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Thoughts of...Backsliding
Backsliding is the gradual turning away from the faith, the gradual lapse back into the “old man.” It is not a sudden, violent reversal in the direction one’s life is heading, it is the subtle, undetected misstep that compounds with repetition. Backsliding is the erosion of one’s relationship with God by natural forces unchecked by supernatural forces.
In the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Hosea, the Hebrew word translated “backsliding” means “to flinch, to retreat, to be apostate.” We find that Hebrew word again in Proverbs 14:14, which says the backslider in heart is filled with his own ways. In the New Testament, the Greek word for apostasy means “falling away,” as in . A closely related Greek word means “a bill of divorce,” as in .
Therefore, a backslider can only be a person who has a relationship with the Lord. Only a “new man” can retreat to the ways of the “old man” (, ). The backsliding child of God has a broken relationship with God because his/her heart is:
Self-centered – “My will be done, not Yours. I know best. I know what I am doing and I can take care of myself.” (the opposite of )
Selfish – “Me first. I gotta take care of #1.”
Carnal – walking after the flesh rather than the Spirit (, )
Worldly – pursuing the things of the world rather than the things of God ( and vs. )
Deceived – “One time won’t hurt me. It’s not that big of a deal. I can handle this.” (, )
Distorted – “God still loves me. I am covered in the Blood. God is gracious.” (, )
Careless – “I don’t have time to pray or read the Word this morning. I have too much to do today.” (ignoring or forgetting )
The insidious effect of the first backsliding choice by the child of God is that the seemingly insignificant and harmless decision makes the second decision easier. And the second makes the third easier still. Soon, a small step away from the Lord becomes a great gulf.
The wisdom of God warns us that we cannot play with fire and expect to not get burned (). God has given us safe boundaries in which to live. He has warned us of the destruction that lies on the other side of those boundaries. Yet we persistently “hop the fence” with backsliding choices.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, ordained and empowered to speak to an entire nation of backsliders (), we see God’s heart toward backsliders. The Lord calls out to and pleads with backsliders to repent of their self-destructive ways, questioning the rationale used that neglected His past work on their behalf (). He knows the consequences of their ways and loving intervenes so they might reason with Him (). Creation is stunned by the backsliding decisions of God’s children and shivers in fear at their folly (). If His people will not reason with Him and repent, the Lord allows their decisions to backslide to stand and the resulting consequences to run their course in order to teach them about the bitter fruit of apostasy ().
While the consequences to forsake Him run their course, God waits for His people to learn and return (). Our Father is longsuffering while the backslider learns the hard way that his/her ways are faulty, empty, and destructive. But until the lesson is learned, God waits. God waits while the backslider:
comes to the end of his/her “fun” ()
feels a great need, an intense pain, resulting from a bad choice ()
comes to the end of himself after trying everything to fix the circumstances himself, only to see things get worse ()
sees the Light ()
finally comes to the “point of return” in his heart and mind, a place of brokenness, poverty of spirit, and mourning where he can clearly see his sin and unworthiness (, )
actually returns in genuine, broken repentance ()
confesses his/her sin in meekness and humility (, , )
When the child of God is broken and repentant, and returns in meekness and humility to confess his/her sin, God races out to meet him/her. With a radical change in the heart of His child, God’s heart is overflowing with love, kindness, and mercy (, ). God delights in mercy toward the backslider (, , ). The Father showers His prodigal child with love, cleansing him/her of the filth of the world (, , ).
God has an undying, everlasting love for us ()! By His love He draws us closer. He allows us to eat the bitter fruit of backsliding so that we can learn this truth and experience this love so we will continually walk with Him (, , , ).
Ask the Lord to examine your heart, not that He might know it but so you would know it. If you are not walking with the Lord, you have flinched from His ways and are walking apart from Him. When you come to the end of your “fun” and to the end of yourself, when you come to the “point of return” in your heart, repent and confess your sin in brokenness, meekness, and humility. The Lord is waiting for you. The Father is continually on the “look-out” for the broken who will re-turn toward Him.
Pastor Doug
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