Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings.
Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God. (Jer 3:22)
Backsliding is very serious. The backsliding of the people of Judah led to the fall of Jerusalem and Judah. Throughout history, God has called for His people to return. “Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls” (Jer 6:16, NIV). After the exile, the Israelites finally returned to the Lord and His law.
Christians can become backsliders when they lose their fellowship with God, have a cold or lukewarm heart, or fall into sin. We need to be alert so as to not become loveless, lifeless, or lukewarm believers as described in the book of Revelation to the churches in Ephesus, Sardis, and Laodicea. In the first steps of our Christian lives, we may have had enthusiasm without knowledge. Do we now have knowledge without enthusiasm? If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life. Continue reading →