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The sermon grounds conversion in God’s saving work and presents James 5:19-20 as a mandate to turn sinners and wandering believers from the error of their ways. Spurgeon strongly affirms divine sovereignty: God can convert directly, yet ordinarily works through preaching, prayer, personal words, and His people. Christians are therefore responsible to pursue the lost and restore backsliders, while remembering that usefulness does not guarantee personal salvation. The sermon culminates in a forceful appeal for sinners to abandon self-righteousness, trust Christ, and flee the certainty of judgment.
Theological center: God sovereignly saves by grace through Christ and ordinarily uses human witnesses and gospel means to bring sinners to conversion, while receiving all the glory.
Applications: Seek Others’ Salvation · Be God’s Instrument · Pursue Backsliders · Come To Christ
Primary texts: James 5:19-20 · Matthew 11:28 · Romans 10:9
“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 THE true believer is always pleased to hear of anything which concerns the salvation of his own soul. He rejoices to hear of the covenant plan drawn up for him from all eternity, of the great fulfillment on the cross at Calvary, of all the stipulations of the Savior, of the application of them by the Holy Spirit, of the security which the believer has in the person of Christ, and of those gifts and graces which accompany salvation to all those who are heirs thereof. But I feel certain that, deeply pleased as we are when we hear of things touching our own salvation and deliverance from hell, we, as preachers of God and as new creatures in Christ, being made like unto Him, have true benevolence of spirit, and therefore are always delighted when we hear, speak, or think concerning the salvation of others. Next to our own salvation, I am sure, as Christians, we shall always prize the salvation of other people. We shall always desire that what has been so sweet to our own taste, may also be tasted by others. And what has been of so inestimably precious a value to our own souls, may also become the property of all those whom God may please to call unto everlasting life. I am sure, beloved, now that I am about to preach concerning the conversion of the ungodly, you will take as deep an interest in it as if it were something that immediately concerned your own souls, for after all, such were some of you once. You were unconverted and ungodly, and had not God taken thought for you and set His people to strive for your souls, where had you been? Seek then, to exercise that charity and benevolence towards others which God and God’s people first exercised towards you. Our text has in it, first of all, a principle involved—that of instrumentality—“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death.” Secondly, here is a general fact stated—“He who converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” And thirdly, there is a particular application of this fact made—“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him,”—that is the same principle as when a sinner is converted “from the error of his way.” I. First then, here is A GREAT PRINCIPLE INVOLVED—a very…