83. HAVE YOU FALLEN BUT DESIRE TO GET BACK UP?

(The Faith Forum Series – Batch 3)

I have observed that when a Christian falls (for example, he or she committed fornication, adultery, conceived a child outside of wedlock or some other sin), even where that person is sorry for what he or she has done and is desirous of getting back up again, often times, many people in the Church (whether deliberately or otherwise), try to keep him or her down.

They are usually not sympathetic, view such a person as forever stained, perpetually tarnished and on the road to destruction. They take the view that such a person can never ever again be used by God. They make such a person feel inferior whenever they see him or her and instead of extending the same grace and mercy that they too depend on each day in their own sinful lives, they look at that person who has committed what they have labelled as a ‘big’ sin, as a perpetual enemy, cast down their noses at him or her and think of themselves as more righteous.

Yet, God says in his Word that we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God and we are ALL in need of God’s cleansing power, each and every day in our lives, even after we accept Jesus.

See, the sin nature, while we may suppress it by abiding in Christ, is never completely annihilated and every once and again, it resurrects its ugly head.

This reality of ostracism in the Church is also experienced by some Christians who, through their own fault or that of their spouse or both of them, have had the misfortune of a failed marriage.

Undoubtedly, God intended marriage to be a lifelong covenant but sometimes, although one person believes this and wants to fight for the marriage, the other person is hell-bent on leaving and files for divorce.

In such a case, the innocent party is still ostracized by many in the Christian community, even where he or she has remained faithful to both God and his or her spouse in the marriage and where the spouse was the one that was unfaithful and chose to leave the marriage.

The Bible makes it clear, that no matter the cause for a failed marriage or who initiated the divorce, the divorcee is not to remarry and I firmly believe that. However, this does not mean that such a person (the one who was divorced by a spouse), can never ever be used by God in his or her new-found singleness, to bless others and to achieve great things for his Kingdom.

Even where a person provoked a spouse to the extent where he or she went away from the marriage or initiated the divorce and followed through with it, provided that such a person has genuinely repented before the Lord for wherever he or she was wrong in the situation (including initiating the divorce against a spouse where the Bible says clearly that he or she is not to do so), at the very least, singles and those in marriage can learn from his or her story and his or her mistakes, so as to avoid making them themselves.

God’s grace is enough to even reach a person who was unfaithful in his or her marriage or willingly divorced his or her spouse, provided that that person is genuinely sorry for his or her sins, has seen where he or she has wronged God in his or her actions, has humbled his or her self before him and repented genuinely from the heart.

Repentance is the key to restored fellowship with God. When people have sinned against God and refuse to repent, that is one thing and the Church is justified in speaking out about that situation. However, it breaks my heart whenever I see a brother or sister that has committed wrong, be sorry for it, genuinely repent to God for it and confess it, yet still be raked over the coals by fellow brothers and sisters and regarded as hopeless trash because of it.

That person is made to walk in perpetual guilt and shame, sometimes even years after the incident, although they have genuinely repented and desire to get back up again.

Are we more righteous than God? This is nothing more than a spirit of self-righteousness, legalism, perpetual guilt and condemnation and it did not come from the Lord! It is used by the devil to keep that person suppressed, silent and to keep him or her from being effective again, in God’s Kingdom agenda.

We ought not to be a stumbling block to persons that have fallen but desire to get back up again. For, when we do this, we further the devil’s agenda and not the Lord’s.

Who are we to determine that that person will never ever be used of the Lord again? How do we know that God is not going to use that person’s ugly past as a testimony of his amazing grace upon repentance and to even reach many souls for his Kingdom?

Those who refuse to encourage others who have fallen, to get back up and to be restored are in my view, in need of repentance, for they too have fallen, into a deluded state of self-righteousness. They have forgotten, that it is by grace that they are saved and not of themselves or of any of their works but solely due to the gift of God. Therefore, no man can boast.

