Saving A Soul From Death

There was a congregation in Kentucky in 1948 that had an elder who was having an affair with a woman who lived right across the road from the church. The local preacher realizing the problem began a series of sermons on the subject of adultery, but to no prevail. He even went to the point of confronting the guilty party and trying to persuade them to repent of their wickedness, but they refused. In his sermon the following Sunday he began to preach against adultery one more time, but this time he did what preachers today would not dare to do, he began to name names; And when he did, the guilty woman rushed the pulpit with a knife in her hands and the guilty elder stopped her before she turned the sin of adultery into murder. The congregation fired the preacher and the guilty elder remained to poison the entire congregation. Eventually the congregation died and the building which housed the church remains empty until this very day.

Having remembered such a story it makes me wonder what would happen to such a preacher today. I dare to say the same preacher might end up dead, or at least never hired to preach the gospel again. However, just imagine if you went to a church which cared enough for your soul that they preached sermons that were personal to your sins. What would happen if the elders and the preacher came to you personally and asked you to make a change in your life? What would you do if the preacher named you by name in his sermon concerning your sins?

Now before you answer, consider this, come the day of judgment Christ is going to do just that to you. Rom 2:16 He is going to judge you by His gospel and all of your deeds, whether good and bad. 2 Cor 5:10 As bad as it seems to us about calling names and sins out loud, Christ will know every secret sin and every evil thought we have ever committed, and his is going to speak them out loud before God the Father. Now the difference is this, you won’t have the opportunity to change when Christ does it to you. Christ will have the right to judge us and cast us into hell if we are found wanting. Dan 5:27

Personally, as horrific and embarrassing as it would be to have a preacher call out all of my sins before the entire congregation, I would rather have this done to me and my soul saved come the day of judgment, than to never have this to happen and I lose my soul forever in hell. I don’t want to be as David was when he said, “Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul.” Ps 142:4

It was Nathan the prophet who was sent to David when he had an affair with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. He confronted David privately, but God made his sin known unto everyone, even unto this very day.  This God did because David caused all of Israel to sin and to blaspheme God’s name. 2 Sam 12:12,14 May every sincere Christian have someone who is willing to tell them the truth about the condition of their soul, and willing to lose their love and friendship in order to tell them. Gal 4:16

Actually, every Christian has the obligation to confront any sin perpetuated against them by fellow brethren; privately first, and if refused they must take with them one or two witnesses, and if they are refused he must bring the matter before the church. Mt 18:15-17 The church has the right to disfellowship any brother or sister who abides not in the apostolic doctrine. Take note of Paul’s words when he said, “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 Thess 3:6,cf 14,15

May we have someone like Paul who confronted the apostle Peter face to face concerning favoritism, to point out our wrong doing. Gal 2:11,12 May we all have someone who seeks to save our soul from death. Even as James said, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 Let us examine ourselves daily whether we be in the faith, and let us turn from the evil of our ways. 2 Cor 13:5 If perchance our examination is not sufficient, and we are corrected by fellow brethren, let us be like David and repent of our sins get back on the strait and narrow path. If we love God and our fellow brethren we will correct those who have erred from the faith, and we will be corrected when we are shown the error of our ways.