Calling for the return of the backslider    

 Prov.14:14 - The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

          Psa.125:5- As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.

In Matthew 13:3-23, Jesus taught that there are four different types of hearts of man.  One is the heart “by the way side”, two is the heart “into stoney places”, three is the heart “among the thorns”, and four is the heart “into the good ground”. The main point of his teaching was that God desires and wants us to have the good ground heart. Jesus said, he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Also in Matt.15:18- But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man. We know and clearly understand that it makes no sense at all to disobey and turn away from the God of eternal life, but in many cases we do.

The history of the children of Israel showed many times how they were having the three negative hearts Jesus taught against in the parable of the sower. Today, in the Church of God, Christ`s Body, the saints also are able to repeat history and come short of doing the will of God. There are many types of sins one can commit. All sins come through the pride of life, lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye. Now, God`s will for us is Heb.10:38-Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Once we are in the church we began to learn and have knowledge of right and wrong. Some sins we commit are through ignorance and some through willful knowledge. But God has always through time, commanded his people and mankind to repent. Repent of the wrong and the willful mind to go against God your creator. In Acts17:30-But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Some have thought that once they have become saved that you’re always saved, no matter what you do, or as long as you feel you have not left the Lord, you are still saved. However, the bible says in II.Cor.13:5- Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates. You see it’s easy to determine when one has backslidden, it’s when you have just given up and return back to sin and are living again after your lustful carnal mind. You’re no longer worshipping God in spirit and in truth. But God wants us to be saved, he loves us more than we can imagine. He loves us so much that when we are wrong and very sinful and very shameful, God proves how much he cares and loves us; first by not quickly destroying us and judging us to be condemned unto hell even though he knows we are worthy of it. But God is willing to be merciful, pitiful, and long suffering that none of his children perish away unto damnation.

God spoke through his son, Jesus who said in St.Matt.12:31-Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: Remember when Jesus taught about the man that has two sons in Luke15:11-32. This was a symbolic allegory of God as Father unto his children. The disobedient son said this unto his father when repenting of his sins, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” But, the Father said unto his son,” For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found: It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad”. Remember we all belong to God and when we sin or return back to sin we are sinning against God. He is the only Law giver and creator maker of all mankind. Sin separates us from the fellowship and the love communion we can have with him now and forever. Some people are thorns in the church world and have the self righteous mind set of the elder son in Luke15:29, feeling they’re better than you are or “no” you should not be allowed back, or they are the judge to find you “unworthy” to be saved. But they are only proving that they themselves need to be saved!

You see some think that they are saved based on their faithfulness and religious practice of church assembly attendance. Just because you attend a building, that does not mean you are living in the will of God, worshipping him in spirit and truth. The building is not God, your organization is not God, your religion is not God, and your love and faithfulness should not be to a building, but to God and his will. This is done through believing in and on God`s son. To believe in, means to acknowledge and accept the truth in faith, and to believe on, means to obey and live by the truth in faith. You can attend worship services and still be a backslider, you can preach and teach and still be a backslider. When God made Saul the first King over Israel, Saul sinned against God and God refused to accept him, but Saul still remained King, and was faithful at the throne but no longer in God`s will and favor. Neither did Saul self will step down from being king, after knowing he was rejected. Many leaders and saints have backslidden, some with faithful attendance and some without. Heb.10:24- 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.  Lets understand that this scripture is stating for us "not to stop or refusing to continue to attend or assembling yourselves together" as some has done. This is to the Body as a whole everywhere; we can fellowship with all saints that are in the body.  Some practice assembling in each other’s homes or elsewhere to a set assembly building. We should provoke each other to love one another that we will all enjoy and love to be in each other’s company, build friendships, and fellowships. Not to make the saints refuse to assemble because of mistreatment and being deceitful.  To compromise the truth and to begin to live by your own carnal judgments of the scriptures is the same as backslidden because you are living in sin. If you don’t obey your master the Lord Jesus and keep his words, then you are in disobedience and to refuse to acknowledge the truth and repent is the same as backslidden, no matter whom you claim you are.  Job 8:13- So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish.    Jesus said in Luke13: 25-When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. How many times have you heard the truth and refused it? How much knowledge of right and wrong do you have and don’t seriously care about living right by it? Well, that’s the same as backslidden. When you’re willing to live by your own ways then you are backsliding into the way of error. When you want to live by some right and by some wrong. Isa.5:20-Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

