Backsliding- The greatest sin for a Believer
Backsliding is when a born-again believer in Christ turns back to sin or becomes stubborn in his heart and refuses to submit to the will of God in his life. The outward actions are only symptoms of the real problem -- the attitude of the heart -- which must be dealt with in order to change the actions.
Backsliding is like carnality, in that your own desires and devices are acted out as opposed to God’s will (I Corinthians 3:3; Proverbs 14:14).
What does Scripture say
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place" (Revelation 2:4,5).
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
"When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you" (Luke 15:17,.18).
"...let him turn to the Lord...for he will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely..." (Hosea 14:4).
The Causes of Backsliding
"Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord? Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you..." Jeremiah 2:17, 19
The causes of backsliding are many and varied. Some are hidden; others are obvious. But the usual tendency is to emphasize the externals: pornography, illicit sexual relationships, drunkennness, etc. The lack of positive, spiritual input (prayer and Bible study), however, has just as detrimental an effect upon the soul as the introduction of evil influences. Starvation can be as deadly as the ingestion of any lethal substance. Jesus condemned the Pharisees not for what they did, but for what they failed to do: "...you neglect the weightier matters of the law," such as mercy, He said. He also told his disciples that they would be judged not just according to their relationship with him, but also by their neglect of "the least of these" (Mat 25:35-45).
Not everything "lawful" is "expedient" or beneficial, Paul writes. Reading romance novels, for example, might not in itself cause one to go out and sin. (It could). But neglecting the Word of God certainly will. The "lust of the flesh," the "deceitfulness of riches," "the love of the world" – all these can entrap us and cause our downfall. But the pride of life, and hatred toward a brother, eat away from within and are just as destructive.
Does God Condemn Backsliders?
God does not condemn us -- our own wickedness and backsliding do that (Jeremiah 2:19). Nor did Jesus come to do so, but to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). Therefore, if you will confess your sins, God will forgive you (I John 1:9). Accept His forgiveness and then forgive yourself.
Forgive those who have wronged you. Go to anyone you have wronged or resented and ask their forgiveness. Make restitution in whatever ways you can for any wrongs your backsliding has caused. If you are not baptized with the Holy Spirit, ask for and receive it (Luke 11:13). Then grow in Jesus and the way of the Lord. The Holy Spirit gives a Christian the ability to overcome sin. He gives power to be a Christ-like person. He guides, comforts, teaches spiritual truth, and equips with the gifts and qualities of God (Acts 1:8; John 14:16; I Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:22,23).
Consequences of Backsliding
"Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord..." Jeremiah 2:17, 19
Backsliding often carries its own punishment (Prov 14:14; Jer 2:17, 19; Rom 13:4). And its effects often extend far beyond the experience of the offender alone. Causing a brother to stumble is a serious offense. We will be held accountable not only for our own relationship with God, but for our conduct before men as well. Our life is "an open book," Paul writes, "known and read of all men." People who do not hear what we say cannot help but observe the way we live. "Your actions speak so loudly," the saying goes, "that I can’t hear a word you’re saying." Therefore, we are to "love not in word, but in deed..." (1 Jn 3:18). Anyone who has experienced the Presence of God will never find lasting satisfaction outside of His will. This accounts for the inner frustration and bitterness of soul accompanying the abandonment of one’s soul to the unruly state of life without God.
Recovery: A Process
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely..." Hosea 14:4-7
The road back to God is never long. As the father of the prodigal "ran to meet him," God always meets us at least half-way. Deciding to return, however, has often proven most difficult. While falling asleep is a gradual process, waking must be sudden – usually by an alarm, or a shaking. Recovering from a spiritually backslidden condition is no different. Depending on the degree of our fallen state, God often must use extreme measures to bring us back. He strives with the backslidden (2 Ki 17:15), and lovingly will use anything * sickness, misery, grief to get us to return. (Psa 107)
Scripture likens the backslidden condition to a disease (Isa 1:5, 6), for which God has a cure (Jer 3:22; Hos 14:4-7). As with most natural diseases, certain symptoms are typical of the condition: a spiritual lethargy, a calloused attitude toward sin, worldliness, a spiritual love grown cold, lack of prayer or decreased hunger for the Word, and a general feeling of apathy toward lost souls. A dominant characteristic of the backslidden condition is stubbornness (2 Ki 17:14, 40). Falling away is essentially a heart condition. Though its manifestations may be primarily external, the root of the problem lies much deeper. And, even as many health problems can be caused by neglect as well as abuse, the Christian who neglects the Bread of Life can hardly expect to grow in the nature and admonition of the Lord.
If you have been backsliding and would like to return back to the Lord you may pray this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus name, and I confess that I have fallen away from you. I ask you to forgive me and to restore to me the joy of my salvation. I forgive those who have sinned against me, and I ask you to give me the grace to walk in forgiveness every day. I invite you to be Lord over every area of my life. Baptize me in your Holy Spirit, and give me the power to live my life in obedience to your will. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen
If you prayed that prayer to rededicate your life to Jesus Christ, please be informed that you have now passed from death to life.Our God is a God of second chance…he has welcomed you back as his lost son and daughter to attain the kingdom of heaven.
Living In The Truth
Now you know the truth and the truth has set you free. Now you are a son or daughter of God, part of his family. God is your Father now and Christians all over the world are your brothers and sisters. Don’t waste a minute getting to know your family, especially your Father. Talk to him constantly. Read His Book. The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself. Learning what God says in the Bible is a very important part of your new life. As you read His Word, ask God to show you how various passages apply to your life. A good place to start your study is in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Find an easy to read, modern translation like the New International Version, the New American Standard or any other Bible.Become a regular member of a good church and join a Bible study or a home fellowship group. Make friends with other Christians and spend time with them. As brothers and sisters in Christ you need their fellowship and they need yours. God will lead you to them and to a church that follows Him.
Our hope for you is that you will grow in the Lord Jesus Christ in the same way the Apostle prayed that first century believers would grow:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians, 1:17-19).
All this is possible for you; in fact, it’s your Father’s gift to you now that you know and have believed the truth.
What next ?
If you sincerely prayed that prayer, God says that you have new life and that you are a member of His eternal kingdom. He desires close fellowship with you during this life and desires for you even now to live victoriously as a child of the King! Also, since He died for you, He wants you to live for Him. "And He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:15).
As we are born again, God immediately implants a new nature within us. Some outward change may be dramatic and instant; some may come gradually. As with any newborn, our new nature needs nurture and growth.
Talk to Him frequently. And listen to his voice within you. That’s what prayer is. Read and meditate upon His Word, the Bible - another way He speaks to you. Finally, He wants you to fellowship with other believers and be a functioning part of His corporate Body -- so find a Bible-believing church and attend regulary.
May God Bless You and Keep your walk blameless till the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Servant of the Lord
Rev.Raj Kosaraju
All Nations International Church
Kansas City,
USA
