Principles of Spiritual Restoration
This outline is from my recent teaching series on the Principles of Spiritual Restoration. A believer who sins often needs help to be restored to the family or church. Adapt these principles according to the circumstances and the severity of the situation.
KEY SCRIPTURES
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. –1 John 2:1
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. — 1 John 1:7-9
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. — Galatians 6:1-3.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. — James 5:16
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. — 2 Corinthians 7:10
RESPONDING TO GOD
- Avoid justifying or rationalizing your actions.
- Make an honest confession and repentance of sin.
- Forgive yourself, accept Christ’s cleansing.
- Forgive others who may have harmed you.
- Ask the pastor(s) to receive Holy Communion.
- Consecrate yourself afresh to God and His will.
- Ask God to sanctify your attitudes, thoughts, and motives.
- Pursue holy living and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
- Develop spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, fasting, scriptures, etc.
- Safeguard yourself against repeating the same sin.
- Never think that you are above sin or temptation, even Jesus was tempted.
CONFESSION
- Confess public sins publicly, and private sins privately.
- Keep your confession brief (use carefully selected words).
- Express genuine repentance and remorse for sin.
- Focus only on your own sin (not the sin of others).
- Confess to specific sins (not generalized mistakes or errors).
- Guard against details that may hurt the reputation of others.
- Apologize directly to those that you may have harmed.
- Express your desire to make restitution and reconciliation.
- Request forgiveness and prayer support.
- Exalt Christ (avoid a self-centered confession).
RESPONDING TO OTHERS
- Make restitution with those who you have wronged.
- Respond with humility and limit strong emotions.
- Limit your conversation to only those directly involved.
- Discontinue discussing resolved matters.
- Avoid the appearance of evil (to restore your character).
- Preserve the witness of your church or family.
- Submit to those in spiritual leadership over you.
- Be accountable to a respected partner.
- Accept that fact that some people may never forgive you and move on.
- Ask God for grace to deal with difficult people.
CONSEQUENCES
- Some people may be hurt, disillusioned, or angry.
- Some people may avoid you, your family, or church.
- Some people may spread rumor and gossip.
- Your witness may be compromised.
- Your character may be questioned.
- Some people will doubt the sincerity of your repentance.
- Some consequences may never be reversed.
PRACTICAL TIPS
- It takes time to heal emotions and restore confidence.
- It takes time to rebuild trust, respect, and leadership.
- Very little sin is private; most issues have an impact upon others.
- Un-confessed sin will keep you and others in spiritual bondage.
OTHER SCRIPTURES
1 John 1
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Matthew 3
5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by (John) in the Jordan River.
Luke19
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Ephesians 4
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Luke 14:11
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
James 4
6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Romans 12
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 18
15“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18“I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
1 Thessalonians 5
12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil.
Filed by wes on May 22nd, 2008 under Spiritual Discipline | Comment now »
The Heavenly Vision
My call for ministry was more a process than an event. It began in 1978 with a heavenly vision that distinctly got my attention in the early morning hours. Sometime later it was confirmed during a sleepless night of prayer. Later still it was reaffirmed through opportunities for ministry that continued to open up. Ultimately, it was confirmed through other ministers who mentored and ordained me. These scriptures and images are displayed in my office as a reminder of a vision when God revealed himself to me. When
life gets tough, I recall that God called me to serve Him.
THE HEAVENLY VISION
13 b … I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me…
16 b … I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17b… I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “So then, … I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
Filed by wes on April 28th, 2008 under Personal | Comment now »
Biblical Mentors
Jesus’ greatest influence was not with the 12 disciples or the crowds. Rather, it was with intimate disciples like Peter, James, and John. He mentored Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He also warmed the hearts of two disciples on the
Moses to Joshua
Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the
–
So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses. –
Eli & Samuel
So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.” Hannah … said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.”
…they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” —
Elijah and Elisha
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.”
He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the
Mordecai to Esther
Now there was in the citadel of
Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. –
Jesus to the 12 Disciples
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons. –
Jesus with Peter, James, and John
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. –
Jesus to the 70 Disciples
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. —
Jesus with Mary, Martha, & Lazarus
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. –
Paul to Timothy
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. – Timothy 2:1-2.
Lois to Eunice to Timothy
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. —
Paul to his Leaders
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. —
After spending some time in
Filed by wes on April 23rd, 2008 under Spiritual Discipline | Comment now »
Theories of Atonement
On the first Sunday after the Resurrection, I preached on “CHRISTUS VICTOR – CHRIST IS VICTORIOUS” from I Corinthians 15. The message developed several of the following theories of atonement. The message focused on the final two theories listed below:
1. The Ransom Theory (God pays off Satan).
Introduced by Origen Adamantius in the third century — Eastern Orthodox?
2. The Satisfaction Theory (Jesus appeases God by being a ritual human sacrifice).
Introduced by Anselem, in the late 11th century — Roman Catholic
3. The Moral Theory (Jesus’ death is an example for the rest of humanity to emulate).
Introduced by Abelard in the 12th century. — Liberal Christians
4. The Acceptance Theory (Atonement comes from the arbitrary choice of God).
Introduced by Scotus circa 1300.
