I’m Not Perfect, But I’m Forgiven: Why I Must Do All I Can To Keep Others From Falling
Keeping others from falling is a high calling for all of us. In the Church and in this world, there are many who have fallen away from the gospel. They have stopped coming to Church, started drinking again after going through Alcoholics Anonymous or even left the Church altogether. These people are our brothers and sisters, friends and loved ones. Some of you reading this article may fall into that category as well. How we deal with them will directly impact whether they return to the Church or leave for good. In order to help keep these individuals on the right path toward a happy eternal life, we must fully understand their situation and know how to best deal with them.
So stop being critical and condemning of other believers, but instead determine to never deliberately cause a brother or sister to stumble and fall because of your actions.
Romans 14:13
Romans 14:13 in context.
There are various verses that we can look to for guidance when dealing with those who have fallen away from the Church. One of the most commonly cited verses is Romans 14:13: Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another. This verse tells us to treat others with compassion and love and avoid causing them to stumble. But this verse has been taken out of context by many. Some have taken it to mean that we must never judge those who have fallen away from the Church. Yet this is not what the verse is saying; if we follow that advice, we will fail to help others and keep them from falling away. If we never judge others, we would have to ignore the drinking and adultery occurring next to us. We would also have to ignore the people who are stealing our money and would never tell a friend that they need to get help for an addiction. If we never judge others, we would also ignore the people who are trying to bring us down and criticize and belittle us, often out of jealousy. If we never judge others, we would not know the difference between right and wrong and the difference between what is helpful and what is harmful. If we never judge others, we would ignore the advice of the prophets and apostles, who have been sent to guide us and protect us from falling into darkness and despair.
Why Do People Fall Away From The Church?
There are many reasons why people fall away from Church or disengage from the gospel. Some have never come to Church, and others have been coming to Church for years but have stopped. Some have left the Church because of hurtful experiences, and others have left because of unrighteous or judgmental people. Some have left the Church because they have stopped believing in the Church’s teachings or have lost their testimony. Others have stopped coming to Church because of other things going on in their life, such as a divorce, death in the family, drug addiction, depression, or even a new obsession, such as extreme sports. This list could go on and on. Whatever the reason, it is important to understand that people leave the Church for various reasons. And each person will want to be approached differently.
How To Help Someone Who Is Falling Away
– Be Gentle, Kind, And Loving – It’s important to remember that the person who has fallen away from the Church is a child of God and wants to obey God.
– Ask Them What They Are Going Through – Sometimes, it is helpful to let the person express what they are going through so they can come to conclusions that may be helpful in resolving their problems.
– Focus On The Present – All too often, people who have fallen away from the Church worry about the past and the future. This is often unhelpful and can even lead to anxiety and depression.
– Let Them Know That They Are Loved – It’s important to let them know that you love them and are concerned for their well-being both in this life and in the next.
– Focus On What You Can Do To Help – One of the most unhelpful things we can do is to lecture the person about what they have done wrong. Focus on what you can do to help in this situation and let the person know they are not alone. This can be extremely helpful in resolving their problems.
How to Help Those Who Are Struggling or Suffering
– Let Them Know They Are Not Alone – It’s important to let them know that they are not alone and that there are people around them who love them and want to help.
– Don’t Judge – One of the worst things you can do is judge a person who is struggling with depression or other mental issues. Let them know that you are there to help, not to judge.
– Ask What You Can Do To Help – One of the best things you can do is ask the person what you can do to help. Often, people suffering from depression won’t ask for help because they feel too ashamed or unworthy to ask. Let them know that you’re there for them.
– Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep – It’s important to remember that you cannot make someone get better. You can offer to help, but the healing process must come from within.
How to deal with those who have no interest in returning to Church.
– Let Them Know You Are There For Them – Let the person know that you are there for them and that you want to help them in any way possible. – Ask What You Can Do To Help – Ask the person what you can do to help and how you can assist them.
– Let Them Know That You Understand How They May Be Feeling – Let them know that you understand how they may be feeling. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are not a choice, but they are also not a weakness. These are medical conditions that many people struggle with.
– Don’t Dismiss Their Feelings – One of the worst things you can do is dismiss a person’s feelings as unimportant or silly.
– Let Them Know That the Church Is For Everyone – Let them know that the Church is for everyone, even those who have had a history of addiction or mental illness. The Church welcomes all who want to come and improves lives.
– Don’t Try To Convert Or Change Their Beliefs – It’s important not to try to convert the person’s beliefs or change their thoughts on the Church. The change will come at the right time and in the right way. Be patient and loving, and remember that God loves them just as much as everyone else.
Don’t shame or judge them.
One of the worst things we can do is shame or judge those who have fallen away from the Church. This often has the opposite effect and makes them even more reluctant to come back to the Church.
– Don’t Make Generalizations – Generalizing those who have left the Church is one of the most unhelpful things you can do. Let them know that you don’t make generalizations about those who have left the Church.
– Let Them Know You Are There For Them – Let them know that you are there for them and want to help in any way possible.
– Let Them Know That You Understand How They May Be Feeling – Let them know that you understand how they may be feeling. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are not a choice, but they are also not a weakness. These are medical conditions that many people struggle with.
– Let Them Know That They Are Not Alone – Let them know that they are not alone and that there are people around them who love them and want to help.
– Don’t Shame Them – One of the worst things you can do is shame a person who has fallen away from the Church. This often has the opposite effect and makes them even more reluctant to come back to the Church.
Be patient and have faith that they will return.
It is essential to have faith that those who have fallen away from the Church will return. Many church leaders have come from those who have fallen away and returned to the Church.
– Let Them Know You Are There For Them – Let them know that you are there for them and want to help in any way possible.
– Let Them Know That You Understand How They May Be Feeling – Let them know that you understand how they may be feeling. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are not a choice, but they are also not a weakness. These are actually medical conditions that many people struggle with.
– Let Them Know That They Are Not Alone – Let them know that they are not alone and that there are people around them who love them and want to help.
– Don’t Shame Them – Show them God’s love.
