Backsliding

BACKSLIDING
A ploughman who wants to plough straight and true must keep his eyes always forward. He must never look back, or else he will make mistakes. That is why the Lord said in Luke 9:62 "...No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God". In other words, no man or woman, having decided to accept Christ, and changing his or her mind is fit for the Kingdom of heaven. Today we are beginning a series on backsliding under the title "Hands on the plough" it is our prayer that we will never backslide in Jesus name, Amen.
         
1. IT IS POSSIBLE TO BACKSLIDE, BUT IT IS DANGEROUS TOO: The Bible makes it plain that it is possible to fall from grace. Even after Salvation, there is the possibility of going back to perdition. Lot's wife is an example. Demas is another. It is because of the way that backsliders end up that God says He has no pleasure in them. It is better never to have been saved than to backslide because sinners may have some excuses but backsliders have none moreover. Backsliders always begin their downward journey by ignoring God; then after they had gone back from Him, they are tormented by fear day and night. I Cor. 10:12, Luke 17:31-32, II Tim. 4:10, Hebrew 10:38-39, II Peter 2:20-22, Matthew 12:43-45, John 15:22, Psalms 53:1-5.


2. GOD DOES NOT TREAT BACKSLIDING LIGHTLY: HE CALLS IT "SHAMING MY SON, DESPISING MY HOLY SPIRIT: when backsliders start mingle with sinners again, those, who used to know them as children of God begin to blaspheme the Name of the Lord. That is why God does not regard backsliding as a light thing He calls it, "crucifying my Son afresh", "putting my son to an open shame" "stamping on My Son" and "despising my Holy Spirit". Backsliding is truly a dangerous proposition because it invokes the fiery indignation of God. Ezekiel 36:20, Hebrew 6:4-8, 10:26-31, Psalms 125:3-5, Matthew 11:23-24, Proverbs 28:1, Deuteronomy 32:29, Ezekiel 18:24.




3 SOME BACKSLIDE IN ORDER TO GAIN SUDDEN WEALTH, BUT JESUS IS ENOUGH FOR ME: Luke 15:11-32.
a) Those whose inheritance is the Lord are blessed people, just as sorrows belong to backsliders. Like the prodigal son, many leave God, their Father, because they want sudden wealth, but Jesus is enough for me. He should be enough for you too. Some people, due to a lot of prosperity believe they no longer need God. They forget that whatever we have comes from God anyway. Psalms 16:26, Psalms 17:15, Mark 12:44, II Chronicle 33:1-10, Job 21:7, Job 22:15-18, Psalms 10:4-6


4 BACKSLIDERS HAVE A LOT OF QUERIES TO ANSWER FROM THE LORD: A chick that stays away from the mother hen is playing with death. Similarly anyone who stays away from the shadow of the Almighty is playing with fire. The excuse that the "The truth is hard" is unacceptable because God is the Truth anyway. Those who forsake the Lord have a lot of queries to answer therefore. Some of the queries are (i) is God evil? (ii) Has He ever failed? (iii) Was it not to fellowship with Him? (iv)What evil has the Lord done? Psalms 73:27-28, Proverbs 27:6-9, Isaiah 1:4-5, Isaiah 30:8-15, Jeremiah 2:5, 13, 17-19, 31, Micah 6:2-3, Eph.2:11-18, Luke 16:1-19.


5 SEX AND LAZINESS ARE POTENT FORCES THAT PUSH MANY DOWN HILL:
a) Many had been lured away from the narrow way by sex. Illicit sex may appear attractive to you but beware, its end is as "bitter as wormwood". God terms adultery as taking "fire in the bosom" even though Satan may inform you that it is "enjoyment". Some Christians are also backslidden today because they are too lazy to pray, study, and attend services, etc. For some, the down hill journey is caused by a love of pleasure. Proverbs 5:3-14, Proverbs 6:26-33, Proverbs 18:9, Proverbs 21:16-17.


6 DON'T ENVY THE FUN-SEEKERS: THEY ARE HEADING FOR DIVINE JUDGEMENT: worldly pleasure may appear to be "fun", but its end is sorrow. Once you know the truth don't let Him go. When the urge to backslide comes, please listen to the counsel of elder of elders, or else there will be sudden destruction. For each "fun" had by the fun-seekers they will be judged by God. That is why those who are reveling today have a secret fear; that death will come one day, Proverb 23:19-23, Proverbs 28:7, Proverbs 29:1, Eccl. 11:9-10, Isaiah 22:13, Isaiah 56:12.


7 WE HAVE WASTED ENOUGH OF OUR LIVES: LET US SPEND THE REST FOR HIM: Those reveling as if the day of reckoning is still far away are in a surprise: the end is nearer than they think. Surely, this is not the time to backslide; rather, it is the time to tighten our belts. In any case we have wasted enough of our lives. To go back to our former "allies-in-sin" is to tarnish our garment and miss the rapture. The end is near; let us do all we can before the Lord returns for His spotless Bride. Amos 6:3-7, Romans 13:11-14, I Peter 4:3-4, II Peter 2:12-18, Eph. 5:27.