“What is our attitude to backsliders? It is easier to love an unbeliever than a backslider. But if we truly have the compassion of Christ, we shall love both. The younger son in this story [the prodigal son] is a picture of a backslider. It's easy to condemn him. It is more difficult to love him and help him. The Bible says, "If a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path" (Gal. 6:1-LB). And again, "If you see a Christian sinning... you should ask God to forgive him and God will give him life" (1 John 5:16-LB). Do we ever pray like that for those who have fallen? No. Why not? Because we are so centered in ourselves.When we seek for a deeper life and a closer walk with God, let us never forget that a deeper life should make us more outgoing. God does not grant us a closer walk with Him merely for us to make merry with our friends. It is so easy for us to get into our little holy huddles (with those who believe as we do) and to think of our enjoyment alone - all the time looking down on those who have not had our ‘deeper life experience.’’ That is not the deeper life at all. That is self-centeredness under the guise of spirituality; and it is an abomination to God.Let us not be deceived. If we are only interested in making merry (even though it be spiritual merry-making) with other members of our spiritual clique and are unable to fellowship with believers who do not see eye-to-eye with us, then we are indeed in a state of spiritual stagnation. The Bible says, "He who does not love his brother is abiding in death" (1 John 3:14). ...if we do not value our brothers and sisters (even those in other denominations than our own) if we do not feel a concern for them, if we are not faithful to them and if we do not delight in them, then, in spite of all our Bible-knowledge and our spiritual experiences, we are in a state of spiritual death....God does not love the harlot more than the self-righteous Pharisee. He loves both equally and He gave His Son to die for both. But the response in the hearts of the two may be different...It is only as we are willing to humble ourselves and acknowledge our corruption and respond wholeheartedly to the Father's love, that we shall be able to feast with Him at His table.”— Zac Poonen
_________________SI Moderator - Brandy Gordon
I wish god would deliver me personally from backsliding as we are all guilty of it. I sometimes feel like a rebel and needs to put jesus in the driver seat. I wish I was forward sliding.
_________________Dominic Shiells
There is no sliding forward- only running. Heb. 12:1, Gal. 5:7, Gal. 2:2, 1 Cor. 9:24.
_________________Todd
:)