 In II.Pet.2:15- Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages(money/wealth) of unrighteousness; 20-For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.   For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

In the book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus is addressing his body, the church of God. But what we should notice is that the divine revelations that Jesus receives is that of 7 churches representing one body, but the one body have 7 conditions in the future end time before his return for the church. Rev.2:1- These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Jesus is letting us know how the church is going to turn from God, as time goes on and into the future aging of the church, the body as a whole, is not going to completely and wholly keep the will of God. In Matt.24:12-" because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold". Also II.Tim4:3-"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables".  Jesus is the head over his body and he knows what he wants and expects from his body. He wants all to come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph.4:13,24. Why would Jesus have to speak unto his own body, commanding them to repent? This shows that the saints of God will not always be obedient to the spirit and word of truth. Jude1:11-Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain(pride of life-hatred), and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward( lust of the eye-wealth), and perished in the gainsaying of Core(lust of the flesh).  The Lord Jesus Christ said this unto 5 of the 7 churches. Rev.2:4-Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Rev.2:14-But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev.2:20-Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. Rev.3:2-Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Rev.3:15- I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

But for Christ`s church being obedient and remaining faithful unto him he has gave 7 great promises, which is your birth right in God and these are, Rev.2:7-To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev.2:11-He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev.2:17-To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Rev.2:26-he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and I will give him the morning star.    Rev.3:5-He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Rev.3:12-Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Rev.3:21-To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. We have a lot to live for in God. Both the Father and Son is worthy of all praise, worthy to live, suffer and die for.

If you have been living in sin, if you have backslidden and turned your heart away from God, then what’s important is for you to acknowledge your sins,repent of your sins, and to forsake your sins before God. Satan is a true deceiver. He wants you to die in your sins and be eternally lost. Don’t let your sins keep you from eternal life. Jesus said “all manner of sin shall be forgiven”. Don’t let your past sins hinder you, don’t let others hinder you, don’t let the judgment of man hinder you from eternal life.  Remember everyone is not going to accept, love, and respect you in this life. You might suffer from people lying on you, mistreating you, so-called disfellowships; it may come from family, friends, church members and the world. But through it all, Jesus died for your sins; he died that you will be saved, and that you can overcome all things. God loves us and he wants us saved! If God is willing to forgive you that’s all that matters. We all need to get right with God; we all need to be obedient.  The Apostle Paul shows us the best way to deal with our shameful and painful past in Phili.3:13"-but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil.4:7-9, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8-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.9-Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:” Come back to the Lord God your Father and to his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will make intercession for you. Come back so you can continue to do what the Lord wants you to do, fulfill your calling, come back before its everlasting to late. You that have once walked and fellowship with God the Father, you believed upon his Son, and was baptized into his Son`s name and death, for the remission of your sins and through repentance was given the gift of the Holy Ghost of God into your soul and mind. You must return, and obey if you want to live. Through it all, if you don’t realize with all your heart that God need to be first in your life, then you will never obtain eternal life. Every child of God has a shameful past, but through Christ Jesus  we can have a glorious blessed future. But, let us  most importantly not forget God`s rule for forgiveness, Jesus saidthis about his Father God in Matt.6:14- For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.                   In I.John1:7-But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  King David understood this very well in Psa.32:1-Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.Psa.51:1- Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions. Isai.55:6- Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.  When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;  (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.  Deut.4:29

Min. Timothy  Irby