How can the church help those overcome by sin and its effects?

Bible Question:

Bible Answer:

Man Suffering From Sin

Generally speaking, believers do not have a good understanding of the dangerous effects of sin upon them. Most believers view sin as a one-time event without any consequences. They assume that forgiveness removes any consequences. But that did not happen to Moses who lost his ministry when he sinned. It did not happen to King David whose baby son died after David committed adultery. These are only two examples. The point is that sin can cause unpleasant lingering problems and suffering that we do not think about. For example, consider 1 Corinthians 6:16-18 which says,

Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:16-18 (NASB)

The first thing that we should notice in this passage is that sex with a male or female prostitute is the sin of immorality. Believers are commanded to flee sexual sin. We are also commanded to flee youthful lusts in 2 Timothy 2:22. Also, in 1 Corinthians 6:18 we are told that when a person commits sex with someone who is not their wife or husband, they sin against their own body. We might think that this refers to sexual diseases. I believe that is included. But I have found as a counselor that such sins can cause serious marital problems. Sometimes it is the root problem in a marriage. My point for sharing 1 Corinthians 6:16-18 is that sexual sins can and do negatively impact us.

1 Corinthians 7:4-5 describes another sin that can occur between a husband and wife when one or both refuse to be intimate with each other. The consequences of this sin can be that Satan tempts one or both of them to sin. Paul warns against losing self-control. The consequence of this sin is obvious.

Another sin is that of not giving to the Lord on Sunday. It can result in the Lord withholding His blessing. In the Old Testament God required that believers give a tithe or a tenth, but in the New Testament believers are simply urged to give willingly and generously. But Malachi 3:8-12 warned Old Testament believers that when they failed to give money to the Lord, God would withhold blessing from them. The result would be that their crops would not be as productive. For us, that would mean we will have financial difficulties. This is the consequence of another sin.

God has also warned children to obey their parents in Ephesians 6:2-3,

HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH. Ephesians 6:2-3 (NASB)

Here we are told that the benefit of honoring one’s parents is that things will go well with you and you may have long life. Any child who ignores this warning will be less happy during his or her life and have a shorter life. Now this does not apply when parents are evil and demand that children not obey the Lord.

Another passage is Matthew 5:6. Here we are encouraged to greatly desire to be righteous.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

Notice that satisfaction is not found in only pursuing satisfaction or happiness. That is what many believers do. They pursue what they want. But here we are told that if we greatly long to be righteous, we will be satisfied. If we will long to be righteous, then God promises that we will be satisfied. But, the opposite is not true. Pursuing satisfaction does not produce satisfaction. In the first and second chapters of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon teaches us that the pursuit of happiness and significance in this life is futile. It results in emptiness. He wrote this in Ecclesiastes 2:11.

Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NASB)

So, Matthew 5:6 reveals that pursuing righteousness results in satisfaction.

One more important passage is Matthew 6:33,

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

So, once again we discover that when we run like an athlete toward righteousness, the result is happiness and blessing. One way to pursue righteousness is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in the Holy Spirit. That is, read and study Scripture, confess our sins, and exercise self-control. Ephesians 5:17-6:5 and Galatians 5:16-23 describe the results as joy, happiness, thanksgiving, mutual submission, and increasing victory over sin. But the desire to be righteous must not be confused with the pursuit of blessings and happiness. The correct desire is to be righteous—not to be satisfied. Satisfaction is the byproduct for Matthew 6:33 says the reward of longing to be righteous is satisfaction.

Another benefit of pursuing righteousness is that Jesus promised that the Father and He will love us and reveal Himself to us. So, if we desire to know more about Jesus then we need to pursue becoming more like Him.

Why did I review these few examples of the negative consequences of sin, and a few examples of the benefits of righteousness? Because we usually think that sin is an isolated event without long term consequences. We also do not think about the long term benefits of wanting to be righteous. So, how does this help us answer the question, “What role should church leadership play in these situations and specifically what role should church discipline have?” The answer is found in five principles.

