Jesus, our Saviour

Mark 14:53-65             

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him with blows.

It is absolutely important that we know our Saviour. The passage before us identifies Jesus positively as the sinless Christ the Son of the Blessed (v.61). He identified Himself as the Son of Man (v. 62). This is important, to know if indeed ours is the true salvation, based on firm Scriptural evidence. Unless this is known for sure, we risk neglecting such a great salvation. The identity of Jesus is of uttermost importance to us. This passage reveals it so clearly – The question of Caiphas to Jesus is the hinge upon which we hang today’s message, for the answer that Jesus gave revealed His identity than ever before. In one instance He bared His identity to the Sanhedrin in the way He had never done, leaving no doubt who He is - "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

What is described here is the first trial of Jesus by the religious council, called the Sanhedrin. Remember that this took place after the preliminary interrogation by Annas, the recently retired high priest. So when he was arrested at Gethsemane, He was first of all taken to the house of Annas, and then at least 23 of the 70 members of the Sanhedrin were assembled at the house of Caiaphas, the high priest and son-in-law of Annas.

The whole council (v.55) must not be taken literally since we know that a few members of the Sanhedrin were absent, like Joseph of Arimathea and possibly Nicodemus. Mark’s intention is to indicate clearly that the court met in plenary session. According to the Mishnah the presence of 23 members constituted the quorum.[1]

1.     Jesus is sinless

The first thing we notice in these verses is the fact that the Lord Jesus, was unspotted, unblemished, and blameless. Attempts were made to obtain evidence against him, witnesses were obtained and coached in order that they may fix this Galilean for once and for all, to put him to death, but they found none (v.55). While in this verse their evil intention of killing Jesus is unveiled, yet, the most remarkable thing is that they did not found him culpable of any of the charges that they had levelled against. These men knew that they did not find any reason to sentence Him to death.

Furthermore, when the witnesses were produced, the quality of their testimony was wanting. For all those who bore witness against Him, only bore false witness (v. 57). For this reason, their testimony did not agree (v.56). Even when the charge of the statement of Jesus which they quoted (v.58) that Jesus had said, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Yet even about this their testimony did not agree (vv.58-59). Mark highlights this because we all know that once the testimony of the witness fails the corroboration factor, then it has to be dismissed. The statement about the temple may have had some truth, but as soon as witnesses fail to agree, the witness is impaired and this is the point Mark is making here. Consequently, the chief priests, the elders and the scribes were responsible and blameworthy in the matter of the death of Jesus. Jesus had said as much in Matthew 23:29-36

Actually, the truth about the temple statement is that Jesus had answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  John 2:19. Clearly He did not say that He will personally destroy any temple, rather that He will raise it up in three days, and so there is no criminal activity in this accusation – unless He had indeed said that He would destroy the property (this is a civil suit). If they could prove his guilty on this matter, then the Romans could take it up, for the Sanhedrin had no legal mandate to trial a civil suit. But we see that even about this, there was no agreement in the witness.

The other important aspect of Jesus highlighted in this passage is that He did not answer them. Since these were fabricated stories, the Lord did not see any point in responding to them, proving His innocence before men, and demonstrating His passive obedience to the Father!

This silence enraged the high priest who stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make?” But He remained silent and made no answer (vv.60-61). In His silence, He gave an answer that they were too deaf to hear –

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. Isa 53:7.

And again,

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 1Peter 2:22-23. And again, the earthly high priest put on trial the heavenly and eternal great High Priest. But we know,

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.

The fact that the Lord did not have any sin is absolutely necessary, for the lamb sacrificed for the sins of people had to be a male without blemish, unspotted, and undefiled. Remember that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and so He has cleansed us from our sins by His precious blood, like that of a Lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:19). For this reason, the sacrifice being prepared is acceptable by God, and it is effective for cleaning the sins of the people.

For the absolutely sinless One to be subjected to a trial conducted by sinful men was itself a deep humiliation. To be tried by such men, under such circumstances made it infinitely worse… the entire trial was a farce, a mis-trial[2]. Notice how illegal this trial was:

1)      They bribed Judas to betray Him (vv. 10-11)

2)      It was conducted at night (v.17)

3)      Outside the temple (vv.53, 54)

4)      It was on the eve of the Passover against the regulations

5)      Bribed the witnesses to bear false witness (vv. 56-59)

6)      They demanded Jesus to incriminate Himself (v. 60)

7)      The sentence was pronounced before conviction (v.64)

To cover up this, they stamped the papers and so endorsed the decision of the night in the morning, for public relations.

Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

2.     Jesus is the Christ

Caiphas’ question was, "Are you the Christ…? This was going to be the most decisive question of the day since all the other tactics had miscarried. Obviously, the question is suggestive. It was a leading question. This was such an important matter that, the high priest put Jesus under oath (Matt. 26:63). And Jesus’ response was as clear as the noonday. For without any hesitation, Mark records, “And Jesus said, "I am..." The point is made since Jesus admitted that He is the Christ. This was incredible in the eyes of the council, but it was a sufficient evidence against Him.

The long awaited Messiah is here, before their eyes. He is a man, that they had well known, or so they thought. He is a man who in every way, according to them, is a ‘weakling and helpless’. The sort of a Messiah that they were expecting, and that they thought they needed, was in every way unlike the man before them. According to them, Jesus was taking them for a ride and they would not accept it. For they wanted a conquering Lion of Judah, who would overturn the Roman rule and establish a political kingdom of God and rule from Jerusalem. But they did not realize that the Messiah was first to come as the sin-atoning Lamb, in order to bring them salvation. Since the warrior and the champion was not before them, they rejected Jesus Christ, He became their stumbling block and they rejected the very stone that was the capstone.

As soon as Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." This utterance in the eyes of the chief priest was tantamount to blasphemy and a clear indication that He was to be sentenced to death. The Lord admitted to be the Son of God in the highest exalted sense. Actually, He had claimed divine prerogatives and so He was either guilty of blasphemy or He was speaking the truth – but nothing was done to establish what is the truth. This is what C.S. Lewis has called trilemma – Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar or the Lord. But we all know without any shred of doubt that He is the Lord.

But Jesus is not the Christ because He was declared by some ecclesiastical council or authority. He is the Christ because God appointed Him and after all, His ministry had proved the point for those who are interested to see. For this reason, when the time came to declare His identity, He did no hide it, but spoke clearly, boldly without no reservation or hesitation. They may have condemned Him to death illegally, or said that He deserved death, spit on Him, blindfolded Him, struck Him, yet all these served the eternal cause of proving that this is indeed the Suffering Servant of the Lord. No amount of mockery, contempt or blows from the temple guards could reverse the fact that Jesus is the Christ.

That Son of man who at the moment, before the eyes of the Sanhedrin appeared so mean and despicable and so that they trampled upon him, spit on Him and rained blows on Him. But He would soon be seen appearing in majesty. Of course His present appearance did not have any resemblance to what He talked about, for at the time he was under the worst of humiliation. He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed Him not (Isa. 53:2b-3). But we know that through the thickest cloud of his humiliation some rays of glory were still darted forth. But these chief priests were so miserably blinded with malice and rage, that, like the horse rushing into the battle, they mocked at fear, and were not affrighted, neither believed they that it was the sound of the trumpet of His coming in judgment.[3]

3.     Jesus Is the Son of God

The Lord answered the question asked by Caiphas, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." In this answer, He was saying, I am both the Christ and the Christ, being both fully God’s Son and fully Son of Man.

It interesting to note that when the high priest heard the response of Jesus he tore his clothes in supposed mourning, as a public show, while deep within it was in celebration now that he had found a handle to execute his venom on the Son of God. It was a sign of official detestation and abhorrence at the blasphemy supposed to have been uttered.[4] For this reason, in his opinion there was no need for further witness – He had self-condemned Himself! His malicious venom was unveiled to all and sundry. And this is what we see even now – there are many who would not have Christ because they don’t see the glory of the Blessed. Yet He is our Great God and Saviour (Titus 2:13)

But you wonder, why was the statement of Christ blasphemous before the high priest? The statement of Jesus was a blasphemy because He had said that He is, ‘the Son of the Blessed’ (v.61) and had claimed powers that only God possess – only God according to them could come with the clouds of heaven. (v.62)

What proof did Jesus produce that He is indeed the Son of God? He gave a double proof:

a)      He will be seated at the right hand of Power, meaning that He will occupy the most exalted place. The throne of God, is His. Notice how He spoke like a typical Jew, circumventing to mention the Name of God, something that was forbidden by the Jews. He instead called God, ‘Power’ just as the high priest had earlier on called God, ‘the Blessed’.

b)      He will come a second time with the clouds of heaven. Who else can do this? Only God is capable of coming to judge universally with all the sovereign power and with the clouds of heaven (His dwelling place). Therefore the Lord had given them sufficient reasons for the charge of blasphemy if it was not true.

