{"id":4832,"date":"2006-04-25T20:52:28","date_gmt":"2006-04-26T01:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=4832"},"modified":"2019-07-21T14:21:02","modified_gmt":"2019-07-21T19:21:02","slug":"what-can-be-done-for-a-man-who-continually-falls-back-into-sin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-can-be-done-for-a-man-who-continually-falls-back-into-sin\/","title":{"rendered":"What can be done for a man who continually falls back into sin?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I have another question that relates to a brother who is dealing with some personal issues. Basically, he is a good brother who is ambitious and devoted to the church. However, he has gone through a lot and is continually fighting the temptation of allowing the old man to return, especially when negative situations occur. I am very concerned for him as the church is aware of his problem and how it might affect the congregation if he continues to allow this sin to overcome him. Each time he has fallen he has repented, but he would eventually fall again. His mother, myself and friends are concerned. Do you have any suggestions?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

I would be willing to help, but you have given me very little to go upon. I’ll give you some general advice, but would it be possible for the brother to write to me? Perhaps if I knew more about his struggles I could help him sort out the cause and what he needs to do.<\/p>\n

In dealing with people battling sin over the years, I find that many people, even among our brethren, do not fully understand the nature of temptation and sin. They know they have a problem, they know they shouldn’t sin, but they try battling the problem on the wrong grounds and thus often lose. Read over the sermon, “The Nature of Sin, Temptation, and Lust<\/a>.” The application section of the lesson was geared more toward teenagers and sexual sins, but it can be applied to almost any situation. I use this lesson a lot when helping those caught up in drugs to understand the battle all Christians must wage against Satan.<\/p>\n

Second, it is easy to get frustrated when dealing with someone who repeatedly falls into sin. You must keep in mind what Peter and Jesus discussed, “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven<\/em>” (Matthew 18:21-22). None of us would want God to place limits on how many times we might be forgiven of sin; neither should we place a limit on our brother. Since our own forgiveness depends on forgiving others, Paul warned, “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. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ<\/em>” (Galatians 6:1-2). You can’t fix a wrong with another wrong. Some people require a LOT of patience to help them overcome sin.<\/p>\n

Third, all involved with this brother must examine their interactions with him to see if they are enabling him to sin. Are you making excuses for his misbehavior? Are you rescuing him so that he doesn’t face the consequences of his misdeeds? Just like a child, a person who is continually shielded from the results of his own bad choices will not stop making bad choices. A child who never faces a problem because he didn’t turn in his homework, will not bother turning in his homework. Some of the best lessons in life are when a person must face the full reality of what he has done.<\/p>\n

I believe that a good part of the problem is that we misunderstand the nature of what forgiveness really involves. Read over the lesson, “Have We Forgotten Our Shame?<\/a>” and see if this helps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I have another question that relates to a brother who is dealing with some personal issues. Basically, he is a good brother who is ambitious and devoted to the church. However, he has gone through a lot and is continually fighting the temptation of allowing the old man to return, especially when negative situations…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[179,185],"class_list":["post-4832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-sin","tag-temptation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13551,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-i-show-my-brother-that-it-is-wrong-to-sleep-with-a-woman-even-though-you-arent-having-sex\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":0},"title":"How can I show my brother that it is wrong to sleep with a woman even though you aren’t having sex?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 8, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello! I have a question that I need some help with. My brother and his girlfriend have recently committed to a life of celibacy; however, this is after they have had sexual relations for over a year. Though I am grateful for their decision to cancel that out of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17446,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-date-someone-from-the-church-you-attend\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":1},"title":"Is it wrong to date someone from the church you attend?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question regarding church discipline. I attend a congregation where a brother has dated several sisters in the same congregation.\u00a0 Also, some of them have left this congregation. Should I stay or look for another place of worship? Is this acceptable? Thanks for your cooperation. Answer: If\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21069,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-an-elder-commits-adultery-does-that-disqualify-him\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":2},"title":"If an elder commits adultery, does that disqualify him?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi brother, Regarding the article Does divorce disqualify a man from being an elder? If an elder commits adultery, does this disqualify him? It appears, after considering the tenor of the whole of Scripture, that he needs to resign. His opinion is meaningless now. Based on the issue in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29570,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-it-right-to-suspend-me-from-church-activities-after-confessing-that-i-was-involved-in-fornication-last-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":3},"title":"Was it right to suspend me from church activities after confessing that I was involved in fornication last year?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I confided in my pastor that I was involved in fornication last year. He decided to suspend me from any activity in the church. I want to know this is right. Answer: Assuming that you repented of your sins, then not accepting a repentant brother back is also a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36350,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/would-it-be-a-sin-to-worship-in-a-congregation-where-the-elders-are-not-correct\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":4},"title":"Would it be a sin to worship in a congregation where the elders are not correct?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Would it be a sin to worship in a congregation where the elders are not correct (I Corinthians 5:11)? Answer: \"Not correct\" is too vague. Not correct by who's standard? If anyone is in sin, then what have you done to rescue them? To point fingers but to seek\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40822,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/would-a-man-be-qualified-as-a-deacon-if-his-teenage-son-attends-denominational-services-with-his-friends-and-is-not-a-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":4832,"position":5},"title":"Would a man be qualified as a deacon if his teenage son attends denominational services with his friends and is not a Christian?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First, I would like to compliment you on your website. There have been many times I have included the phrase \"La Vista Church of Christ\" when web searching tough scriptural questions that I have. I am an elder in the church of Christ. We are in the process of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4832"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4832\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}