Weekly Lesson 11

BACKSLIDING, WHO ME?

The reason Christians should stay daily in God’s Word and in His fellowship is to guard us against backsliding or picking up the habits of the ungodly. Backsliding is not losing one’s salvation, according to John 5:24. It is breaking fellowship with God, it is becoming at ease in the things of God. It can be out of Church or in Church. A backslider is a saved person who falls back into sin. We have the examples of Noah, Abraham, Peter, Lot, and David.

Judas was not a backslider, for he was lost. A lost sinner cannot be a backslider. You must go somewhere before you can slide back. Some stay backslidden longer than others. For Peter, it was a matter of days, for David, it was a matter of months, but for Lot, it was a matter of years.

How does someone backslide? By putting a low value on spiritual things and high value on things with no eternal value.

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

1) Jonah’s backsliding got him into trouble, but it also caused the sailors to get into trouble.

2) Lot was an upstanding citizen of Sodom, but his backsliding caused his children to mock him.

When we begin to backslide, we not only hurt ourselves but also hurt others. We learn that throughout God’s Word that other people are affected when we sin. Some sins can have far-reaching consequences. Sins of parents can be passed on to their children; we can cause our brother or sister to fall along with us. So, we realize that it’s not about you and me when we decide to sin. Each one of us has those people that are watching our lives and maybe led away when they see us doing the wrong thing.

Psalms 89:32, Then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.

1) What a painful reminder of the consequences of sin: “You cannot backslide without suffering.”

2) God promises punishment to those who continue in sin. He told the Israelites that they would be helpless when He would send their enemies upon them.

Make no mistake. The bad choices we make will have consequences. God wants us to learn from our mistakes. He’ll let us make a few mistakes to help us learn to depend on Him.

The cure for backsliding is not to try to cover up your sin or deny it but confess it. Seek the Lord with your whole heart and soul, and He will forgive you.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Go to Romans Road to Salvation and/or Prayer of Rededication

Christ Centered Champions

Christ Centered Champions

We are more than champions through him who loved us. Romans 8:37