While this eternal reality did not dawn on them, they nonetheless went on to abuse and make sport of our Saviour in the same manner, if not worse, the Philistines mocked Samson, to their own destruction.

He had both a confession and a stern warning for them. In this response, the Lord alluded to three OT Messianic passages in order to demonstrate to them that He was coming as the Judge of all the earth – Isaiah 52:8;  Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13. While they were now in a state of glee judging Him, tables would soon be overturned and they would be before Him as the Judge! Jesus is no doubt coming back to establish His kingdom that cannot be shaken, there are those who are in it now. But those who have continued to mock Him, and scoff at His second coming, as Peter records in 2 Peter 3:3-9.

Applications

1.      Here we learn humility as the attitude of facing suffering. The Lord, the glorious Lord, did not gloat over His position. He did not insist on His own way. Instead, in humility He agreed to be humbled, to become like a lamb, to come on earth and to face wrath of God, so that He might bring us to salvation. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”. Php 2:5-8.

2.      We must never think that pressure from persecution or suffering is a reason for sinning. The Lord did not threaten or revile or even contemplate retaliation. For we read, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1Pe 2:21-24.

3.      There is no doubt that Christ is coming back, not as a Lamb but as a roaring conquering Lion of Judah. He is coming to establish His eternal Kingdom. Are you prepared to meet Him? Are you ready for His appearing? You can only be ready, if you will be found in Him, not having a righteousness of your own that comes by the law, but the righteousness that comes through and by faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

4.      Since Jesus is the Christ, and the Son of God then you must believe Him, thank Him, worship Him. It is not for nothing that you are hearing this message – it is so that you will not fall into the same pitfall as the Jews who rejected their hope. You who is an unbeliever, you have heard this so that you may know Christ, the Saviour of sinners. You who has been redeemed from your sins and from the wrath to come, you should be profusely thankful and grateful. You are to live in a manner that offers worship to Him. Like Thomas when He learnt that Jesus is the Christ, we are to cry, “MY LORD, AND MY GOD!”

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[1] William Lane, quoting from M. Wolff, ICNT, The Gospel of Mark, Eedermans, Grand Rapids Mich. 1979, p. 531

[2] W. Hendricksen, p. 607

[3] Matthew Henry

[4] Alexander, The Gospel of Mark, p.408

What is the Work of Christ?

What is the Work of Christ?

Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

The Answer is, The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever. This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  1 Timothy 2:5,6;

ü  John 1:14;

ü  Galatians 4:4;

ü  Romans 9:5;

ü  Luke 1:35;

ü  Colossians 2:9;

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

*******************

What is the Work of Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.

What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?’

The Answer is, Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His state of humiliation and exaltation.

This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  Acts 3:22;

ü  Hebrews 12:25;

ü  2 Corinthians 13:3;

ü  Hebrews 5:5-7;

ü  Psalm 2:6;

ü  Isaiah 9:6,7

ü  Matthew 21:5;

ü  Psalm 2:8-11

From these verses we have three questions:

1.     How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

ü  John 1:18;

ü  2 Peter 1:10-12;

ü  John 15:15 and

ü  John 20:31

Christ’s PROPHETIC office is necessary for us because of our ignorance of God, of His creation, of ourselves and of the way of salvation. General revelation is not a sufficient medium of educating a fallen being in spiritual things. This is because the Fall impaired our mental and spiritual faculties so that we are unable to naturally know God. Only the gospel is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes.

A prophet is one who brings God’s words to men, i.e. prophets are men who speak from God (2 Peter 1:21) to men. All the writers of Scripture are prophets, hence they constantly cried, “Thus says the Lord.” Unless one speaks directly from God, he has no business claiming this prophetic office.

Christ is our great Prophet, to whom all other prophets point. Read Deuteronomy 18:15,18, Acts 3:22-26, Hebrews 1:1-2. He perfectly fulfilled and continues to fulfil the office of the prophet. All the other prophets were shadows the reality and the full realization of the prophetic office is in Christ. When Christ came, He fully fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy, but more than that He was the ultimate prophet.