5. Penal-Substitution Theory (God’s mercy replaces his wrath). Introduced by Reformation theologians circa 1520. – Reformed.
6. The Governmental Theory
God publicly demonstrated his displeasure with sin by punishing his own sinless Son as propitiation. Christ’s suffering and death served as a substitute for the punishment humans might have received. Introduced by James Arminius & Hugo Grotius. – Wesleyan / Holiness
7. Christus Victor Theory
Christ voluntarily dies to defeat the power of evil and liberate humanity from the slavery of sin. The Orthodox Church view is based upon Irenaeus’ theory of “recapitulation” where Jesus became what we are so that we could become what he is. — Eastern Orthodox & Lutheran
GROUP PREDOMINATE THEORY
Roman Catholic Church Satisfaction Theory
Eastern Orthodox Churches Ransom Theory
Eastern Orthodox & Lutheran Christus Victor Theory
Conservative & Mainline Protestants Penal Substitution Theory
Wesleyan / Holiness Governmental Theory
Word-faith Movement Ransom Theory
Liberal Christians & post Christians Moral Theory or a non-violent theory
Filed by wes on April 22nd, 2008 under Theology | Comment now »
O Love Divine What Hast Thou Done
O Love Divine What Hast Thou Done
The incarnate God hath died for me!
The Father’s co-eternal Son
Bore all my sins upon the tree.
The immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Behold Him all ye that pass by,
The bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come sinners see your Savior die,
And say “Was ever grief like His?”
Come feel with me His blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Then let us sit beneath His cross,
And gladly catch the healing stream:
All things for Him account but loss,
And give up all our hearts to Him:
Of nothing think or speak beside,
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!
– Hymn by: Charles Wesley, 1742
Filed by wes on March 13th, 2008 under Hymns, Poems, John & Charles Wesley | Comment now »
40 Days of Prayer
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. – Mt. 6:16-18
The season of Lent is the time of preparation for the Holy Week observance of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is a 40 day journey of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and scripture reading. It is a time of repentance and renewal of our minds, hearts and deeds in conformity with Christ and his teachings. It is the time, most of all, of our return to the great commandments of loving God and our neighbors. Ideally, it is not a season of morbidity and gloom. On the contrary, it is a time of joyfulness and purification. We are called to anoint our faces, to cleanse our bodies, and to renew our souls.
It is our repentance that God desires, not our remorse. We sorrow for our sins and mistakes but we do so in the joy of God’s mercy. We mortify our body, but we do so in the joy of our resurrection into life everlasting. During Lent, we remember Christ’s baptism as we recall the joy of our own baptism. We recall Christ’s life of prayer and fasting as we also fast and pray. We remember Christ’s victory over temptation as we rise above our own temptations. We recall Christ’s sufferings as we deny our self and take up our own cross. We remember Christ’s resurrection in certain hope of our own resurrection.
Biblically, the number “forty” represents a period of testing or trial. On
Other scriptural references include the forty days of rain during Noah’s flood (Gen. 7:4); the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the promised land (Num. 14:33-35); the forty day fast that the Ninevites observed in obedience to the prophet Jonah (Jon. 3:4-5); and the forty days between the resurrection and ascension when Christ revealed himself to His disciples (Acts 1:3).
The use of ashes or oil also has biblical significance. Ashes or dust were sprinkled on the head or body as a symbol of mourning or repentance. This was usually a public expression of humiliation or grief. The bible also speaks of oil and fragrances poured on the head or body for consecration, healing, or burial. Anointing with oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s presence and grace.
Since ancient times, Christians have practiced a forty day fast to prepare for Easter or “Pascha”. In fact, many early Christians fasted on every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. Today, Liturgical Christians still observe Lent with a strict vegetarian diet. Others limit themselves to one evening meal daily or abstain from eating meat on Fridays.
The evangelical leader, JOHN WESLEY, encouraged his followers to observe a Lenten fast then continue with weekly “Friday fasts” throughout the year. Every week Wesley began a fast after the Thursday evening meal and ended it at “tea time” around 3:00 p.m. on Friday.
Many Protestants do not fast for Lent but may give up a favorite food or activity, or take on a discipline such as devotions or charity work. Because Lent is Christian tradition and not a biblical requirement, many see fasting as a personal choice and not an obligation. In fact, many Evangelical Christians do not observe Lent or fasting at all.
The Lenten season is an excellent opportunity for repentance, restitution, and renewal. Spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, scripture reading, and communion will enhance the experience. Family prayer and devotions will strengthen the home. Outreach to neighbors or the needy will extend Christ’s compassion to others. Fasting will bring our attitudes, appetites, and passions under Christ’s control. Developing new habits requires repetition, time, and discipline. This is a good time to regain control over distractions like the TV, internet, and iPods. Elijah heard God gently whisper in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13). We also can encounter God when we silence ourselves and pray.
