Topical Bible: Hatred: we should Exhibit Against: Backsliding

◄ Hatred: we should Exhibit Against: Backsliding ►

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In the Christian faith, backsliding refers to the act of falling away or turning back from one's commitment to God and His commandments. It is a spiritual decline that can lead to a weakened relationship with God and a return to sinful behaviors. The Bible provides numerous warnings against backsliding and encourages believers to maintain their faith and devotion to God.

The prophet Jeremiah speaks extensively about the dangers of backsliding, particularly in the context of the Israelites who repeatedly turned away from God. In Jeremiah 3:22 , the Lord calls out to His people, saying, "Return, O backsliding children; I will heal your backslidings." This verse highlights God's desire for His people to repent and return to Him, emphasizing His willingness to forgive and restore those who have strayed.

The book of Hosea also addresses the issue of backsliding. Hosea 14:4 states, "I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them." Here, God promises healing and love to those who repent from their backsliding, demonstrating His mercy and grace.

In the New Testament, the concept of backsliding is addressed through the call to perseverance and steadfastness in faith. Hebrews 10:38-39 warns, "But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." This passage encourages believers to remain faithful and not to shrink back, as doing so leads to destruction.

The apostle Peter also cautions against backsliding in 2 Peter 2:20-22 , where he describes the dire consequences for those who have known the way of righteousness but turn away from it. He writes, "For if they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning." This stark warning underscores the severity of backsliding and the importance of remaining committed to one's faith.

Believers are called to exhibit a form of righteous hatred against backsliding, not in terms of hating individuals, but in hating the sin and the spiritual decline it represents. This hatred is rooted in a deep love for God and a desire to uphold His commandments. Psalm 97:10 declares, "O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." This verse encourages believers to detest evil, including the sin of backsliding, and to strive for holiness.

In combating backsliding, Christians are urged to support one another in their spiritual journeys. Hebrews 3:12-13 advises, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." This communal responsibility highlights the importance of mutual encouragement and accountability in preventing spiritual decline.

Ultimately, the Bible calls believers to remain vigilant in their faith, to hate the sin of backsliding, and to encourage one another in their walk with God. Through prayer, study of the Scriptures, and fellowship with other believers, Christians can guard against the dangers of backsliding and maintain a steadfast relationship with the Lord.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 101:3
I will set no wicked thing before my eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not stick to me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the True Church. Duty of Cultivating Unity with Her, as the ...
... God was pleased with lasciviousness, impurity, whoredom, hatred, and strife ... the
individual for whose benefit it should specially be ... 2:Cor.2:7), as we have above ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 1 of the true.htm

The Education of the World.
... a more intellectual service than the earlier records exhibit. ... on which we build the
hatred of evil ... of faith, or detailed precepts of conduct, we should have had ...
/.../essays and reviews the education of the world/the education of the world.htm

Introduction to Oration ii.
... have undergone some deterioration, and to exhibit greater resistance ... of religion
to testify the hatred and shame ... upon us most strictly that we should "tend the ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/introduction to oration ii.htm

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon:
... will it not be counted a trespass against the Lord ... ordinances, they doubted not but
they should as conscientiously ... them as he; therefore, said they, we see not ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr bunyans last sermon .htm