Christ not only brings God’s words to us, He Himself is a revelation of who God is (John 1:18, 14:7-9). In Christ’s day there was the expectation that this great Prophet would come, as prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 18 (John 1:21, 6:14, 7:40). At the Day of Pentecost, Peter said that the ultimate Prophet had already come in the Person of Christ. All the prophets were inspired by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:10-11) so that all the Scriptures can be regarded as the revelation of God through Christ Himself. Without such revelation we could know nothing about the way of salvation for we are in the darkness of ignorance by nature (see Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 4:17-18).

2.     How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

 Answer.  Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and to reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.

ü  Hebrews 9:14, 28

ü  Hebrews 2:17

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

Christ’s PRIESTLY office is necessary for us because sin alienated us from God and rendered us imperfect in the best of our services. The best things we do as Christians are unacceptable except through Christ and the cleansing of His blood. His priestly office is necessary because we are sinners.

A priest is one who represents men before God in order to bring reconciliation and peace. Hebrews is the book of the Bible that refers much to Christ as our Priest (see chapters 4:14 – 10:18, and especially the summary statement of 8:1). The priests of the Old Testament pointed forward to Christ as our great High-priest since they failed, being themselves sinners. They had the work of sacrifice for sin and intercession for the people of God, just as Christ has (5:1-3, 7:25, 10:12).

Christ is the Priest in that He is both the Priest and the Sacrifice. He is the spotless, unblemished and acceptable Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the great High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues for ever (Heb. 7:23-24). He is both the temple and the atonement providing a perfect propitiation for our sins.

God’s elect can only be reconciled to God through the priestly work of Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18). Those who are saved continue to need His priestly work because of sin. After His once for all atonement, He entered permanently into the heavenly tabernacle and sat at God’s right hand where He for ever lives to intercede for us.

3.     How does Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.

ü  Acts 15:14-16

ü  Isaiah 33:22;

ü  Isaiah 32:1,2

ü  1 Corinthians 15:25;

ü  Psalm 110

Christ’s KINGLY office is necessary for us because of our averseness and utter inability to return to God. Being dead in sin needs the King who would and could rescue us and secure us from our spiritual adversaries and bring us to God. A king both rules and defends his people.

The kings of the Old Testament pointed forward to the coming King, the Lord Jesus. David and Solomon specifically point forward to Christ as shown in Psalms 2 and 72. Christ sits on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33, Acts 2:33-36, see also Matthew 2:2, 21:5, 27:11,37, John 1:49, Acts 17:7, Revelation 17:14).

Remember that the kingdom of God came with the coming of Christ (Matthew 12:28, John 18:36). It has now been established both on earth and in heaven and it awaits its fully inauguration when Christ comes the last time.

Why do we need a king?

1)      We need Christ’s kingly office so that by His power He might bring us back to God. Never forget that our conversion is a work of Christ’s power by,

a)      paying the penalty for our sins by His atoning sacrifice rescuing us from the wrath of God,

b)      giving His perfect righteousness acceptable to God and so satisfying the demands of God’s law and justice,

c)      giving us His Holy Spirit who applies His work of redemption by enabling us to believe and repent.

2)      We need His kingly office to be protected from our spiritual adversaries, the world, the flesh and the devil. He is able to do this because He is “head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Here is the guarantee that we shall be kept “until we finally enter His heavenly kingdom”.

Conclusion:

·         We must never underrate sin. You who think of your sins lightly should mark the sacrifice appointed for atoning sin and see who bears the awful load – It is the Word, the Lord’s anointed Son of God and Son of Mary. This should help us to loathe sin, and kill it and love holiness, and live righteously.

·         A study of Christ’s Person and work as mediator ought to make us to praise Him for His grace. Who could have expected Him to do such things for we who are so unworthy? Who can calculate what it cost Him to become man and to suffer on the cross for us? Who can measure the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19)?

·         At the same time it ought to give us comfort. As mediator, Christ has done everything from beginning to end that we sinners need. We know the will of God for our complete salvation. We have a sacrifice that cleanses us from all sin. We have a Lord who will keep us to the end. May the Lord help us always to look to Christ and to depend on Him.

Bring Back the Backslider!

James 5:19-20

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.

There is a general tendency to be scared of rebuking and admonishing others. You well know that someone is falling into a ditch, or even into a precipice and you look the other way, or you pray that they will open up their eyes and see their danger, but you say nothing! I want you to know, that I will not let you go down the abyss without telling you. We must never be quite as people abandon themselves to folly and vanity. The passage before us exhorts us to be on the lookout for the brethren who wander from the truth and bring them back. Bring back the backslider!

