Backslider

Concise Bible Dictionary:

There are four Hebrew words applied to backsliding.

1. sug, “to go back”: “the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways,”‘ instead of God’s ways (Prov. 14:14¹⁴The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. (Proverbs 14:14)).

2. sarar, to act like a refractory heifer, that will not draw regularly in the plow: to which Israel is compared (Hos. 4:16¹⁶For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place. (Hosea 4:16)).

3. meshubah, “a turning away, apostasy.” (Jer. 2:19¹⁹Thine 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. (Jeremiah 2:19); Jer. 3:22, 6-12²²Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. (Jeremiah 3:22)
⁶The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. ⁷And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. ⁸And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. ⁹And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. ¹⁰And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord. ¹¹And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. ¹²Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. (Jeremiah 3:6‑12); Jer. 5:6⁶Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased. (Jeremiah 5:6); Jer. 8:5⁵Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:5); Jer. 14:7⁷O 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); Hos. 11:7⁷And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. (Hosea 11:7); Hos. 14:4⁴I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. (Hosea 14:4)).

4. shobeb, “rebellious, backsliding.” (Jer. 3:14, 22¹⁴Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: (Jeremiah 3:14)
²²Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. (Jeremiah 3:22); Jer. 31:22²²How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. (Jeremiah 31:22); Jer. 49:4⁴Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me? (Jeremiah 49:4)). The last three words are all used of backsliding Israel. We do not find the word “backslider”‘ in the New Testament but the same sin is there pointed out, for instance the drawing back which may lead to perdition as in Hebrews. 10:38-39. See APOSTASY.

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

The Bible speaks of two kinds of departure from God––apostasy and backsliding. Both are bad, but one (apostasy) is infinitely worse. A believer can never apostatize, but he surely can backslide, if he is not careful in his walk. If a believer does backslide, there is a remedy (confession and repentance, whereupon he is restored to the Lord – 1 John 1:9⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)), but if a merely professing believer apostatizes, there is no remedy (Heb. 6:4-6⁴For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4‑6)). (See Apostasy.)

The words “backsliding” and “backslider” are not found in the New Testament, but this kind of sad departure from God surely is mentioned (Mark 14:30³⁰And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Mark 14:30); James 5:19¹⁹Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; (James 5:19)). It has to do with a believer becoming careless in heart as to his communion with God (Prov. 14:14¹⁴The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. (Proverbs 14:14)), and if this is not judged, it will result in a wayward walk from the Lord. The work of Christ as an Advocate brings the backslider back. The restoration of the backslider involves repentance and the confession of sins to the Father (1 John 1:9⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). (See Advocacy.)

It is important to understand that backsliding does not affect a believer’s standing before God; hence, the backslider does not lose his salvation. But as Proverbs 14:14¹⁴The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. (Proverbs 14:14) indicates, the backslider pays a heavy price for his waywardness in reaping what he has sown (Gal. 6:7-8⁷Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ⁸For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7‑8); Prov. 13:15¹⁵Good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard. (Proverbs 13:15)). If we allow sin to go unjudged in our lives, there will be disastrous results:

• Our link of communion with God will be broken (Rom. 8:13¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13)).

• We acquire a bad conscience which will result in a lack of confidence in prayer (1 John 5:14-15¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14‑15)).

• We will lose spiritual energy.

• We will lose discernment (Hos. 7:8-9⁸Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ⁹Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. (Hosea 7:8‑9)).

• We may become a slave to the sins that we allow in our lives (1 Cor. 6:12¹²All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (1 Corinthians 6:12)).

• The chastening hand of God will be laid upon us in order to turn us around (Heb. 12:6⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Hebrews 12:6)). Such chastening could even go to the extent of being taken away in death prematurely (Eccl. 7:17¹⁷Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? (Ecclesiastes 7:17); 1 Cor. 11:31-32³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31‑32); James 5:20²⁰Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:20); 1 John 5:16¹⁶If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (1 John 5:16)).

• We spoil our Christian testimony before the world (Gen. 19:14¹⁴And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. (Genesis 19:14)).

• We will lose a reward that the Lord intended for us to have (1 Cor. 3:13-15¹³Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13‑15); 2 Cor. 5:10¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10); Rev. 3:11¹¹Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11)).