JEFF TURNER

When someone in our faith community appears to abandon truth for sinful living, much is at stake. The church’s reputation, the gospel’s credibility, and our Lord’s testimony all face damage. However, James 5 suggests even more serious consequences may exist.

In James’ letter, he addresses a sobering reality: “Whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). This raises an important question about spiritual security.

How could a genuine believer face spiritual death if they’ve already received salvation? The answer lies in understanding who James actually describes. Those truly saved possess everlasting spiritual life—they cannot lose what God has eternally granted them.

The individuals described as “straying from the truth” are actually those who merely claimed faith without genuinely possessing it. These people professed belief outwardly but lacked authentic spiritual transformation. As 1 John 2:19 explains, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us.”
These false professors—people with superficial belief—stand in grave spiritual danger. Their situation calls for fellow believers to take action by lovingly calling them back to authentic faith.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4