1. Pursue Righteousness

The first principle to overcoming sin and not experience suffering due to sin is that churches should exhort their leaders and congregations to pursue righteousness because of the benefits of longing to be righteous. But a more important reason is that our heart should desire to be as righteous or as holy as God. 1 Peter 1:15-16.

But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NASB)

Our God wants us to be holy. God wants us to want to be like Him for satisfaction, peace, and joy are not found in committing evil. In addition, we please Him when we desire to be like Him. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 says,

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NASB)

That is, pastors and teachers must expose sin and call the people to repentance. God wrote these words to the nation of Israel in Ezekiel 22:26.

Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 22:26 (NASB)

2. Practice Admonition

The second principle that pastors and teachers should follow is given to us in Romans 15:14. In this verse the apostle Paul compliments the Christians in the city of Rome for their willingness to admonish one another. Frankly, this is a very unusual compliment. It is one we do not hear taught very often.

And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 (NASB)

This compliment was given to the believers in the church at Rome because they were admonishing each other when a believer was committing sin. This might seem strange to us. If so, notice that in Colossians 1:28-29, we are told that God wants believers to admonish each other in order to make every believer complete in Christ. Now this does not mean that we are to confront everyone in the church over every little sin. If we did admonish each other over every little sin, then no one would want to come to church! In addition, we need to remember that Matthew 7:3-5 warns us to not be a sin inspector when we have a log in our own eye. God has not called us to be hunters looking for every kind of sin. Why? Because we all still sin. No one is sinless. Everyone sins daily. Yet, we must be concerned about patterns of habitual, ongoing sin.

Some believers are trapped by sins. Hebrews 12:1-2 urges believers to,

. . . let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith . . . Hebrews 12:1b-2a (NASB)

The Holy Spirit had these words written to encourage us to stop sinning and follow Christ. The Greek word for “entangles” is euperistatos. It has the sense of a sin that has tight control of us. What kind of sins tightly control us? Any sin that is a habit or a sin that we keep repeating. That is a sin that tightly controls us. In order to break free, some believers may need help.

Sadly, there are believers who are not very serious about being righteous or becoming more holy. So, they do not welcome someone telling them about their sin. But Proverbs 9:8; 10:17; 13:10; 15:31; and 17:10 tell us that a wise man welcomes rebuke and admonition. A righteous and wise man accepts rebuke graciously. It is the fool who does not want to be admonished. Here are verses that will help to crystalize this truth,
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,

Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:8b (NASB)

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
Proverbs 12:15 (NASB)

A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
Proverbs 14:16 (NASB)

He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
Proverbs 15:31 (NASB)

A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
Proverbs 17:10 (NASB)

Galatians 6:1-2 adds this,

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. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1-2 (NASB)

This is a very practical passage. This is us how to admonish a believer who is caught in some sin. First, we must evaluate ourselves. The word “spiritual” in the first verse does not mean that a person is a believer. It means that the person is free from habitual sins. A good explanation is given to us in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. There Paul contrasts being spiritual with being carnal. So, Galatians 6:1 says that the one who is free from habitual sins is to admonish the sinning believer in a spirit of gentleness. Also, we are to evaluate ourselves. What is our motivation and are we guilty of the same sin? The point is that admonition must not be tainted with a spirit of revenge or punishment.

So, pastors and teachers need to call the people to pursue righteousness and practice giving admonition for the benefit of fellow believers. The goal must not be condemnation but to rescue. We are to help them realize the benefits of pursuing righteousness.

3. Practice Church Discipline

The third principle we should follow is found in Matthew 18:15-18. There we, as individuals and churches are encouraged to help a brother stop committing his habitual sin. There are at least three steps. First, you and I are to admonish a brother in private by ourselves without sharing the brother’s sin with anyone else. The goal of the initial admonition is to discover if we misunderstood what we saw or heard. Maybe we can help. If we discover that we are wrong, then we need to apologize. We have already just discussed this principle.

The second principle in church discipline is if the brother refuses to respond to our admonition, then we are to take 2-3 other believers with us to admonish the sinning believer. At this point, the goal is to understand why they rejected our admonition. Maybe we misunderstood what we observed.

