The Symptoms of Backsliding

Text:

• “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”” (Hebrews 10:38, NIV84)

• “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.” (Psalm 119:176, NIV84)

Theme: There are clear danger signs to backsliding that the Christian needs to be aware of.

To spiritually backslide is, “To wane in religious commitment, to become less arduous in piety or less upright in morals.” God is always grieved by the spiritual defection of his chosen people, and he likens it to adultery. The Prophet Jeremiah lamented over Israel’s backsliding, writing, “O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.” (Jeremiah 14:7, KJV)

Backsliding is no light matter though some Christians treat it as such. Over the years I've had any number of church members tell me, "Aw preacher. I’m just backslidden." They say it as if it's no big deal. They say those words as if God can't hear and doesn't care about their backslidden condition.

Folks, let me tell you something. Backsliding is no light matter. You can take other people lightly, but you cannot take God lightly. You can take the preacher's warnings lightly and think nothing is going to happen. You can take your spouse's words lightly and think that everything is going to be alright. You can take your parents lightly and think that they really don't know what they are talking about. But you cannot take God lightly. God's Word is full of stories about those who paid little attention to God's warnings about backsliding.

Saul took God's words lightly and he lost his kingdom, and his son, and his own life.

David took God's words lightly and he fell into sin that brought calamity and tragedy and heartache to his home for the rest of his life.

Israel took God's words lightly and God let them be taken into captivity in Babylon for three whole generations.

The Christian simply cannot continually reside in a backslidden state and expect to get away with it. It is imperative, then, that believers continually guard their lives for the telltale signs of backsliding. And there is no single life which affords us a better illustration than Peter, the Lord's outspoken disciple.

I. DIAGNOSING THE PATHOLOGY OF BACKSLIDING

A. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #1: Doubt

“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”” (Matthew 14:22–31, NIV84)

1. Jesus is not referring to a casual, fleeting doubt that passes through our mind from time-to-time

2. a literal translation of the last part of vs. 31 can read, " ... O thou who lacks confidence in me. Why do you waver in your obedience?"

a) you've taken the first step in backsliding when you waver in your Christian walk because you lack confidence in God

b) that will happen when we take our eyes off Jesus

3. when Peter began to be more concerned about his situation then our Lord's ability to bring him through the storm he began to sink

B. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #2: Disinterest in the Things of God

“Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”” (Mark 14:37–38, NIV84)

1. what happens when a Christian begins to loose confidence in God and waver in their walk with Christ?

2. they become interested in the amusements and distractions the world has to offer and disinterested in the things of God and His church

In his book, Daily Celebration, the Scottish theologian William Barclay makes an interesting observation concerning the conflict between our focus on earthly things vs. our focus on heavenly things. It was the Saturday evening after the assignation of President John Kennedy. Barclay observed that the religious section of his newspaper was missing that evening. The news of the Kennedy assignation had driven it out of the paper. But, in that same issue, were sections devoted to racing news and major league sports events, the entertainment world still had its section, women's topics and a short story still had their usual place, and the section devoted to astrological horoscopes was still there. When something had to go, that something was the news of the Churches and religious articles. Barclay saw this as a sad commentary on the lives of too many Christians: When life gets busy, when there is a clash between the earthly and the spiritual in our lives, and priorities have to be set, and events cut out, church and faith seem to be the first to suffer. It was the Englishman, Lord Melbourne, in the 19th century who said, "Religion is all right so long as it does not interfere with a man's private life."

a. one of the sadist verses in all the Bible is found in 2 Timothy

"Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia." (2 Timothy 4:9–10, NIV84)

3. be wary when you begin to become disinterested in the things of God--you may be n the backslider's road

C. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #3: Defensiveness about Your Disinterest

“A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” ... .” (Luke 22:56–60, NIV84)

1. people always have excuses for their disinterest in the things of God; they get defensive and begin to make excuses

a. "It's that preacher's fault! He keeps stepping on my toes."

b. "Well, if sister so-and-so offended me, and I won’t be back until she apologizes"

2. they often begin to compare themselves to other Christians

a. of course the Christian they compare themselves to are always more backslidden then they are

b. “At least I don’t cheat on my spouse like Deacon Jones does!"

D. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #4: Distancing Yourself from Other Believers and Even Christ

"Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.” (Luke 22:54, NIV84)

1. Peter followed at a distance because he was afraid and ashamed that he was afraid

2. our disinterest in God and the things of God will always lead the backsliding to distance themselves from God and the things of God

a. that makes you vulnerable

ILLUS. Have you ever watched a TV nature program where a lion was chasing after lunch in the form of a gazelle or a zebra? He usually gets the straggler, the one that is separated from the rest. In the same way, the devil often grabs the stragglers, those who are following at a distance. Those who distance themselves from the Body of Christ become easy prey to the world, the flesh, and especially the Devil who is like a roaring lion.

