Prologue in Sermons: September 26

 

On How We Should Treat Perishing Sinners

September 26

(Homily on the Young Man Whom John the Theologian Saved)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

When we encounter perishing sinners, it often happens thus: some of us pay them not the slightest attention; others regard them with contempt and derision; a third group, at times, even looks upon their demise with malicious glee; while the fourth, although they finally address them with a salvific word, more often convey a harsh rebuke, which generally leads only to mutual dissatisfaction between the reprovers and the reproved. What do you think, brethren? Should we treat perishing sinners in this way or not? Certainly not! We should act in an entirely opposite manner. "How so?" you may ask. To this question, let the example that follows provide the answer.

Once, the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, having arrived in the Asian city of Ephesus, encountered a young man whom he loved and made special efforts to ensure that he became holy and pious. When it was time for the Theologian to go preach the gospel in other lands, he summoned the Bishop of Asia, entrusted the young man to his care, and extracted a vow from the Bishop that he would take particular care of his salvation. The Bishop attended to the young man, baptized him, but the young man remained ungrateful. He associated with bad companions, became corrupt, turned into a drunkard, and, in the end, wandered into the mountains and became the leader of the robbers. 

A year passed, and John returned to Ephesus. Upon his arrival, he immediately called the Bishop to himself and said, "Return to me my treasure, which I entrusted to your care." The Bishop did not understand the words of the Apostle. Then John said to him, "Bring me the young man whom I entrusted to your care." "Alas," the Bishop replied to these words, "the young man has died." "By what death," asked the Apostle, "by soul or body?" "By soul," replied the Bishop, "for he has become a murderer and a robber." John reproached the Bishop sternly, immediately demanding a horse and setting off to the mountains in search of the young man. 

When he reached the mountains, he encountered the guards of the robbers and began to ask them to take him to their leader. The guards complied, and John saw the young man standing fully armed. But what happened? As soon as the young man saw the Apostle, he turned and fled from him. John, forgetting his old age, hurried after him. When he began to catch up to the young man, he shouted, "Why are you fleeing from me? Child, why do you weary your father so? Why do you exhaust me, my son? Stop, have mercy on me, a strange and frail old man! Stop, do not fear, for hope of salvation is not lost for you: I will answer for you before God; I will lay down my soul for you, as Christ laid down His soul for all of us. Do not be afraid, my son! The Lord Himself has sent me to declare to you the forgiveness of sins! I will suffer for you, and let the blood you have shed be demanded of me, and I shall bear the burden of your sins upon myself!” Upon hearing this, the young man stopped, cast away his weapons, and stood weeping bitterly. Then he fell before the feet of the Theologian, pleading for forgiveness. John took him with him and brought him to Ephesus, led him into the church, and the young man was saved.

This example, brethren, clearly shows us that we should not relate to dying sinners in the way that most of us do, namely, with indifference, mockery, contempt, slander, malice, or with words of harsh condemnation; rather, we should approach them with a fervent desire to turn them away from sin, with love for them, with gentleness, with words of mercy, and with compassion. This last attitude towards sinners is the truly proper attitude. It is considered proper because, firstly, as we have seen from the example, it is salvific for the sinners; and secondly, because, as it becomes salvific for the sinners, it simultaneously becomes salvific for ourselves. For listen to what the word of the Lord says: "Brethren! If anyone among you strays from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.