I am tired of seeing fellow Christians fall, desire to get back up and to continue working for the Lord after they have acknowledged their wrong and forsaken it but be condemned by some in the Church pews, who somehow think that they are more righteous and holy than God.

Who are we to condemn when it is God that justifieth?

Don’t get me wrong: We are certainly called to not condone sin and to confront brothers and sisters in love, when we realize that they are in sin. However, we are not called to keep a sister or brother out in the cold and to look on them as if they are lesser than us or have spoiled their testimony forever, when they have repented, God has forgiven them and they genuinely desire to be restored. His Word states that he is able to abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7). When HE pardons, who are we to hold what a brother or sister did, against that brother or sister?

Can we even comprehend the extent of the damage for which we are responsible, when a believer falls, desires to get back up and we, through our contemptuous actions and conduct towards them, keep them down? How can we do this, when it is God’s own desire to see those who have fallen and done the greatest of evil, return to him and be re-accepted into the fold?

It is upon this very premise that salvation is based. We have ALL fallen short of God’s glory, yet, he has extended grace and mercy to us through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Why can’t we adopt the mind of Christ and treat others in a similar manner? Yes, that sister sinned. Yes, that brother did a horrible thing but God’s arms of mercy, love and forgiveness are wide open to welcome them back into fellowship with him and the saints, once they repent and forsake their wrong.

In Jeremiah 3:1, God, in speaking through the Prophet, said of Israel’s spiritual infidelity and backsliding:

• “They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; YET RETURN AGAIN TO ME, SAITH THE LORD.”

We are not more righteous than God and I am tired of seeing people walking around with an unnecessary load of guilt, shame and embarrassment for years, when they genuinely desire to be restored and accepted by those in the household of faith. They desire to put their sins far behind them and to press on in Christ. Yet the devil motivates those in the pews through self-righteousness and a spirit of legalism which demands perfection, (when ironically, they themselves are not perfect), to keep pointing a finger at such persons and to continue to remind them of their sin.

Let him that is without sin, cast the first stone! That is what Jesus said when the people of his day brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. He did not excuse her sin but because she was sorry, he did not condemn her either. He forgave her and instructed her to go and sin no more (John 8: 3-11).

It is important to note that if we, as imperfect beings, speak about GRACE, expect God to grant it to us when we mess up but yet hold people to a standard of perfection, God will judge us according to the LAW which is without mercy and not grace because it is the law that demands perfection.

James 2:10-13 speaks of those who treat others as if we still operate under the Old Testament law of sin and death which required perfection, which condemned us when we sinned and made no allowance for repentance and grace. To such legalists who speak about grace to benefit themselves but deny it to others, James states:

• “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all…So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For HE SHALL HAVE JUDGMENT WITHOUT MERCY, THAT HATH SHEWED NO MERCY; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

Romans 14:4 states: “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: FOR GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE HIM STAND.”

The Bible is full of scriptures, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, that show that God is always ready to help a fallen believer to get back up on his feet and to be restored, once he repents of his sin and turns away from it. These verses demonstrate that even when we fall and no matter what we have done, God’s arms of mercy, forgiveness and restoration are wide open, once we repent and return.

It is God’s desire that we do not stay fallen and continue to feel like we are condemned and hopeless because of our sin but that we return to him, be reconciled and get back into fellowship with him and the saints.

In Hebrews 12:12-15, in dealing with the issue of chastening which is necessary for the believer that has sinned, so that he or she can be sorrowful for what was done and return to the Lord, the Bible makes it clear that it is not God’s intention that the chastened person walk around depressed and sad forever but that they repent, be cleansed and healed from their sin.

The scripture reads: “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; BUT LET IT RATHER BE HEALED.”

Sometimes God uses the person who has fallen and gotten back up by his grace only, more than he uses those that have remained in the pews and think of themselves self-righteously because they have not committed what they believe to be one of the ‘big’ sins.

