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.
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