Lesson 7: Dealing Pratically With Backsliding

A. NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE – JUDAS

1. They may follow Jesus. “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil” (John 6:70)?

2. They may do many religious works. “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? . . . I never knew you’” (Matt. 7:22-23).

3. What is their punishment? With the unsaved in hell.

B. THE SIN UNTO DEATH – ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He (God) will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death” (I John 5:16-17).

1. They quench (put out God’s influence) the Spirit. “Quench not the Spirit” (I Thess. 5:19).

2. They sin openly, especially with Christian things. “When you come together . . . another is drunken” (I Cor. 11:21). “For this cause . . . some have died” (I Cor. 11:30, ELT).

3. They sin constantly. Whosoever is born of God, sinneth not continually” (I John 5:18).

4. These are saved people who die prematurely.

C. SOME RETURN TO RELIGIOUS TRADITION – JERUSALEM CHRISTIANS GOING BACK INTO THE TEMPLE TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6).

1. Attracted by beauty and pageantry and tradition. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10:26). These were believers, “The Lord shall judge His people” (Heb. 10:30).

2. What do they lose? “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).

a. They lose their rewards.

b. They were never saved.

c. This is hypothetical, “if” never happens.

d. These were professing “Christians” who never possessed eternal life.

D. SOME RETURN TO THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world” (I John 2:15-17).

1. The lust of the flesh – Samson (Judges 14-16). Satisfying the physical body with sex, drugs, alcohol, gluttony, etc.

2. The lust of the eye – Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). Seeking things such as money, cars, stuff, houses, etc.

3. The pride of life – Peter. Concerned with reputation, power, privilege, etc.

4. The world – Demas. “For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica” (II Tim. 4:10). Concerned with trends, attitudes, systems, etc.

E. IS THE UNPARDONABLE SIN THE FINAL REJECTION OF A BACKSLIDER – ALL UNSAVED?

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. 12:31-32).

1. Not loss of salvation.

2. Not suicide.

3. Not cross the final line on this earth, i.e. “God’s Three Deadlines” by J. Harold Smith.

4. Not dispensational, i.e., attributing Jesus’ miracles to Satan.

5. Dying in unbelief. The only sin God can’t forgive is the sin of unbelief.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord,

I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.