HOW CAN I HELP TO RESTORE SOMEONE TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD? (EZEK. 36:16-38)
THE TERM ''RESTORE'' IS AN INTERESTING ONE.
IN ANCIENT GREEK, IT MEANS TO SET A BROKEN BONE BACK IN IN PLACE.IN RESTORING SOMEONE WE DO NOT PLACE BANDAGES ON SMALL CUTS, BUT INSTEAD WE SET BROKEN SPIRITUAL BONES. THEREFORE THE WORK OFTEN LONG AND PAINFUL.
THE STEPS TO RESTORATION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1) LEAD THE PERSON TO RECOGNIZE IS FAILURE . HELP HIM SEE THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND CALL IT BY ITS RIGHT NAME: SIN. AS LONG AS A PERSON CAN RATIONALIZE HIS BEHAVIOR , HE WILL NEVER ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
2) LEAD THE PERSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS SIN.
BLAMING OTHERS WILL DO NO GOOD . OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, BUT THE PERSON CHOSE TO SIN-AND CLAIMING PROPER RESPONSIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORATION.
3) LEAS THE FALLEN SAINT TO REPENT.
PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONVICT THE PERSON TO FEEL REMORSE, REGRET, AND GRIEF .
REPENTANCE MEANS A CHANGE OF MIND LEADING TO A CHANGE OF CONDUCT. PAUL TAUGHT THAT OUR THINKING MUST CHANGE FIRST; THEN OUR ACTIONS WILL FOLLOW (ROM.12:2 ).
4)LEAD THE PERSON TO RECEIVE THE MESSAGE GOD WANTS TO TEACH HIM.
SOMETIMES A PERSON IS STUBBORN AND RESISTANT AND RELUCTANT TO LEARN. BUT FAILURE IS UNPROFITABLE ONLY WHEN WE REFUSE TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE. IF WE LEARN AND GROW, WE HAVE NOT UTTERLY FAILED-WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSELVES AND ABOUT OUR GOD.
5)LEAD THE SINFUL BELIEVER TO RESPOND TO GOD'S CHASTISEMENT WITH GRATITUDE.
THE ONE LEADING MIGHT POINT OUT TWO HELPFUL VERSES: "BEFORE I WAS AFFLICTED I WENT ASTRAY, BUT NOW I KEEP YOUR WORDS; AND, "IT IS GOOD FOR ME THAT I HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED, THAT I MAY LEARN YOUR STATUTES" (PS. 119:67, 71).
GENTLY REMIND THE PERSON HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT GOD LOVES ENOUGH TO CHASTISE US AND TO MEND US. GOD WILL NEVER CRUSH THE ONE HE LOVES SO DEARLY.
THE GOAL OF ALL SPIRITUAL RESTORATION IS TO HELP OUR SINNING BROTHERS AND SISTERS "COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, HAVING BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL" (2 TIM. 2:26). WHAT A JOY IS OURS WHEN WE SEE GOD PUT A NEW HEART AND NEW SPIRIT IN THEM, CAUSING THEM TO WALK JOYFUL AND WILLINGY IN HIS WAYS AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS FOR THEIR OWN GOOD (EZEK. 36:26,27)!
THE TERM ''RESTORE'' IS AN INTERESTING ONE.
IN ANCIENT GREEK, IT MEANS TO SET A BROKEN BONE BACK IN IN PLACE.IN RESTORING SOMEONE WE DO NOT PLACE BANDAGES ON SMALL CUTS, BUT INSTEAD WE SET BROKEN SPIRITUAL BONES. THEREFORE THE WORK OFTEN LONG AND PAINFUL.
THE STEPS TO RESTORATION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1) LEAD THE PERSON TO RECOGNIZE IS FAILURE . HELP HIM SEE THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND CALL IT BY ITS RIGHT NAME: SIN. AS LONG AS A PERSON CAN RATIONALIZE HIS BEHAVIOR , HE WILL NEVER ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
2) LEAD THE PERSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS SIN.
BLAMING OTHERS WILL DO NO GOOD . OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, BUT THE PERSON CHOSE TO SIN-AND CLAIMING PROPER RESPONSIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORATION.
3) LEAS THE FALLEN SAINT TO REPENT.
PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONVICT THE PERSON TO FEEL REMORSE, REGRET, AND GRIEF .
REPENTANCE MEANS A CHANGE OF MIND LEADING TO A CHANGE OF CONDUCT. PAUL TAUGHT THAT OUR THINKING MUST CHANGE FIRST; THEN OUR ACTIONS WILL FOLLOW (ROM.12:2 ).
4)LEAD THE PERSON TO RECEIVE THE MESSAGE GOD WANTS TO TEACH HIM.
SOMETIMES A PERSON IS STUBBORN AND RESISTANT AND RELUCTANT TO LEARN. BUT FAILURE IS UNPROFITABLE ONLY WHEN WE REFUSE TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE. IF WE LEARN AND GROW, WE HAVE NOT UTTERLY FAILED-WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSELVES AND ABOUT OUR GOD.
5)LEAD THE SINFUL BELIEVER TO RESPOND TO GOD'S CHASTISEMENT WITH GRATITUDE.
THE ONE LEADING MIGHT POINT OUT TWO HELPFUL VERSES: "BEFORE I WAS AFFLICTED I WENT ASTRAY, BUT NOW I KEEP YOUR WORDS; AND, "IT IS GOOD FOR ME THAT I HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED, THAT I MAY LEARN YOUR STATUTES" (PS. 119:67, 71).
GENTLY REMIND THE PERSON HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT GOD LOVES ENOUGH TO CHASTISE US AND TO MEND US. GOD WILL NEVER CRUSH THE ONE HE LOVES SO DEARLY.
THE GOAL OF ALL SPIRITUAL RESTORATION IS TO HELP OUR SINNING BROTHERS AND SISTERS "COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, HAVING BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL" (2 TIM. 2:26). WHAT A JOY IS OURS WHEN WE SEE GOD PUT A NEW HEART AND NEW SPIRIT IN THEM, CAUSING THEM TO WALK JOYFUL AND WILLINGY IN HIS WAYS AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS FOR THEIR OWN GOOD (EZEK. 36:26,27)!