Consider the progression of James’s line of reasoning - he began with the need for physical healing (14-15) and went on to the need of spiritual growth (16-18) and in this passage he addresses the need to reclaim the wandering brother (19-20). Here is an edification church where both members and the elders are doing their job.

1.      It is possible for a true Christian to backslide

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth… It is evident from these words that a true, blood-bought saint can actually wander from the truth. This is the last time James is using his favourite address, ‘brothers’. This term refers to fellow members of the family of God whether men or women, boys and girls. Those whom Christ has given the full rights and privileges of sonship (John 1:12-13). The Bible says clearly that even the saints can wander from the truth.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” If you think yourself to be too sanctified that you cannot fall, then you are very mistaken and deceived. You could fall, you may fall, you may have fallen already! Consider your ways and ask yourself if you are standing even as you read this.

The language James employs here of wandering suggests that he is not just thinking of inadvertent wandering, it may as well be intentional wandering. Therefore, these may be casual sins or backsliding – any deviation from the truth. He uses the word truth here to speak of all that is involved in the gospel and not just the Christian doctrine. Any deviation from the gospel, whether major or minor.

You are capable of deviating from the glorious truth of the gospel. You could neglect this great salvation (Heb. 2:3). You may trample underfoot the Son of God. You are capable of profaning the blood of the covenant by which you were sanctified. My dear brother, you are able to outrage the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29). So we conclude that it is no mark of a wise or a holy man to boast of being free from error or sin, or to refuse to acknowledge when he is in error or in sin.

The Bible constantly tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought but to think with sober judgement (Rom. 12:3). A passage like this helps us to sober up in our own judgement of ourselves – we are capable of worse than we think. Don’t be surprised when you fall into sin – you are prone to wander; prone to leave Christ; prone to reject the eternal love of Christ by your words and behaviour.

2.      It is possible for you to bring back a backslider

Many of you are too quick to resign from any attempts of helping an erring and wandering Christian. But Pastor James exhorts us to do all we can to promote the conversion, restoration and salvation of others. If any is found or known to be in error from the truth or be in sin, that is in opinion or in practice of the gospel you must endeavour to bring them again to the law of Christ.  And praise the Lord for it is possible to bring back a wandering brother!

You realize that errors in judgement and errors in life go together. What the heart believes, the mind thinks, and the mouth confesses and eventually the whole body must do! The point here is that there is some doctrinal mistake at the bottom of every practical miscarriage. There is no one habitually bad, but upon some bad principle. Now to convert such is to reduce them from their error, and to reclaim them from the evils they have been led into. The verse says nothing about accusing the brother. But the verse speaks of efforts at bringing back the wandering sheep to the fold of God.

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back… Someone can and should bring the wandering brother back to the truth. The ‘someone’ here is not necessarily a pastor, in fact it can be argued that it is not an elder for if it were a pastor, James could have told us. The point made here is you, a fellow believer, along with your pastor, have a responsibility to bring back a wandering, backsliding, erring brother to the sheepfold of God. Yes, the responsibility of restoring the backslider is potentially placed on your shoulders. I know some of you are deliberate in seeking out the wanderer. I pray that your efforts would be rewarded.

Therefore, we are to do more than pray for the grace of God to work in the backslider. We must be watchful all the time for one another’s welfare and continuity in truth and life. How easy it is to slide from the full commitment to the Saviour of our souls. We are called here to go to the person and do what Paul says in Galatians 6:1;

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

The word translated to bring back, is ‘epistrepho’ which refers to a person’s initial turning away from sin to God in conversion as it is used in Acts 14:15; 15:19; 26:18; 1Thess. 1:9.

James here makes reference to ‘anyone among you’ i.e. one who has openly identified with the Christian community. He is most likely referring to a church member. When he says, bring back, he means, turning back to faith from which one has strayed as used in Mark 4:12.

Salvation is of the Lord from first to last. But the salvation of the Lord is brought about through the instrumentality of sovereignly appointed means – the preaching of the gospel by a preacher and the believing of Christ for the sinner. If we are instrumental in the conversion of any, we are said to save them, even if this is principally the gracious work of God. therefore participate in the work of grace of the salvation of sinners by being the instrumentality used by this gracious, sovereign God.

I perceive that it is easy to love the brethren who are making good spiritual progress – they come to church early, spend the whole day, they are intentionally cultivating holiness, reading the Bible and disciplined in their devotion, mortifying the deeds of the flesh – of course it is so easy to love such as this! Such brethren warm our hearts and we ought to be thrilled by such brethren who are making wonder spiritual progress in their lives.

