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When God’s children are tempted to sin, some of them are able to escape. The Lord Jesus and Joseph are examples. Jesus escaped temptations in the wilderness while Joseph fled it in Potiphar’s house. As Jesus was tempted with food and pride of life (Matthew 4:1-11), Joseph was tempted with adultery (Genesis 39:12).
However, other children of God particularly, those who are immature or careless, may be overtaken in sin completely. Samson and Judas Iscariot are examples. They fell for sex, money and the pleasures of the world respectively.
Clearly, a true worshipper does not deliberately practice sin, but sometimes he or she may fall into it when tempted. Paul knew about this problem so he provided a solution by writing:
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE HIM in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).
Here, the Apostle clearly admits that a born-again Christian can be caught in a sin. There are several other examples in Scripture.
We can remember the account in which Peter was said to have fallen into a sin of hypocrisy and Paul had to rebuke him. He “opposed him to his face…” In the end, he won back his brother (Galatians 2:11-14).
In the Corinthian church too, some of the believers were overtaken in sins which were actually reported to Paul (1 Corinthians 5:1). To ensure the purity of the church, Paul taught that sin should be dealt with immediately.
But how should it be handled? He said fellow spiritual or mature Christians should restore the brother or sister who has been overtaken in a sin.
He did not say we should abandon them to their fate and gossip about them. He did not say we should make hate speeches against them or speak evil about them to kill them slowly.
All he instructed was that they must be restored; they must be saved and not destroyed with hurting words.
Read what James also wrote: “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 sin wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19).
A child of God may fall in a sin, and when this happens, God expects fellow believers to help restore or bring them back in the faith in the spirit of gentleness and humility.
However, I believe that in extreme cases, rebellious believers who are unrepentant may be expelled from the church as was the case in first Corinthians Chapter Five.
By James Quansah
