Turning a sinner from the error of his way.
Sometimes a single passage of Scripture lingers in the heart until it opens new questions about mercy and redemption. This reflection began early one morning, stirred by James 5 and a curious dream that seemed to echo its meaning.
I woke up very early this morning thinking about a particular passage of Scripture, trying to relate it to Satan and the other fallen angels. The passage is James 5:
James 5:19–20 (NIV 1984)
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
I’ve talked with my wife before about whose sins are “covered” in this verse. I’ve always thought it referred to the sins of the one who turns a sinner back to the truth, while my wife believed it referred to the sins of the sinner himself.
She had a funny dream the other night. She works in the administration side of HISD. In her dream, she arrived at work to find a bunch of kids already there, and her boss was confused and overwhelmed. My wife asked, “What’s wrong?” Her boss said that one of the little girls needed to do a “number 3,” and she couldn’t figure out what that meant. When my wife told me the dream, she also didn’t know what a number 3 was. I immediately knew: a number 1 and a number 2 together — a number 3.
It struck me as odd that she had this dream right when I was pondering whose sins were covered. Maybe the answer is a “number 3” — both people.
If Satan and the other fallen angels repented, and then turned the world’s lost back to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, wouldn’t a multitude of their sins be covered for each person they helped restore? When you think about it, a multitude multiplied by several billion people might cover all the wrongs they’ve done throughout their existence.
I know this sounds strange, and I have no idea whether they could even repent. But if they can feel fear, I would think they could also feel grief and sorrow for what they’ve done. Repentance is the only way humans find peace and joy — to experience love, happiness, and laughter. These are things the fallen angels have never known. Could they not also repent?
Well, I suppose if we start seeing many people turning from their wicked ways and returning to the Father and His precious Son, then maybe they are able to repent. Wouldn’t that be an incredibly joyous occasion?
Perhaps the mystery of mercy reaches farther than we imagine — even to those who once fell from grace. Whether or not such redemption is possible, the thought reminds us that love’s reach is vast, and repentance remains the doorway to joy.
