Where In The Bible Will I Find:

Backsliding?

As surprising as it may seem, many do not think that the term "backsliding" is a biblical term. In Old Testament times, backsliding was a continual problem of God's people as shown in Jeremiah 8:5, which states, "Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return."

To backslide is to turn away from God's truth and return to one's former wicked life. There are many warnings in the Bible concerning the danger of backsliding. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:12, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Even Paul himself wasn't immune to danger of backsliding. In I Corinthians 9:27, Paul wrote, "But I keep my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

In guarding against backsliding it is necessary to determine its cause. A little boy trying to explain why he fell out of bed said, "I just went to sleep too close to where I got in." This simple illustration helps explain why some fall away from Christ after becoming a Christian. Upon entering the kingdom, it is necessary that one grow spiritually. It is sad that many refuse to grow, but remain close to where they entered the kingdom.

We are exhorted in Hebrews 6:1 to "...go on to perfection." Likewise, we are admonished in II Peter 1:5-7 to add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. By growing in these qualities, we will guarantee that we will not "go to sleep too close to where we got in." In fact, II Peter 1:10 states, "...if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."

Many refuse to grow because they remain closely tied to things in the world. In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of some who all the "...care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful" (Matt. 13:22). To avoid this, we must sever our ties to the world and turn our full attention to spiritual growth. By pressing on to perfection, we will not "slide back" into the ways of the world which we left when we became Christians.

The devil continues in his efforts to remove the Word of God from our hearts by tempting us with all the worldly pleasures available, but Jesus has promised that God cares for us, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink?, or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek ye for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:31-34).