Dealing With A Backslidden Fellow Believer
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV)
The word wicked here can be replaced with the word backslider however only in relation to the sins listed.
Those things that Paul listed here are what Paul calls acts of “Sinful Nature”. We must remember that backsliders are still children of God but they have fallen backwards in their relationship with God and have lost interest in following Jesus.
They have lost their first love or zeal because Satan has won them over and consumed them.
However it is important to note here that God even loves the homosexual offenders listed here as much as he loves others who sin. Because Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross for us for the forgiveness of sin (Matthew 26:28) and in doing so he paid for this sin and the others listed here.
Elsewhere Paul wrote to the Galatians:
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:
-sexual immorality
-impurity and debauchery
-idolatry and witchcraft
- hatred
- discord
- jealousy
- fits of rage
- selfish ambition
- dissensions
- factions and envy
- drunkenness
- orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.“ Galatians 5:16-21 (NIV)
With these verses in mind a backslider is a believer who has become sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers and those who indulge in impurity, debauchery, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness and orgies among other sins not mentioned.
But how are we to deal with backsliders within the body of faithful and true believers of Jesus Christ within the church?
First we must try to restore them or turn them back to God and away from their sins.
If that fails we are to withdraw or distance ourselves from them. Finally we are to let Satan have them and be done with them while they are in league with Satan and his demons
1. Restore Them: ”Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1 (NKJV).
A believer can sin alone or in private but because they are a part of the church or the body of Jesus Christ their sins can and at times will affect everyone in the church because:
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV)
We are to help those who are members of the body of Jesus Christ. We must speak to them about the sin in their life with gentleness and pray for them.
2. Withdraw From Them:
”But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NKJV)
“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner - not even to eat with such a person. But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person.
”1 Corinthians 5:11,13 (NKJV)
Here Paul tells us that believers in the body Of Jesus Christ are to withdraw and not associate or even break bread with those who claim be a Christian but are living in sin by committing sins like some of the ones he listed here.
Therefore scripture clearly states that we are to withdraw or not associate with people who claim to be a Christian yet by their lifestyle and the way they live we can see that they are consumed by Satan and living with sins that are clearly forbidden in the bible.
In Deuteronomy 17:7
”Put away the evil from among us as children of God."
“A church that includes such people is hardly fit to be the light of the world because it distorts the picture of Christ that it presents to the world.
"The church has a responsibility to rebuke, correct, and restore those in the fellowship who claim to be believers but live like unbelievers.”
- Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians Page 74
3. Let Satan Have them:
”In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NKJV)
To deliver one over to Satan is not literal because only God can do that in the final judgment (Revelation 14:7) but it means that we are to excommunicate them from the body of the church (“When you are gathered together”) so all will know that they are honoring and following Satan and not God.
When we do so the hope is that without the spiritual backing of the church they will be left with no one but Satan in their sin and maybe knowing that they are alone they will repent and turn from their sins and return to God.
So we are to exclude them from the church, worship services, fellowship and other ministries of the church.
Church Discipline is also outlined in the Bible in the New Testament and it tells us how to discipline backsliding sinners within the church or the body of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus tells us that we are to speak to them privately and show them the error of their ways. If they still will not listen then speak to them again with one or two witnesses in keeping with Titus 3:10 where we are to admonish, rebuke or warn them twice.
If they still will not listen and turn from their sin, bring the matter up to the church. If that fails, then treat them like a pagan or an unbeliever.
It is important to note here that the earliest manuscripts of Gospel of Matthew do not have the words “against you” in them and it is still debated if the words “against you” should be included because that speaks of sin in a personal way.
Its exclusion from Matthew 18:15 would mean that
“If your brother sins, go and tell him his fault”.
That would mean that we are to confront brothers or fellow believers when we see sin in their lives which we should do anyway as in James 5:19-20 so that the soul will be saved.
Elsewhere Paul tells us that after this final excommunication step where we remove them from our fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:11) however we should forgive them if they repent and turn from their sins.
In the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells us that there is more rejoicing in heaven and in the presence of angels of God when one sinner repents. (Luke 15:7 - Luke 15:10).
