BACKSLIDING
Definition: To lapse
or to turn back morally or in the practice of religion
BACKSLIDING
Definition: To lapse
or to turn back morally or in the practice of religion
This topic is hard to discuss without bringing up many other
issues. I guess what we need to remember
while studying this issue is not only who are we reading about, but when is the
time period. Many people today who claim
to be saved may come to realize while studying this issue that they were not
saved at all. So let’s get into the word.
When I study the bible I like to split the book into four
major chapters,
Chapter 1 : Before Jesus
Chapter 2 : During Jesus Christ on earth
Chapter 3 : After Jesus died on the cross
Chapter 4 : When Jesus returns
These four chapters are very important because God deals
with people in different ways, during different times. So we need to be careful in knowing who he is
dealing with in different scriptures. On a few small side note’s , I don’t like
to throw lots of SCRIPTURES at you while making my point, I think sometimes
people do that to get themselves out of actually explaining themselves. Also if
you don’t agree with what I have studied that is ok, but you need to remember
to read yourself before you can be judgmental of anything you may hear from
anyone.
2nd Tim C: 2 - V :15 Study to shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
OK now that I have thrown my first scripture at you let’s
get to the first person that comes to mind that had backslid.
1st Samuel talks about the priest Samuel who had Saul
anointed as the King of Israel under the power and Spirit of the Lord. As his
40 year or so rein , he stopped serving as a righteous leader and started to
fall and do acts of unrighteousness witch obviously was not spirit led. In the
end he took his own life with his sword. This is a good time to remind you that
these were the days of “ The Law “ and if you did not keep the lords
commandments you were considered unrighteous , and were a sinner and salvation
would not be kept without burnt offerings.
I would say that Saul was a good candidate for a backslider because he
was under the power of the spirit of the Lord, he fell to love the world and
turned his back on the spirit.
Well that was an example of someone in the first chapter
before Jesus. This moves me to the 2nd chapter During Jesus Christ on earth.
I’m sure by now you all have thought of someone that springs to the front
during this time. Yes it is Judas, well for someone who the actual Lord himself
had picked as a follower, and had enough faith and trust of the others to
literally carry the money bag for their journeys. He was revealed everything the Lord had to
offer and yet he still turned away for a few silver dollars. This as we all know led to the death on the
cross which brings me to the next chapter and is my favorite chapter.
Chapter 3 : after Jesus died on the cross.
Let me help you understand why this chapter is so important.
There are going to be some points I will make that might fill your heads full
of doubt, but the word don’t lie, and it teaches us to be Bold in the truth.
This chapter is way too difficult to break down individuals
who are backsliders so I will do my best to point out the most evident. First I need to set the picture for you. Jesus has died on the cross blotting out all
sin forever, for those that believe, 1st cor. Ch.15 v 1-4. And as Paul threw REVELATION introduced the
new Gospel, the Good News, and the mystery that was given to him by the
ascended Lord. The disciples could not
accept the fact that the Law was over! Period! That faith plus nothing leads to
salvation and eternal life. So even
after the new gospel was dispensed there were lots of Jewish, even the 11
remaining disciple’s had a hard time leaving the law behind. They were not willing to take Paul’s
directions from what the ascended Lord had revealed to him. Probably because
they had not heard it from Jesus himself, after all he had revealed everything
else to them in the past. And let’s not forget it could be a trick, if you
remember Paul used to be a Christian killer.
Sounds like a candidate for backsliders to me! But that is how perfect OUR God is. He gave
the fait of all people to someone who was not worthy and was the chief of all
sinners, in his own mind. Later as you
study into some of Paul’s epistles you will see that even after some of the
Gentile city’s were loving the good news that Paul had given them, they still
reverted back to their own gods, and idols. Galatians’ and Corinthians are a
perfect example of how they would all backslide. Well I guess you get my point
for chapter 3.
This leads us to chapter 4 after Jesus returns.
I will make this one very easy to understand who the backsliders are. If you
remember, or may have heard of the trumpet sound… well if you hear a second trumpet, and you
have “leaned “ on the gospel at all in you life up to that point. YOU TO ARE A BACKSLIDER