3. distancing ourselves from Christ and fellow believers is a step in backsliding

E. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #5: Departing Christ and Joining the Wrong Crowd

“But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.” (Luke 22:55, NIV84)

1. now, there's nothing wrong with running with a crowd who are not Christians as long as you maintain your witness

a. but if you’re not also running with Christians, don’t be surprised when the spiritual fire in your life goes out

2. when you become disinterested in the things of God, and more interested in the things of the world it naturally follows that you will leave your Christ-centered friends to hang out with your world-centered friends

a. the ultimate end is that they may find themselves departing from Christ and his church

F. BACKSLIDING SYMPTOM #6: Denial That You Even Know The Lord

“A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.” (Luke 22:56–57, NIV84)

1. this is the final step—the end result for the backslider

a. Peter's denial was not merely a spontaneous response to unexpected danger or embarrassment

b. for all practical purposes, he had already laid out the groundwork for desertion

2. no one suddenly backslides

a. a series of steps always leads to it, because every day, we are either building up or weakening our spiritual character.

b. we are either moving forward or falling backward

3. Diagnosing the Pathology of Backsliding

II. DANGERS IN BACKSLIDING

1. backsliding is no light matter—you can take other people lightly, but you cannot take God lightly

a. the most dangerous spiritual position that a Christian can find him or herself in is to know you’re not progressing in your Christian walk, and to tell yourself, “It’s just a phase. I’ll get over it”

b. if you don’t actively renew your commitment to spiritual growth, your name may become just another name on the church membership roll whom most don’t know and won’t remember and only a few will lament your abandonment of Christ and his family

2. if you’re not sliding forward in the Christian walk there are dangers to yourself and others

a. When You Are Backslidden You Are Hindered in Knowing What Is Good

“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7, NIV84)

b. When You Are Backslidden You Lose What You Had Gained

“Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?” (Galatians 3:4, NIV84)

c. When You Are Backslidden You Dishonor God and Slander Him as Though There Were Some Fault in Him

“This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.” (Jeremiah 2:5, NIV84)

“ “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.” (Micah 6:3, NIV84)

d. When You Are Backslidden You Lay Stumbling Blocks Before Others

e. When You Are Backslidden You Store up Sorrows and Chastisements for Yourself

III. DELIVERANCE FROM BACKSLIDING

1. how do we shake off apathy?

a. nothing surprising here

A. CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE

1. as soon as we get a whiff of apathy or laziness we should take time to confess it to God and repent over it

ILLUS. If you found a unusual growth on your face, how long would it take you to go to the doctor? It could be nothing, but it could also be cancer. You have to catch it early. It’s the same with backsliding.

B. READING THE BIBLE

1. this prescribed practice will strengthen and sustain faith

a. when we actively read through the Bible we have all kinds of blind spots exposed

b. God is talking to us through his Word for the purpose of teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16)

C. PUBLIC WORSHIP

1. this is not complicated, God tunes our hearts by his grace when we gather together

a. worship strengthens our faith while shaking us of apathy

2. the encounter with God through the preached Word and the taking of the Lord's Table serve to speak into and through our apathy

D. DISCIPLESHIP

1. spending time with other Christians for the purposes of spiritual growth will shake off apathy

a. when you read the Bible, pray, and talk through implications for life then you encourage one another unto faithfulness by hating sin and loving Christ

(Heb. 3:13; Col. 3:16).

E. EVANGELISM AND MINISTRY

1. nothing will shake you out of your apathy like looking into a lost person's eyes and hearing them talk about how they don't know or love Christ

a. it makes you remember the grace that was lavished upon you and the beauty of Christ your King

ILLUS. One of the great hymns of the faith was written by Robert Robinson, an influential Baptist minister and scholar in 18th-century London. He was also a hymn writer. The title of the hymn is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. The third verse never ceases to make me weep. It implores God:

O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wand’ring heart to Thee:

Prone to wander—Lord, I feel it—prone to leave the God I love;

here’s my heart—O take and seal it;

Seal it for Thy courts above

Unfortunately, Robert Robinson’s heart wand’rd. He wandered in his theology, and in his later years he wandered into the by-ways of sin. As a result, he became deeply troubled in spirit. Hoping to relieve his mind, he decided to travel.

While riding in a stagecoach, he became acquainted with a young woman who engaged him in a spiritual conversation. She asked him what he thought of a hymn she had just been reading. To his astonishment he found it to be none other than Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. He tried to evade her question, but she continued to press him for a response.

Suddenly he began to weep. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, “I am the man who wrote that hymn many years ago. I’d give anything to experience again the joy I knew then.” Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. Mr. Robinson was deeply touched. Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.