I’d like to speak this afternoon on the subject of backsliding and restoration. I would also like to speak of the priesthood and advocacy of Christ, which is an integral part of backsliding and restoration. In particular, I want to look at the cause of backsliding and at how God in grace restores a backslider. I’m sure that this subject will have some application to every one of us here, in one way or another. The fact that there are Christians here at all today with a desire to go on for the Lord is a testament to the faithfulness of God and the intercession of Christ as our High Priest and Advocate. It is, therefore, not without a sense of personal gratitude for the grace and mercy of God that I take up this subject with you.
Grace That Saves and Grace That Restores
First of all, we need to understand that saving, keeping, and restoring our souls are all works of God’s grace. We cannot save ourselves, for the Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)). And, we cannot keep ourselves, for the Word also says, “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” (Jude24)
Furthermore, if we fail, we cannot restore ourselves. Psalm 23:33He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:3) says, “He restoreth my soul.” Simply put; the saving of our souls is the work of Christ as our SAVIOUR; the keeping of our souls is the work of Christ as our HIGH PRIEST; and the restoring of our souls is the work of Christ as our ADVOCATE. We truly owe everything to the Lord for His grace and mercy.
Two Kinds of Departure from God
It’s also important to understand when taking up this subject that there are two kinds of departures from God; one is backsliding and the other is apostasy. We don’t want to confuse the two. Both are bad, but one is infinitely worse.
Backsliding is what happens when a believer gets out of communion with the Lord and gets away from the sense of His presence, and into a course of sin. He doesn’t lose his soul’s salvation from the eternal penalty of his sins, nor does he really get out of the Lord’s presence, because the Lord never leaves or forsakes His people (Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)). But he loses the sense of the Lord’s presence and may feel very far away from the Lord in his soul. It all starts when a believer allows sin in his life and doesn’t judge it. It is often some small sin left unjudged (it doesn’t have to be something big); and as a result, communion is interrupted, and a course of backsliding follows.
Apostasy is a different kind of departure from God. It is the renouncing of a confession that one has once made, and the abandoning of the Christian faith. It is something that only a mere professor (one who is not saved) could do. For such a one, there is no recovery! (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-314For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:4‑8)
26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26‑31))
These two kinds of departures are illustrated in Matthew 26 in two of the Lord’s disciples—Peter and Judas. Peter backslid and was restored through the mercy of God (Luke 24:3434Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (Luke 24:34); John 21:15-1915So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. (John 21:15‑19)). Judas apostatized, and ended up in a lost eternity (Psa. 109:77When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. (Psalm 109:7); Acts 1:2525That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. (Acts 1:25)).
A person who backslides is called to return to the Lord (Jer. 3:1212Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. (Jeremiah 3:12)); a person who apostatizes is not called to return, because there is no return! The Bible says, “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead” (Prov. 21:1616The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16)). It is “impossible” to “renew them again unto repentance” (Heb. 6:66If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:6)). After Peter departed, he turned back to the Lord and was “restored” (Luke 22:3232But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)); Judas departed too, but he never turned back to the Lord. With Peter there was repentance (Luke 22:61-6261And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:61‑62)), but with Judas there was only remorse (Matt. 27:33Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, (Matthew 27:3) – J. N. Darby Trans.).
Occasionally, we’ll hear someone speak of a backslidden Christian as having “fallen away.” Now we don’t want to make anyone an offender for a word (Isa. 29:2121That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. (Isaiah 29:21)), but “falling away” in Scripture refers to apostasy (Heb. 6:66If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:6); 2 Thess. 2:33Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3)), not backsliding.
Let’s turn to 2 Peter 3:1717Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. (2 Peter 3:17), “Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things before, take care lest, being led away along with the error of the wicked” (J. N. Darby Trans.). This shows that while a Christian cannot be an apostate, he can be swept “along with” the current of apostasy and give up certain doctrines and practises! The “wicked” in this verse refers to the apostates described earlier in the epistle. Peter warns the saints that if they didn’t “take care,” they could get swept along with the current of the apostates’ error. It wouldn’t make them apostates, but they would be backslidden. Peter knew what he was talking about when he said this. He was speaking from experience. He got off into bad company and was led “along with” their evil ways; then when he was challenged about his relationship with the Lord Jesus, he denied Him.
