Chapter 155
Backsliding
What constitutes backsliding, and how does God regard it?
"Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings
shall reprove thee; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and
bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is
not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts." Jer. 2:19.
What is the tendency on the part of professed Christians?
"And My people are bent to backsliding from Me." Hosea 11:7.
What is the reason of this tendency?
"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual
backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and
heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness,
saying, What have I done? everyone turned to his course, as the horse
rusheth into the battle." Jer. 8:5, 6.
How does the Lord regard the backslider?
"Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have
ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." Jer. 3:20.
In order to have the favor of the Lord again, what must the backslider first do?
"Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou has transgressed against
the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye
have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord." Jer. 3:13.
What further work must be done to meet the requirements of God?
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God,
for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7.
Why is it necessary for the unrighteous to forsake their thoughts?
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My
ways, saith the Lord." Isa. 55:8.
What is especially necessary to prevent backsliding?
"Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The
spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." Mark 14:38. (Luke 21:36).
What is necessary on the part of believers to show that they are not reprobates?
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates? 2 Cor. 13:5.
If one has the law of God in the heart, what will it do for him?
"The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." Ps. 37:31.
In what particular does the Lord rebuke His people for their backslidings?
"Even from the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from
Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will
return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" Mal. 3:7.
When the people asked in what thing they should return to Him, what neglect did He
point out?
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein
have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings." Mal. 3:8.
What remedy did the Lord propose, to rescue the people from their backslidings,
and bring them where they could again have the blessings of Heaven?
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive
it." Mal. 3:10.
Why did some of the Lord's disciples leave Him?
"And He said. Therefore said I unto you, That no man can come
unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father. From that time many
of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." John 6:65, 66.
Is there hope in the case of the backslider?
"Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take
away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. so will we render the calves
of our lips... I will heal their backsliding, I will love them
freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea 14:2-4.
Will there be special danger of backsliding in the last days?
"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 24:12.
In view of this danger, what is everyone's duty?
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and
to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36.
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