Do We Still Believe in Backsliding?

If a Christian fails to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and if he fails to attach himself to the Lord Jesus Christ gaining an intimate relationship with Him, He opens the door for what we use to call “Backsliding.” Without their thinking about it and sometimes even realizing it, the door has been opened wide for Satan to move them in a direction contrary to God’s will and they can so easily find themselves:

1. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly, which will overtime cause them to
2. Stand in the way of sinners, which will overtime cause them to even sit in the seat of the scornful with opinions that will never glorify God or accomplish His will in their lives.

Backsliding is a common scenario in the lives of those who fail to pursue a close relationship with the Lord. James 4:7-8 reads, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

The psalmist speaks of one whose delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night (Psalm 1:2). It is when we stop delighting in Him and in His Word that we find ourselves drifting. It doesn’t make sense that we would want anything more than what is promised in Psalm 1:3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringing forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and what ever he does shall prosper.

If this does not take place, Satan’s deceptions, his goals, and purposes for them will be accepted and without knowing it, they will find themselves like the ungodly in Psalm 1:4 and 5, like the chaff which the wind drives away a totally wasted life. Sad, but there are many who fail to recognize where they are at until the Lord allows some tragedy in their lives or until they are old, perhaps near death and their lives are so filled with regrets. Another tragedy is the recognition that they cannot go back and be used for God’s glory. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:6).

One who is considered a “backslider” is a Christian who gets away from the Lord relating to fellowship, whether he chooses to do so or whether it comes because of neglect. No Christian starts a day out with the thought, “Today I will backslide.” The Lord at one point was angry with Solomon, because his heart was TURNED from the LORD God of Israel (1 Kings 11:9). Jesus accused the saints at Ephesus of leaving their first love (Revelation 2:4). A backslider turns away from that “first love” he experienced in the initial period of his salvation. Backsliding is being anything less than you ought to be for God. Those who simply exist (drift) in this life have turned away from the Lord as they are not seeking His direction. Without realizing it, they may find themselves in danger of walking in the way of the ungodly, standing in the way of sinners and even sitting in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1).

You might recognize some of the signs by which a backslider may be identified. While I trust that none of these are characteristic in your life, test yourself to be certain they are not so. Many of these will be closely related.

1. Turning back to pre-conversion lifestyle.
2. A boldness to sin or giving in to temptations to sin.
3. They tend to justify their own behavior, even comparing themselves to others (Jeremiah 3:11).
4. Deceived and stubborn, having been tricked and still insisting they are not wrong (Jeremiah 8:5)
5. Failing to take God’s Word seriously.
6. Making decisions without going to God’s Word or praying about it (Zephaniah 1:6).
7. Always trying to find the easy way to success instead of following Christ regardless of the high cost involved (Matthew 16:24-26).
8. Refusing to exalt God and giving Him His rightful place (Hosea 11:7).
9. Prayer ceases to be a vital part of life.
10. When you no longer desire God’s Word as a major part of your life (Psalm 37:4)
11. When it is easier to talk about religion than it is to talk about Christ.
12. When you no longer desire to be under the preaching of the Word of God when you are content with the Biblical knowledge already gained.
13. When eternal truth is treated as external fact and not accepted for internal application.
14. When you no longer desire to worship and fellowship with the saints at church services.
15. When Christians focus on looking back on the past instead of focusing on what God as delivered them from or what He has for them ahead.
16. When sports, entertainment, weekend vacations and recreation are a greater necessity than gathering with the saints at church (Hebrews 10:25).
17. When you turn back to the old way of life and the sins of the body and mind can be indulged without bothering the conscience (I Timothy 4:1-2).
18. When Christlikeness ceases to be a dominant force in your thinking and in your life (Romans 8:29: Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 2:5).
19. When the acquisition and possession of money and goods becomes more important than worship, gathering with the saints, serving Christ and focusing on eternal things.
20. When you can mouth religious hymns without any heart toward genuine worship.
21. When you can talk about God without any desire to obey Him or have a passion after Him.
22. When we desire to please men more than pleasing God.
23. When the saints want their own way as opposed to doing what God wants in their lives (Proverbs 14:14).
24. When we no longer look for, long for and live as though Christ’s return could occur at any moment. Hope of Heaven and everlasting life grows dim.
25. When death and eternity become distasteful subjects.
26. When you hear the Lord’s name being taken in vain and God is mocked, and you are not moved to indignation or action.
27. When death and eternity become a distasteful subject
28. Having a critical spirit toward God-given authority.
29. When you can watch degrading movies on television or pornography on the internet you can be sure you are backslidden. One who genuinely loves the Lord hates what He hates.
30. When you justify your own sin thinking that the Lord understands.
31. When you become comfortable in this sin-cursed world, and you fail to speak out for truth.
32. When your tears are dried up and you no longer cry out for revival in our day, even when realizing the destruction that is coming upon the lives of so many and upon our very nation because of sin.
33. When people who have nothing are all around us and we are not moved to assist them.
34. When injustice and human misery is all around us and we do nothing to relieve the suffering and reveal the comfort of God to those who so desperately need it.
35. When the slightest excuse is sufficient to keep you from serving the Lord.
36. When the joy of the Lord is absent in your life and there is no music in your soul.

Be cautious: There are some that we may think are backsliders who have never truly trusted Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior. They may have gone through some motions or some religious experience and even given intellectual assent, but their heart has never changed.

There are so many more things that could be listed. How did you do with the above check list? Would you consider yourself a backslider or a believer who genuinely loves the Lord? When is the last time you prayed for a backslider?

George Stiekes serves as a Lay Pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Hendersonville, NC. See here for a more complete bio of brother Stiekes extensive ministry. We republish his material by permission.