But if someone no longer comes to church, he is struggling with multiple sins, not submitting to the discipline of the church and are not listening to elders, then you feel unable to say anything. The exhortation here is to go out to them and convert them. Be careful not to encourage them in their waywardness. Be careful not to encourage them to wander further away from the Lord, of from the truth, or from the body of Christ, the church. Do you remember making efforts towards the spiritual rejuvenation of others?

Why should you make this effort? Because there is a promise of hope both for the wandering brother, and for the restraining brother.

3.      The two-fold reward of bringing back the backslider:

a)      Rescue from death

Pastor James says that when you turn a wandering brother back into the narrow way of truth, you will ‘save him from death’. James is not in any way saying that that a true believer can lose salvation, as some people have argued from such passages as Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26, 27; 2 Peter 2:20. He has simply said that a true Christian can backslide. He has also added that such a backsliding Christian can be brought back by the efforts of other Christians and be rescued from death. Thank God, for there is hope for you backslider!

What death is James speaking about here? Imagine a pastor who falls into sexual immorality, with a Sunday School teacher in the church. The Sunday school teacher is also the wife of one of the deacons. Then the pastor and the teacher abandons their spouses to live together in immoral cohabitation. Efforts to speak spiritual sense to both of them fails. The pastor is eventually excommunicated and removed from his pastoral responsibility. The Sunday school is also excommunicated. When you look at their lives, you are frustrated by the level of sin and transgression and you cannot help but imagine a fearful expectation of judgment. This is what James is speaking about here: within every fellowship there are those whose profession of faith turns out not to be real. Their attachment to Christ and to His church is tested by circumstances of life and then the true condition of their soul is exposed as still held by sin and death. It becomes evident to the caring eyes of those who watch and observe their progress within their church. For such as this, it is easy to come to the conclusion that they have no hope. Yet there is hope for them – the grace of God super-abounds and we should do something ourselves to bring them back to the Chief Shepherd.

Is it possible for us, with our limited wisdom, finite perception and fallen outward observance to discern the difference between the backsliding of a believer and the apostacy of a non-believer?  The fact is that the only evidence we have is the fruit of both. The Lord says that we shall know them by their fruit. So when the living and believing do not agree we have to communicate. And when there is no change, we no choice but to excommunicate and start the work of evangelism once again!

Thankfully there is hope of being brought back and yes, there is hope of salvation of his soul from death. The soul being the principal part of the man, the saving of that only is mentioned, but it includes the salvation of the whole man since a human being is not divided but one. The spirit shall be saved from hell, the body raised from the grave, and both saved from eternal death to eternal and glorious salvation in heaven.

b)      Restoration

By such conversion of heart and life, a multitude of sins shall be covered. Though your sins be many, or even be a multitude, yet they all could be covered or forgiven. Though your sins be as red as crimson, the blood of Christ can cleanse to be as white as snow. The most wicked sinner, even the king of siners can be sanctified to be a saint by the work of the Holy Spirit.

The word cover is a very gracious word drawn from the OT. It means to cover over so that no trace of sin can be seen. It is one of the Bible’s great salvation words, speaking of God’s gracious covering over of man’s sin by the sacrificial death of Christ. This covering of sin is what secures forgiveness for the sinner and the two concepts are brought together perfectly by David when he cries, ‘Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered’ (Ps. 32:1)[1]

The point is made then that sins forgiven or covered can never appear in judgment against us. The Lamb of God does take away the sins of the world. His blood covers all our sins. His death took our death and it’s sting away. The blood of the Lamb of Christ is the only hope for us.

Some think this text means that conversion shall prevent a multitude of sins. Of course it is true beyond dispute that many sins are prevented in the party converted. Indeed salvation prevents much mischief, and the spreading and multiplying of sin in the world. But the only way in which your sins can be removed from you is through Christ.

We also must never forget that those that turn many to righteousness, and those who help to do so, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. May you then be a Christian who is willing to do anything possible to bring the restoration of a backsliding Christian to the kingdom of Christ. Do not just stare at those who are wallowing in their sin and waywardness – bring back the prodigal. Yes bring back the backslider by speaking with them, rebuking them, correcting them, that they would know the redeeming love of Christ and saviour the gracious mercy of our Father in heaven.

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[1] Blanchard, John, Truth for Life (EP) p.402-403