Third, if the believer refuses to hear and follow the second admonition, then the issue is to be taken to the church. Most churches consider this to mean the church leaders and not just the pastor. The fourth step is for the pastor to tell the congregation if the believer will not listen and accept the correction of the elders. Then that believer will be removed from the church membership.

The goal of church discipline is not punishment but restoration. The goal is to help the fellow believer to stop sinning and reap the rewards of pursuing righteousness. A New Testament example of church discipline is given in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 where a so-called believer was having sex with his stepmother. Then in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 the apostle Paul urges the church to restore him to fellowship in the church since he had repented. The church should have loved him and accepted him, but they were not doing that. In the time of the early church, discipline was very effective for there was only one church in a city. Unfortunately, today many sinning believers just leave and find another church. Then they never stop their sin. The receiving church may not initially be aware of their issue.

4. Walking in the Holy Spirit

The fourth principle in helping believers deal with sin and the consequence of sin is that many believers need to understand how the Holy Spirit can help them have victory over sin and pursue righteousness. They may not understand that the Holy Spirit has given them a new spirit and a new heart. He has sealed them and indwells them. They may not understand that He will help them pray, understand Scripture, give them spiritual gifts, and convict them of sin. They may not know that God the Father is transforming every believer into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit whether the believer wants to cooperate or not. Paul the apostle says in Philippians 1:6 that God

. . . who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

Here we are told God the Father has started to perfect every believer. He is continuing and will continue to perfect every believer. Notice that the work of perfection is a promise given by God and not by the counselor, a pastor, or a Bible teacher. God the Father will make this happen. But some believers are not very cooperative so they will have a much more difficult time.

Then in Philippians 2:12-13 we are told,

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 (NASB)

That is, every believer is encouraged to strive to be righteous or more holy. How do we do that? We must walk in the Spirit. All of that is wonderful, but yet many believers struggle with various sins and the fallout from those sins because they do not understand how to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit. The reason some believers do not understand is that some pastors and leaders do not understand or teach it. They do not understand how to walk in the Spirit and the benefits.

Worst of all, some Christian counselors are replacing the ministry of the Holy Spirit with self-help techniques. What believers need to understand is that God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3 states,

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

Too many Christian counselors fail to understand the “divine power” is not in their counseling technique, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. as the believer obeys the Word of God.

The key elements of being filled with the Holy Spirit are the study of Scripture and the confession of sin. I think we understand the study of Scripture. So, I want to focus on confession of sin. It is not something that should be done just once in a while. Confession should occur as soon as the believer understands he or she has sinned in order to restore the relationship with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Confession with repentance will bring peace with God. If you are walking closely with the Lord, you will have a sense of guilt almost as soon as you sin. If a believer is feeling sad, he or she should recognize that their sadness may be due to some sin. This occurs because the Holy Spirit is grieved and is convicting them of sin. Not all sadness is due to sin such as sadness that occurs due to grief over the death of a family member or a tragedy. Confession of sin will make the heart right with God when it is honest and serious, and accompanied by repentance.

5. Warning About Tares

The most serious issue in dealing with sin is that some members of the congregation may not be true or real believers. That is, the Holy Spirit does not indwell them. They are a tare (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). A tare is someone who looks like and acts like a believer but is not a believer. Matthew 7:21-23 reveals that on judgment day some people will think they are a believer but they are not. This sends us the message that some people in our churches are not believers, and the Holy Spirit cannot help them defeat sin. Without the Holy Spirit indwelling them, they cannot have victory over sin and its consequences. So, the solution is to appeal to them to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Conclusion

So, how do we help believers and believing families that are being overcome by sin and suffering the effects? The first principle in the answer is to crave to be righteous and then pursue righteousness. The second and third principles are that we can help other believers by practicing admonition and church discipline. The fourth is to teach others how to walk in the Spirit and when to confess their sins. The fifth principle is that maybe the person is not a real believer. God is simply calling that person or family to repent of their sins, to believe in Christ as their Lord and Savior, and to follow Him.