Prayer for the Broken

Prayer for the Broken
Words of Faith 6-13-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 John 5
[16] If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. [17] All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

What is your responsibility if you see a fellow Christian sin? Sometimes, our natural response in the flesh is to quickly pass judgment and then tell someone! Surely, the Bible has a better response.
Jesus taught in Matthew 18:15‑17 that if someone sins against you, you should go to that person alone first, then with one or two others, then go before the church, and finally treat the unrepentant offender as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Remember, Jesus treated pagans and tax collectors with love, eating with them, but He did not share close spiritual circles with them.)
Paul taught that "if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." (Galatians 6:1‑2). The word translated as "restore" was used medically to describe the setting of bone or joint back in place so it could heal. Such restoration must be done gently and skillfully. Great care must be taken to avoid indulging in sin, especially the sin of self-righteousness.
John calls us to a first response: PRAYER for a fellow believer who sins. When we see sin in the Body, before we talk to anyone, we need to talk to God. Oh, how we miss that. We are to pray for the Holy Spirit to convict the person of sin, create a repentant spirit, and draw that person to Himself. We pray that God will give him life unless it is a "sin that leads to death."
John talks about "sin that leads to death." What is that? Theologians have debated this for centuries. Are these sins punishable by death in the Old Testament law? Is it any deliberate or presumptive sin, as Judaism taught? Or is it the deliberate sin that grieves the Holy Spirit and sears our conscience?
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark 3:28‑29). In context, this is the deliberate rejection of salvation in Jesus Christ to the bitter end.
The point is NOT that we should refrain from praying for anyone, no matter the sin we believe they have committed. The point is that there is HOPE for all through prayer unless that person chooses to have no hope by rejecting Christ for eternity. Even prayer for such a person is not wasted; it softens our hearts even if it is disappointed.
Okay, so what is the point? Is there sin that you see in the Body of Christ? Pray for that believer. If you can, work gently toward Biblical restoration. You never know, that person may one day be praying you back into a right relationship with God. Such is the Body of Christ.

Lord, make me a tool of Your restoration. When I see sin, turn my eye, heart, and voice to You and not to those who have no business. I pray for the restoration of the broken members of the Body of Christ. Heal the wounds. Mend the hurts. Forgive my sin as I forgive those who sin against me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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