We so often block our ears, when someone who we know has fallen and in a so-called ‘big’ way, claims to have gotten back up and tries to speak the Word. Sometimes, there is a Word that God has placed in that person’s mouth for YOU to hear, which, if only you would listen, you could actually benefit.

God is able to use anyone for his glory, even those who have once fallen but did not stay there, thank God. Such persons are able to tell first-hand, what other Christians should avoid and to dissuade others from taking similar wrong paths to the ones they once trod. The Holy Spirit is also still able to use such a person mightily to preach the gospel and to edify the saints, even on subjects that do not pertain to the area that they once fell.

Peter fell when he denied the Lord and at one of the most critical times in the life of Jesus, not once, not twice but THREE times. He however grieved what he had done and repented of his sin. He was therefore forgiven by the Lord and when Jesus was resurrected and appeared to him and the other disciples, he gave him a commission to feed his sheep.

Peter went on to do bold things for the Kingdom of the Lord and did not allow his past sin to paralyze him into a corner.

It is time that we mature as Christians and adopt the agenda of God, not the devil. It is time that we embrace those who have fallen but desire to get back up. We ought not to keep kicking them back down, for if we do, God will deal with us both in this life and in the judgment.

Dear sister or brother in the Lord, if you have sinned against God, done something really bad but desire to get back up, I encourage you to shut out all the voices in the world and people’s opinions and spend time with God.

Maybe you are guilty of fornication or adultery. Maybe you got pregnant in the process or for the men that may read this Article, impregnated someone that is not your wife. Maybe you did not have sex outside of marriage but yet you have done things that you know were still sinful and of which you are ashamed and genuinely sorry for. You have resolved in your heart, through God’s grace, to never do them again. If so, humble yourself in God’s sight, admit/confess that you have sinned to him, tell him what you have done and that you are sorry for having done it.

Confession before God of what you have done and that you were wrong is necessary, in order for you to be cleansed.

1 John 1: 8-9 states:

• “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ask for his forgiveness and restoration and that he would help you to get back up on your feet again. Be determined to turn from your sinful way and to make amends where possible, even as Zacchaeus told Jesus he would do, when he believed on him and confessed him as Lord in Luke 19:8.

Once you have genuinely repented for your sin, thank God for his forgiveness, ask him to use you as he sees fit in moving forward, for his glory and be encouraged by the endless scriptures in the Bible that show, that it is God’s desire to see you stand on your feet again.

Based on your situation, you may also need to confess what you have done to another Christian or Christians, so that the devil has nothing to hold against you. After you have repented before God, if you still feel led to confess to someone, seek God for guidance and wisdom as to which Christian or Christians to turn to. James 5:16 states: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed…”

There is therefore healing in confession. However, you want to take your issue to Christians who you know genuinely care about you and your spiritual condition, are not self-righteous, lacking in love, malicious or gossip-mongers but will pray with you and for you.

Others have done it and so can you. You may have messed things up yes but God is still able to make a difference in your life. He is still able to fill you with hope for the future and wants you to continue to trust him. There is no mess too large for God to fix and no past too ugly for him to cleanse and restore you from.

Having said that, I have compiled some scriptures below which show that if you are a Christian and fall into sin, God has made provision for you to get back up, provided that you humble yourself, repent, admit your sin and turn away from it. For, the Lord wants you reconciled to him because he loves you with an everlasting love and he wishes to use you as an instrument of righteousness on the earth.

