 ---- 20 "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 "And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." 1 John 2:19 ---- They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. B. It is also a biblical truth that everyone associated with the family of God is to examine himself to see if he or she is truly a converted individual and is thus a genuine child of God. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 ---- 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test? 6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. John MacArthur - To help people avoid being deceived, James has given a series of tests by which one's faith can be evaluated. True saving faith is marked by its proper response to trials, temptations, the Word of God, and God's standards for holy living (chapter 1); its response to people from various social classes and its manifestation of righteous deeds (chapter 2); by proper speech, wisdom, and by not being a friend of the world (chapter 3); by humility and submission to God's will (chapter 4); by a proper view of money and by truthfulness (chapter 5). Those tests form the benchmarks against which a person's faith can be measured. C. The advice given to the early church regarding watching the wayward involves two broad categories, doctrinal and moral, i.e. what one believes and how one behaves. II. CORRECTIVE ADVICE AND/OR TEACHING DIRECTED TOWARD THE WAYWARD IN NEED OF DOCTRINAL CORRECTION AND BIBLICALLY ABERRANT BEHAVIOR. (...strays from the truth...) A. Those who engage in the ministry of reconciliation directed toward the straying may find it quite disrupting in the body of Christ because there is often a close connection between those who are straying and those who walk a straight line relative to Christianity. Matthew 13:25-30 ---- 25 "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 "The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 "And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' 29 "But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn." ' " Such truth is not an invitation to neglect the ministry of reconciliation but sound biblical advice to be careful and cautious when engaging in such a ministry whether it is in the context of evangelism or sanctification. Proverbs 27:6 ---- Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. (Expressing love in today's culture is rooted more in avoiding any saying or statement that might be construed as offensive.) B. Those who engage in the ministry of reconciliation, evangelism, and/or sanctification must be qualified to do so. Galatians 6:1 ---- Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Soul searching required: Matthew 7:3-5 ---- 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. C. Those who engage in the ministry of reconciliation, evangelism, and/or sanctification involves confronting the one who is straying and can often be unpleasant, but it is nevertheless needed and ultimately will result in temporal or eternal blessings. V. 20 Conclusion: If what you believe is wrong would you want to know it? If your behavior is contrary to the word of God, are you willing to change