Read James 5:13–20
Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will
save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:20
What are we to do when we see a fellow believer wandering from the truth?
We should pray for him, to be sure, but we must also seek to help him. He needs to be turned back onto the right path.
It is important that we seek to win the lost, but it is also important to win
the saved. If a brother has sinned against us, we should talk to him privately and seek to settle the matter. If he listens, then we have “won [our] brother over” (Matt. 18:15).
If we are going to help an erring brother, we must have an attitude of
love, for “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). This does not mean that love “sweeps the dirt under the carpet.” Where there is love, there must also be truth; and where there is truth, there is honest confession of sin and cleansing from God.
Love not only helps the offender to face his sins and deal with them, but
love also assures the offender that those sins, once forgiven, are
remembered no more (Heb. 8:12).
Something to Ponder
How would you confront someone about a sin without being judgmental or condescending?