How to Deal with Backsliders
“But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
“Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am he that blotteth out by transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’’ Is. 43: 22, 24, 25.
‘‘He feedeth on ashes: a deccioal heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” Is, 44: 20-22.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall goand pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’’ Jer. 29: 11-13.
‘‘And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.’’ Deut. 4: 28.
‘(For the Lord thy God, isa merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.’’ Deut. 4: 31.
“If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’’ 2 Chron. 7: 14.
One of the most useful verses in dealing with an intelligent backslider who wishes to return to the Lord is, 1 Jno. 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’’
It is well sometimes to follow this up with 1 Jno. 2:1, 2:
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’’
Often it is helpful to give illustrations of great backsliders who returned to the Lord, and how lovingly He received them. For this purpose you can use Mark 16: 7:
‘‘But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before
you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”
This tells of Christ’s loving message to Peter after he had se
grievously sinned, and deliberately denied his Master. 2 Chron. 15:4 and 33: 1-9, 12, 13 give illustrations of great backsliders who returned to the Lord, and how lovingly He received them.
Luke 15: 11-21 is perhaps the most useful passage of all in dealing with a backslider who wishes to return, for it has both the steps which the backslider must take, and also a picture of the loving reception from God that awaits him.
When a backslider returns to Christ, he should always be
given instructions as to how to live so as not to backslide f again. These instructions will be found in Chapter V., Sec.
VII.