Chronic Backsliders?

Praxeas · #1 04-24-2008, 07:12 PM

Maybe you have some you know of like this. They get onfire for God, come to church, pray, read the word, get involved with the work of God to minister to others and reach lost souls. Then they grow cold and stop going to church, stop praying, stop reading the word....stop everything but go back to their former selves. Then they make a go at it again and start coming back to church etc etc...

Are these people destined to be like this? Are they just a certain kind of ground Jesus refered to that the seed falls on?

If so is there anyway to change the kind of ground you are?

#2 04-24-2008, 09:27 PM

I have seen this and it is very sad. I don't know or understand why it happens. I have seen it more in young people. I think some of that might be the peer preasure thing. I was raised in church, left for several years, but I think with me I have just grown up and figured out what is important. I think having my daughter in my life now has kept me moving forward too.

jaxfam6 · #3 04-24-2008, 10:24 PM

You talking about the members of this forum again???? shame on you. =)

Michael The Disciple · #4 04-24-2008, 11:49 PM

I would speculate that many in this category have never really been saved. Jesus spoke of the Wheat and the Tares. The Tares are those who were sown by the devil. He brings them to Church to confuse the Saints.

Their "chronic backslidings" are meant to lower the standards of holiness or of truth. No I dont mean unscriptural standards of men but the true teachings of Christ.

The message they love to hear is "unconditional love". God must always accept them in their mind.

ManOfWord · #5 04-25-2008, 07:02 AM

I think any "soil" can be changed with some work. We have to get the weeds out, put the nourishment back in it, remove the rocks etc. Some folks come to Jesus with a huge deficit in their souls and have a difficult time believing that Jesus does love them unconditionally. I have seen this time and again and it grieves me every time because I know that they CAN overcome it if they don't give up.

Pressing-On · #6 04-25-2008, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjteacup

I have seen this and it is very sad. I don't know or understand why it happens. I have seen it more in young people. I think some of that might be the peer preasure thing. I was raised in church, left for several years, but I think with me I have just grown up and figured out what is important. I think having my daughter in my life now has kept me moving forward too.

My daughter was relating to me her experience as a youth. She said you could have a powerful service with the intent to live for God, but when you walked out the church doors the world would make a play for you. Walking from one world to the next - church and life. A big struggle for the youth.

Perhaps, for some, it wasn't that hard of a struggle, but for others it was huge......

freeatlast · #7 04-25-2008, 07:57 AM

I think we see more of this weak christianity in our ranks, and much more in some of our churches than others.

The UPC and most other flavors of pentecostalism being more the works based religeon, often, thru our teaching, enable the type of person that becomes a chronic back slider to be just that...A backslider.

I havent heard the word backslider used inmany years in our church. We preach the victorious gospel. We don't get on the standards soapbox, that cause so many to, "feel they'll never measure up.

Many of our churches teach or imply it's OUR rightouesness, OUR Holiness, OUR Good works that will determine if we get through the pearly gates.

So many of OUR people have no clue that it HIS rightousness and HIS holiness and HIS Good work that gives us our salvation.

If you live your life trying to earn your salvation, trying to get on God's good side...you will live a life that is less than what God intended for you and quite possibly be what some call a chronic backslider.

AmericanAngel · #8 04-25-2008, 08:07 AM

This is a good question.
"Struggle" is the operative word here. To me IMHO, there is a difference between struggling to live for God and true back-SLIDING. Based on my 24 years of observation and my own strugglings, the latter leads to a reprobate/Apostate mind.
We are all guilty of wanting to follow our own path(Isa53:6). But God shows us that if we are tested and pass(Ps66:9) if we have awe of God(Jer.2:19), if we have faith (Jer3:22), if we turn from sinning when born again(Jer5:6), if we do not reject the Lord(Jer15:6), if we turn from idols and images (Eze 37:23), if we do not look at the side shows to our left and right (dt5:32), if we have a willing spirit (Ps51:13), if we do not turn from the battle and fight for our right to praise and worship and live for him (Isa 28:6), if we continue to seek to understand him (Ps14:3), if we fear the Lord(Pr14:27), ...then God will continue to help us, to strenghtin us (Job33:28-30).
Back-sliding is a SLOW turning away (2Pet 2:20,21) and at some point, even God will stop dealing with you.
This was and is a hard thing for me to grasp. The OSAS mentality, I do not agree with. But as long as you are struggling to live for God... I am reminded of a scripture that helps me, and I hope it helps your/our teenagers....(the whole is Rom8:28-39)
Ro8:37-39-
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Michael The Disciple · #9 04-25-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I think any "soil" can be changed with some work. We have to get the weeds out, put the nourishment back in it, remove the rocks etc. Some folks come to Jesus with a huge deficit in their souls and have a difficult time believing that Jesus does love them unconditionally. I have seen this time and again and it grieves me every time because I know that they CAN overcome it if they don't give up.

How does this fit into the UNCONDITIONAL LOVE theory?

21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14:23

The truth is IF we love Jesus as defined by HIMSELF as keeping his word we will continue in his love.

9: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10: If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. John 15:9-10

No "unconditional love" doctrine wont help us be overcomers.

If one is truly saved he will be a NEWCREATION in Christ Jesus. Thats where it starts. Is the person really born of God?

GodsBabyGirl · #10 04-25-2008, 09:33 AM

I don't know if there is such a thing as 'chronic backsliders.'

I do know that there are people who sincerely love God-and God loves them-who struggle.

Some folks struggle is more apparent and public than others.

Religious spirits judge and say if a person does all the right outer works, i.e. go back to church, run to the altar at every call, cry, spit up, etc., then this person is 'struggling' and we should bear long and love them, pray them through, don't give up on them...

But if a person does not perform all these religious duties to appease the people, or should I say religious spirits, then they are apostate, reprobate, etc. whatever...

Funny thing is that an altar can be anything, not just that thing in front of a church building.

And last I cheq'd until a person inhales their last breath of oxygen and exhale their last CO2 then there is ALWAYS a chance at redemption, at forgiveness, at restoration....

With this knowledge and revelation, I am VERY mindful of judging if one who we deem as 'backslidden' will ever come back to God.

It could very well be and is more likely than not that a person is right with God...only God and that person REALLY knows.

This makes me think of the scripture....

Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

If we are spiritual, if we are the church, if we are ambassadors of Christ, then we need to be in the business of restoring folks, not condemning them to hell--and doing so in a spirit of meekness.....

As the Word says...

Because God can show you you can fall for the same sin that overtaken brother has....only by the GRACE of God it isn't you......