SCRIPTURES

• “…but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; YET RETURN AGAIN TO ME, saith the Lord…Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?…Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? She is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, TURN THOU UNTO ME. But she returned not…” (Jeremiah 3:1,4, 6-7)

• “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, RETURN, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I WILL NOT CAUSE MINE ANGER TO FALL UPON YOU: FOR I AM MERCIFUL, saith the Lord, and I WILL NOT KEEP ANGER FOR EVER. ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE THINE INIQUITY, THAT THOU HAST TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD THY GOD, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. TURN, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you…” (Jeremiah 3:12-14)

• “IF THOU WILT RETURN, O Israel, saith the Lord, RETURN UNTO ME: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.” (Jeremiah 4:1)

• “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…” (Jeremiah 6:16)

• “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place…For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; If ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place…” (Jeremiah 7:3,5-7)

• “Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; SHALL THEY FALL, AND NOT ARISE? SHALL HE TURN AWAY, AND NOT RETURN? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpeptual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turned to his course…” (Jeremiah 8:4-6)

• “For A JUST MAN FALLETH SEVEN TIMES, AND RISETH UP AGAIN: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” (Proverbs 24:16-18)

• “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: WHEN I FALL, I SHALL ARISE; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: HE WILL BRING ME FORTH TO THE LIGHT, and I shall behold his righteousness.” (Micah 7:8-9)

• “Then drew near unto him (JESUS) all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise JOY SHALL BE IN HEAVEN OVER ONE SINNER THAT REPENTEH, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

• Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER THAT REPENTETH.

• And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER, AND WILL SAY UNTO HIM, FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN, AND BEFORE THEE, AND AM NO MORE WORTHY TO BE CALLED THY SON: make me as one of thy hired servants.

• And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. BUT THE FATHER SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, BRING FORTH THE BEST ROBE, AND PUT IT ON HIM; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15: 1-24)

• Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I THE LORD BUILD THE RUINED PLACES, AND PLANT THAT THAT WAS DESOLATE: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 36:33-36)

• “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me… Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward… Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER, SAITH THE LORD: THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW; THOUGH THEY BE RED LIKE CRIMSON, THEY SHALL BE AS WOOL. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 1:2-19)

• “But IF THE WICKED WILL TURN AWAY FROM ALL HIS SINS THAT HE HATH COMMITTED, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. ALL HIS TRANSGRESSIONS THAT HE HATH COMMITTED, THEY SHALL NOT BE MENTIONED UNTO HIM: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. HAVE I ANY PLEASURE AT ALL THAT THE WICKED SHOULD DIE? saith the Lord God: AND NOT THAT HE SHOULD RETURN FROM HIS WAYS, AND LIVE? (Ezekiel 18:21-23)

• “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM FIRST CAST A STONE AT HER.

• And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, WOMAN, WHERE ARE THOSE THINE ACCUSERS? HATH NO MAN CONDEMNED THEE? SHE SAID, NO MAN, LORD. AND JESUS SAID UNTO HER, NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE: GO, AND SIN NO MORE.” (John 8:1-11)

• “And, behold, A WOMAN IN THE CITY, WHICH WAS A SINNER when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and STOOD AT HIS FEET BEHIND HIM WEEPING, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

• And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING TO PAY, HE FRANKLY FORGAVE THEM BOTH. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

• And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, HER SINS, WHICH ARE MANY, ARE FORGIVEN; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. AND HE SAID UNTO HER, THY SINS ARE FORGIVEN.” (Luke 7: 37-48)

(Written on 12th November, 2017)

Dear Reader, if you found this Article useful, informative, edifying or interesting, you may also be interested in reading the following:

Under the ‘BROKEN Daughters of God’ Page:

• Note 19 – ‘What Jesus Thinks Of You Is All That Matters’
• Note 20 – ‘God’s Power To Save Is Greater Than Your Sin’
• Note 22 – ‘After Repentance, Must You Wear A Perpetual Badge Of Shame?’
• Note 27 – ‘He Is The God Of Second Chances’

Under the ‘SINGLE Daughters of God’ Page:

• Note 14 – ‘Feeling Depressed? Realign Your Focus!’
• Note 26 – ‘Musings from the Pit – (Praise Your Way Out)’
• Note 97 – ‘Do You Feel Like You Have Fallen Through The Cracks?’
• Note 135 – ‘Are You At A Low Point In Life And Feeling Depressed?’
• Note 216 – ‘His Grace Is Sufficient And His Blood Is Enough’