How to Backslide in 9 Easy Steps

Is it even possible to become a backslidden Christian? Is there such a thing as a backslidden Christian?

Yes, it is possible and Yes, there is such a thing.

One such example would be King Solomon.

Turn to and read 1 Kings 11:1-9. Pray.

So, you want to become to a backslidden Christian? Well, you have come to the right place! Tonight, we are going to learn just how easy it is to become a backslidden Christian! How to backslide in 9 easy steps!

Allow your mind to become preoccupied with anything other than God’s Word.

Colossians 3:16 KJV 1900

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Don’t allow the Word of Christ to dwell in you richly! Allowing anything else to dwell in you richly - just not the Word of Christ!

Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Don’t think on that which is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report. And, if there is any virtue or praise - definitely don’t think on those things!

Job 23:12 KJV 1900

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Matthew 4:4 KJV 1900

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Don’t feed on God’s Word! Allow your mind to find on the filth and trash available from Hollywood, from social media, from the internet…allow your mind to become occupied with the things of this world!

1 John 2:15 KJV 1900

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Love the world. Love the things that are in the world. Get your mind thinking about those things!

Stop any type of personal, private spiritual activities.

Psalm 46:10 KJV 1900

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

You are too busy to be still! If you’re going to accomplish, in your day, all that you need to, you don’t have time to “Be Still;” you’ve got to go, go, go!

Psalm 63:1 KJV 1900

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh longeth for thee In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Don’t seek after God! Don’t read your Bible! Don’t pray!

If the intake of God’s Word and prayer are the God-ordained ways in which a Christian is able to grow you definitely do not want to do those things!

Neglect your Bible; forget to pray and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink!

Stay away from Christians who are “on fire” for God.

Turn to and read Proverbs 1:10-18.

If sinners entice you, go ahead, give in and go with them. They’re a lot more “fun” to hang around with then those holier-than-thou Christians!

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Want to backslide? Walk in the counsel of the godly; stand in the way of sinners; sit in the seat of the scornful! Don’t believe me? Just ask Lot, Abraham’s nephew, how much fun he had after he was able to get rid of all of his uncle’s rules and start hanging out with the “cool kids” at the gates of the Sodom and Gomorrah!

Become a “drop out.”

Psalm 122:1 KJV 1900

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

If you are seeking to backslide, the last thing that you are “glad” to hear is someone saying, “Let’s go to church!”

Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day. And the Devil he'll supply them, if the church you stay away. When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses. In the summer it's too hot. And, in the winter, it's too cold. In the spring time when the weather's just right, you find some place else to go. Well, it's up to the mountains or down to the beach or to visit some old friend. Or, to just stay home and kinda relax and hope that some of the kin folks will start dropping in.

Hebrews 10:24–25 KJV 1900

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For cryin’ out loud! If you want to backslide, don’t go to church! That’s the last place that you want to go! That’s the last place that you need to go!

Become critical of everything “the church” does.

Well, the preacher he's too young. And, maybe he's too old. The sermons they're not hard enough. And, maybe they're too bold. His voice is much too quiet-like. Sometimes he gets too loud. He needs to have more dignity. Or, else he's way too proud. Well, the sermons they're too long. And, maybe they're too short. He ought to preach the word with dignity instead of "stomp and snort." Well, that preacher we've got must be "the world's most stuck up man." Well, one of the lady's told me the other day, "Well, he didn't even shake my hand." Excuses, excuses, you'll hear them every day. And the Devil he'll supply them if the church you stay away. When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses So to keep them folks away from church, he offers them excuses.

Galatians 5:14–15 KJV 1900

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Becoming critical isn’t very difficult (especially if you have made it this far)! Complain about everything! Look at everything as being “half-empty.” Sit around and pick out the faults in everyone in the church (you won’t have to look too far)!

Colossians 3:15 KJV 1900

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Above all else, though, never - ever - be thankful for anything! You can’t be critical and thankful at the same time! Besides, why would want to be thankful - you are trying to become a backslider, aren’t you?!?!?

Find new friends. (The more “rebellious” the better!)

Turn to and read Number 16:1-3; 16-19; 28-35

Korah - now that’s the kind of guy that you need to hang around with! He was willing to stand up to Moses! Now one was going to tell Korah what to do! He was just as capable as Moses! There was no reason why Korah needed to follow Moses leadership!

Besides, when you die, who wants to die in a common, ordinary manner? When your time comes you want to go out in a blaze of glory! How cool was it for these guys to be swallowed up by the earth!?!? That’s the way that I want to go!

Start talking like a sailor.

Ephesians 4:29 KJV 1900

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

No, no, no…the more corrupt, the better. Edifying? No way. Minister grace with your words? You’ve got to be kidding; especially if you are seeking to backslide in these 9 simple - and easy - steps!

Talking like a sailor: The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities

The great thing about this process is that, once you’ve gotten this far, these last too steps come pretty naturally. At this point, you’ve filled your mind and heart with the garbage of the world so, when you open, your mouth, garbage comes out! You won’t even need to think about it! It will just come naturally!

Stop talking like a sailor and start living like a sailor.

As John Bunyan, in his well known book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” wrote:

After this they play with sin openly.

Then being hardened, they show themselves as they are: downright wicked.

The process is complete! Congratulations! You are now a “backslider!” How does it feel?

Now, I trust that everyone here tonight understands that, as I preached this message, I did so somewhat “tongue and cheek.” However, I did so to highlight truly how easy it is to backslide! Actually, these steps -all of them - were highlighted by John Bunyan in his book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” in a conversation that Christian had with Hopeful.

As we think about these things, I don’t think that any Christian ever - on purpose - decides to backslide; it just “happens!” The process is always the same and it always begins in the same way - by allowing their minds to become preoccupied with things other than God and His Word.

That’s why verses such as Colossians 3:16 are so vitally important for us to keep in mind:

Colossians 3:16 KJV 1900

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.