 
Illustration. Peter's Denial. "And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the Man." Matt. 26:72. 1. How does God regard backsliding? “Thy backslidings shall reprove thee: ... 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.” Jer. 2:19. “If any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Heb. 10:38. 2. What has ever been the tendency of God's people? “My people are bent to backsliding from Me.” Hosea 11:7. 3. What inevitably leads to departure from God? “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Heb. 3:12. Note.—Unbelief is “the sin which doth so easily beset us.” Heb. 12:1. 4. In what ways did the constant backsliding of the people of Jerusalem manifest itself? “Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. [pg 685] 5. To what is backsliding likened? “Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.” Jer. 3:20. 6. To regain God's favor, what must the backslider do? “Only 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.” Verse 13. 7. On what condition does God promise mercy to sinners? “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.” Isa. 55:7. 8. Why must the wicked forsake their thoughts and ways? “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.” Verse 8. Note.—God desires that we shall think His thoughts, which are right thoughts, pure thoughts, everlasting thoughts. He desires also that we shall take on His ways, which are ways of pleasantness, and walk in His paths, which are paths of peace. 9. What is especially necessary to prevent backsliding? “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38. 10. What are believers exhorted to do? “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?” 2 Cor. 13:5. 11. If one has God's law in the heart, what will not occur? “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” Ps. 37:31. 12. What is one characteristic of backsliding? “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?” Mal. 3:7. [pg 686]13. In response, what neglected ordinance does God cite? “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings.” Verse 8. 14. What remedy is indicated? “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Verse 10. 15. Because of Christ's plain teachings, what did some of His disciples do? “From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.” John 6:66. 16. When the backslider repents, what does God do? “Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.... I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:2-4. 17. Will there be special danger of backsliding in the last days? “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matt. 24:12. 18. What are some of the evils against which we are specially warned at this time? “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Luke 21:34. 19. In view of the perils surrounding us, what are we told to do? “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Verse 36. O for a closer walk with God! A calm and heavenly frame, A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb. William Cowper. |
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