Room for restoration

“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

All Christians have a firm belief in the Great Commission. (Or at least we better!) Once we are saved, we are to go and help others find Christ. It’s the cornerstone and bedrock of what we’re on this planet to do. We know that it is God’s will for all to be saved according to II Peter 3:9, that reads, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” This doesn’t mean that all people WILL be saved, but only that God desires it. He won’t negate our free will, but He earnestly desires all of His creations to spend eternity with Him. However, once we decide to live for Jesus we should always have a mission mindset.

Now this doesn’t mean that we are all going to be called to go overseas to evangelize remote peoples. Handing out religious tracts door-to-door isn’t going to be in everyone’s future either. And unless you are specifically directed by God to do it, don’t hand out pamphlets at the airport. We’re supposed to stand apart and be separate (II Corinthians 6:17) but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be weirdos. And most of the people I’ve seen in airports handing out pamphlets definitely fall into the “weirdo” category.            

All kidding aside, most mature believers already know this information. We know that our duty in life after receiving our own salvation is to take as many people to heaven with us as possible. And most of us are in complete agreement about the power of the blood of Jesus and the overwhelming mercy that He extends to sinners to cleanse and deliver them. We are pretty good about accepting new converts and helping them to grow and mature. However, we aren’t nearly as good at forgiveness and restoration of believers that fall.

Not good at all.

Pitiful in fact.

How can we plead the blood of Jesus on new believers while going out of our way to shelter and disciple them, but completely cut off a seasoned Christian who falls into sin? How is this okay? Not only is it a horrible display of the restoration taught in the Bible, but it teaches those new believers we’ve tried to mentor that there is no coming back from some sins. And of course, the more visible or public the sin, the harder we cry out for justice instead of crying out for mercy.

This isn’t how it is supposed to be.

In today’s Christian climate, King David never would have made it through the Bathsheba scandal, let alone the murder of Uriah. As Twenty-first Century Christians, we would have demanded blood (or at least the abdication of his kingship). Fortunately, God doesn’t react the way we do. Were there consequences of his actions? Absolutely. Terrible consequences. However, God did not forsake David. Nor did He take away his throne. God didn’t even ask him to step down from the parking lot team. God is a God of restoration to the same degree that He is a God of salvation.

Our actions have consequences, and about that, there is no doubt. Galatians 6:7 reads, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” But we as fellow believers need to be satisfied with the consequences that God allows and not impose our own. Dispensing correction for other people’s indiscretions isn’t our job. We only see what our natural eyes will allow. God sees the heart. We have no idea about the humility and sincerity of a repentant man or woman, but God does. Sometimes the breaking heart and destroyed conscience IS the consequence.

While the above verse from Galatians is true. It is no truer than Romans 11:29 which states, “For the gifts and thee calling of God are irrevocable.” God has given talents and gifts among all of us and He isn’t going to suddenly withdraw those talents and gifts because of a fall into sin. It wasn’t a mistake on God’s part to give these talents, and He expects a return on His investment. If He took ministry away from anyone who fell into sin, it would undermine His own plan of evangelizing the world. We all have sinned and have no moral authority to proclaim someone else’s sins more “evil” or “unforgivable” than our own. Sexual sins seem to top our list of “ministry destroying” issues. Impropriety with ministry funds comes in at a close second. I’m certainly not here to excuse these sins (or any sins for that matter), but if we’re to be like Jesus, we must make room for restoration!

The Apostle Paul had a past that would have completely excluded him from any place in ministry in the eyes of most of today’s Christians. Peter denied Christ three times and was later used to preach the greatest evangelical sermon in the Bible.

God believes in restoration.

God practices restoration.

People with powerful ministries are going to be prime targets for the enemy. With greater anointing, comes greater attack. Not everyone is going to overcome every attack unscathed. People are going to fall. People will sometimes have to re-earn trust through a pattern of good works. However, no one is ever excluded from ministry. It is what we are called to do. Let’s be a church ready to restore the fallen and the broken. We are in desperate need of Christians using their gifts for the kingdom. The world needs Christians who have tasted victory and defeat. It is what makes us relatable! Yes, we must use wisdom in all things, but let’s not hold people to unattainable standards to keep them from operating in their calling. Let’s be a church full of love and compassion that is ready to restore!