Do we confront people who claim to know Christ and love Him but have no fruit?

QUESTION: As a Christian, do we confront people who claim to know Christ and love Him but have no fruit?  No Christian friends, do not attend church, live in sin?

ANSWER SUBMITTED BY PASTOR STACEY WEEKS:

Tough questions tend to be yes and no answers, and this question is another one of those!

Yes, we are called to gently correct others in love.  Galatians 6:1-2 provides a great road map for this:

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2, NLT) 

In breaking down this verse and looking at all the pieces, there are some things we clearly cannot do as we gently correct people.  That is where the ‘no’ part of my answer comes in.

First, this is to be used for believers.  This is not for those who have not professed Christ with their mouth.  If you are not sure on this point, ask the person!

Second, ask yourself if the person is ‘overcome’.  Is the sin is overwhelming their life in some way?  Was it a momentary poor choice or is it affecting their relationship with others or themselves?  

Ok, with those elements spelled out, here comes the No part of the answer:   

-Do not fall into the temptation to sin in correcting another.

-Do not do this to break relationships apart or do other damage.

-Do not be abrupt, angry or prideful as you speak with the person.

I strongly recommend bringing the confrontation to God in prayer.  Pray over it for some time and ask God to prepare your heart and to provide you the words.  Remember what Jesus taught and walked: love the person and despise the sin.

The reality is that we will all be corrected over sin at points in our Christian walk and some sins may need repeated correction conversations.  

This is our legacy from the Fall and part of being a human being on this Earth.  It does not make God love the person receiving the correction any less or the fellow sinner speaking the truth any more.

After all, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for sinners.   He died for each of us and all of us.