Two Links the Believer Has With God
Now when it comes to the Christian, he has two links with God. One is his link of relationship; and there is nothing that could be stronger. No man, or devil, or sin can break that relationship, for he is eternally secure in it. If we know the Lord as our Saviour, we are in a position before God denoted by a term in Paul’s epistles as “in Christ.” No condemnation can ever be attached to those in that place (Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)). It’s the very place of acceptance that Christ Himself is in before God. Simply put, to be “in Christ” is to be in Christ’s place before God. All the favour of God that rests on Christ as He now is on high in glory rests on the believer! As I say, nothing can alter or touch that link.
The other link the Christian has with God is the link of communion; and there is nothing that could be more fragile. What breaks this link is sin. Our link of communion with the Lord is interrupted by the smallest sin. Then, if it is not judged and confessed to the Lord, a course of backsliding begins—even if, at first, it is a very small departure. Such a course will lead us far from God, because there’s no telling how far a backslider may go from God. A believer can commit any and every sin in the catalogue, for he has the same fallen nature that the unbeliever has. And the solemn thing about it is that it doesn’t take much to break the link of communion. The Bible says, “The thought of foolishness is sin” (Prov. 24:99The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. (Proverbs 24:9)). This means that just having a foolish thought can break that link, and then we are on a slippery slope!
So you see, being “in Christ” is entirely different from being “in communion.” One link can never be broken, and the other is broken very easily.
How Can Backsliding Be Prevented?
The Maintenance of Our State of Soul
Knowing that we are never very far away from the danger of backsliding, there is the constant need for the maintenance of the state of our souls. This means that there is no time to take things casually in our Christian lives. Paul told Timothy that there were two things in particular that were necessary if he were to maintain a right state of soul, wherein he would “war a good warfare.” He said, “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning [the] faith have made shipwreck” (1 Tim. 1:18-1918This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: (1 Timothy 1:18‑19)).
First, we have to hold “faith.” This is referring to the inward energy of the soul’s confidence in God. In other words, we need to maintain our faith in trusting the Lord for everything that we encounter in the path. Satan, of course, is doing all he can to shake our confidence in the Lord; he’s always trying to break down our confidence in God. Often he waits for a difficult and trying circumstance to occur in our lives to launch his “fiery darts” of doubt. The devil knows that if he can succeed in planting a doubt in our hearts as to the goodness of God, it won’t be long before we’ll make a false step that will lead us out of the path.
As I say, we have to be especially on guard when some trying circumstance that we can’t understand happens in our lives. If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves questioning God’s ways with us, and it will lead to taking a step outside of His will. When doubts like that come, we are told to lift “the shield of faith” that can quench those fiery darts of the wicked one. Faith will give us to say, “Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight” (Matt. 11:2626Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:26)). We have to accept such things from the hand of a loving God Who has nothing but our good in view in all that He allows to happen in our lives. We must look up in faith, and say, “I know that the Lord has allowed this for my good, and I’m going to accept it from His hand.” That’s what it means when it says, “Holding faith.” Then, the devil can’t get in and do his work of drawing us away.
Secondly, Paul told Timothy to hold “a good conscience.” If we do fail in some way, and make a wrong step, we need to judge it, and confess it to the Lord, whereby we maintain a good conscience. This is what brethren have called, “keeping short accounts with God.” If we have done something wrong, we don’t want to wait until the end of the week to judge ourselves and confess it to the Lord. By that time, we could be really far off the path. Daily self-judgment, even in the smallest things, is absolutely necessary to keep us from falling on the dangerous rocks of shipwreck. It is a maintenance thing. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)).
If we don’t judge ourselves, we open the door to Satan. The course that leads to shipwreck begins with allowing some sin, however small, to go unjudged. When we do that we put away a good conscience, and the slide begins. W. Kelly said, “Faith” brings God into our life, and “a good conscience” judges self, and keeps sin out.
Therefore, it is a good thing to take spiritual inventory of our state of soul on a regular basis. It’s a healthy exercise to pray:
This first verse (“Search me”) expresses the desire for the Lord to expose any false motive in our hearts that would lead us astray. The second verse (“Teach me”) expresses the willingness to judge what the Lord may show us. And the third verse (“Keep me”) expresses a felt dependence upon the Lord to be preserved from getting in with wicked people whereby we will dishonour Him in our lives. This is how backsliding is prevented.