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Backsliding

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 1 min. read • grade level: 14

Is turning from God. 1 Kin. 11:9.

Is leaving the first love. Rev. 2:4⁴Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4).

Is departing from the simplicity of the gospel. 2 Cor. 11:3³But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3). Gal. 3:1-3¹O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ²This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1‑3). Gal. 5:4, 7⁴Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)
⁷Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Galatians 5:7).

God is displeased at. Psa. 78:57, 59⁵⁷But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. (Psalm 78:57)
⁵⁹When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: (Psalm 78:59).

Warnings against. Psa. 85:8⁸I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. (Psalm 85:8). 1 Cor. 10:12¹²Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Guilt and consequences of. Num. 14: 43. Psa. 125:5⁵As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel. (Psalm 125:5). Isa. 59:2, 9-11²But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
⁹Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. ¹⁰We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. ¹¹We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. (Isaiah 59:9‑11). 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. 8:5, 13⁵Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:5)
¹³I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. (Jeremiah 8:13). Jer. 15:6⁶Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting. (Jeremiah 15:6).

Luke 9:62⁶²And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62).

Brings its own punishment. Pro. 14:14¹⁴The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. (Proverbs 14:14). 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).

A haughty spirit leads to. Pro. 16: 18.

Proneness to. Pro. 24:16¹⁶For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 24:16). 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).

Liable to continue and increase. 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).

Exhortations to return from. 2 Chr. 30:6⁶So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. (2 Chronicles 30:6). Isa. 31:6⁶Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. (Isaiah 31:6). Jer. 3:12, 14, 22¹²Go 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 3:12)
¹⁴Turn, 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). Hos. 6:1¹Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1).

Pray to be restored from. Psa. 80:3³Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (Psalm 80:3). Psa. 85:4⁴Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. (Psalm 85:4). Lam. 5:21²¹Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. (Lamentations 5:21).

Punishment of tempting others to the sin of. Pro. 28:10¹⁰Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. (Proverbs 28:10). Mat. 18:6.

Not hopeless. Psa. 37:24²⁴Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. (Psalm 37:24). Pro. 24:16¹⁶For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 24:16).

Endeavor to bring back those guilty of. Gal. 6:1¹Brethren, 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. (Galatians 6:1). Jas. 5:10, 20¹⁰Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. (James 5:10)
²⁰Let 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).

Sin of, to be confessed. Isa. 59:12-14¹²For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; ¹³In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. ¹⁴And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. (Isaiah 59:12‑14). Jer. 3:13, 14¹³Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast 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. ¹⁴Turn, 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 3:13‑14). Jer. 14:7-9⁷O 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. ⁸O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? ⁹Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. (Jeremiah 14:7‑9).

Pardon of, promised. 2 Chr. 7:14¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14). Jer. 3:12¹²Go 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 3:12). Jer. 31:20²⁰Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:20). Jer. 36:3³It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. (Jeremiah 36:3).

Healing of, promised. Jer. 3:22²²Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. (Jeremiah 3:22). Hos. 14:4⁴I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. (Hosea 14:4).

Afflictions sent to heal. Hos. 5:15¹⁵I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:15).

Blessedness of those who keep from. Pro. 28:14¹⁴Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 28:14). Isa. 26:3, 4³Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. ⁴Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:3‑4). Col. 1:21-23²¹And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled ²²In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: ²³If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; (Colossians 1:21‑23).

Hateful to Saints. Psa. 101:3³I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psalm 101:3).

Exemplified. Israel, Exo. 32:8⁸They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 32:8). Neh. 9:26²⁶Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. (Nehemiah 9:26). Jer. 3:11¹¹And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. (Jeremiah 3:11). 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).

Sauk, 1 Sam. 15:11¹¹It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. (1 Samuel 15:11). Solomon, 1 Kin. 11:3, 4. Peter, Mat. 26:70-74.

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• Ark of the Covenant, the.

• Armies of Israel, the.

• Arms, Military.

• Arts of the.

• Ascension of Christ, the.

• Asher, the Tribe of.

• Asp, or Adder.

• Ass, the Domestic.

• Ass, the Wild.

• Atonement, the.

• Atonement, the Day of.

• Atonement, Under the Law.

• Backsliding

• Baptism With the Holy Ghost.

• Beard, the.

• Benjamin, Tribe of.

• Blessed, the.

• Blindness, Spiritual.