You are invited to come to the Wednesday evening prayer meeting and pray. (8:30 PM EST Wed., Mar. 14, 2001)

Note time change from 7:00 PM LHF time to 8:30 PM EST (Please also note the change from LHF time to Eastern Standard time. Also, Bill Rankin will be leading the meetings and will be talking about other topics than James. This is my last message from James.)

Dean

James 5:19 and 20 are the closing verses of James' letter -- maybe what he wanted his readers to be sure and remember. He says, "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth..." He is speaking to fellow believers -- those who are saved by grace through faith and not by works but as a gift from God. He is speaking to those who God purchased for himself by the precious blood of Jesus. And he is acknowledging that some of them (some of us) may wander from the truth. What is this truth that some may be wandering from?

We look at these verses and maybe assume that James is talking about some that have fallen into sin. After all, he has spoken about murder, adultery, pride, envy and every kind of strife. These things do represent a wandering from the truth. People who do these things have left the road of the "Thou shalt nots." But these sins are really the results losing sight of the greater truths -- the truth that God is almighty and that he made us according to his own will and for his own purpose -- that he holds us in his hands and gives us every breath that we breath and every beat of our hearts -- the truth that he didn't spare his own Son but gave him up for us all -- the truth that Jesus was willing to leave his glory, take the form of a bond-servant and become obedient even to death on the cross and shed his blood for our sin in order to give us life -- the truth of the gospel.

The truth also includes the truth of James 1:2-4 -- the truth that God permits us trials to test our faith -- not in order for us to fail and for him to condemn us, but for us to learn to persevere so that we may become mature and complete, not lacking anything. He loves us and wants us to become like him. In his purposes he does not fail.

James says that if anyone wanders from the truth and someone should bring him back, he should remember that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him (literally, his soul) from death and cover over a multitude of sins. Jesus told his disciples (and we are also his disciples), not to fear the one that can kill only the body, but rather to fear the one that can destroy both the body and the soul in hell. God's intent for us is that our souls not be destroyed in hell, but that we may be in his presence forever with no more death or mourning or crying -- for him to be our God and us to be his sons (and daughters). By bringing someone back who has wandered from the truth, you are participating with God in accomplishing his purpose of saving that person. He is your brother in Christ and God will save him, but you have the opportunity of participating with God in his work of saving that person.

James also says that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way not only will save his soul from death but will also cover over a multitude of sins. When I have read this in the past and also as I read it just today, I wondered whose sins are covered over. If I turn a sinner from the error of his way, are his sins covered over, or are my sins covered over, or is it someone else's sins. I looked at several commentaries and they said that it was the person who was the sinner who had wandered from the truth whose sins were covered over -- and maybe also the sins many others whom that person would influence. I supposed that the expositors would not say that it was my multitude of sins that were covered because only the blood of Jesus can cover sins. But nevertheless, there is a great blessing in turning a brother back to the truth (and an even greater blessing in turning someone who is dead in his sins and transgressions to Jesus our Lord and savior). Pray for all of us to have this blessing many times over.

Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! Amen.

Come and let's pray for each other as well as for the whole church. Come and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Love them.

PS: If you absolutely can't make it to the prayer meeting, send your prayer requests back to me by e-mail and we'll pray for them.