Most of us who are Christians know someone who used to be a faithful disciple of Jesus, but who has reverted to worldly ways. As hard as it is for us to understand, people sometimes do put their hands to the plow of the Lord’s service, only to later turn aside (Luke 9:62).

We may use every opportunity to encourage these wandering souls to return to the path of righteousness, only to become frustrated that they refuse to repent. We wonder, Do they not see how they are endangering their souls?

Jesus called disobedient servants wicked, lazy, and unprofitable (Matthew 25:26-30). The Greek word translated “unprofitable” in the New King James Version literally means “worthless” or “good for nothing.” We all know what happens to anything that proves to be good for nothing — it’s thrown away. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). That’s exactly what Jesus says will happen to worthless servants: “Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).

Here’s another statement of Christ: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6). Lest we find ourselves thinking that being cast aside by the Lord is merely an inconvenience, the image of withered branches being bundled and burned in a bonfire should snap us right back to reality. Separation from God will be as dire a situation as we can imagine — and then some.

Because of this, rescuing the straying disciple is an imperative: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who 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). The implication of this passage is clear. The one who wanders from the truth and is not turned back condemns his soul to death — the “second death” described by John as “the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8).

Anyone still unconvinced of the seriousness of falling from grace (Galatians 5:4; Revelation 2:5) needs to consider his or her current state is worse than never having been saved at all: “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire’” (2 Peter 2:20-22). Graphic, ugly images? Absolutely. But that’s how the Lord regards being abandoned by those He calls His own.