Backsliding; Fallen Away Believer / Hebrews 2:1 4; Hebrews 6:4 8
Backsliding; Fallen Away Believer / Hebrews 2:1–4; Hebrews 6:4–8
It is possible for individuals to fall away from faith or turn against Jesus Christ. Scripture identifies this danger and warns against its negative consequences.
Notes
Apostasy - An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion, or departure from one's faith or religion.
What leads to Personal apostasy
Hebrews 2:1-4
1 FOR this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
Hebrews 6:4–8 NASB95
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
5 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
6 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;
7 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
8 See also Matthew 13:20–21; Matthew 24:10–12; Galatians 1:6; Galatians 5:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:3–4; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 2:19; 1 John 5:16
***Note This***
Believer’s Bible Commentary
If they fall away, after enjoying the privileges just enumerated, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. They have committed the sin of apostasy. They have reached the place where the lights go out on the way to hell.
The enormous guilt of apostates is indicated in the words since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. This signifies a deliberate, malicious spurning of Christ, not just a careless disregard of Him. It indicates a positive betrayal of Him, a joining of forces against Him, and a ridiculing of His Person and work.
Warnings against personal apostasy
Hebrews 10:26–31 NASB95
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
See also Matthew 10:33; John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 3:12; 2 Peter 3:17
OT examples of personal apostasy
Deuteronomy 13:1–11 an unfruitful prophet or relative
New American Standard Bible Shun Idolatry
13:1 “IF a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’
3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 “You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
5 “But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.
6 “If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known,
7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),
8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.
9 “But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
10 “So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11 “Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that
13 some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known),
King Saul:
1 Samuel 15:11
New American Standard Bible Samuel Rebukes Saul
“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.
1 Samuel 15:11; 1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Samuel 16:14; 2 Samuel 7:15
2 Chronicles 26:16–21 King Uzziah; 2 Chronicles 28:19–27 King Ahaz
NT examples of personal apostasy
Matthew 26:14–16 Judas;
New American Standard Bible Judas Bargain
14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you?” And they weighed out to him thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Him.
Luke 13:26–27; Judas
John 6:66; Judas
Acts 5:1–11 Ananias and Sapphira;
1 Timothy 1:19–20 Hymenaeus and Alexander;
Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:10 Demas;
2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Peter 2:10–15; 2 Peter 2:20–22; Jude 4; Jud 8–16;
Revelation 2:20–22 Jezebel
4 Reasons People Backslide
One of the more interesting sections of dialog in John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress has Christian and Hopeful discussing the danger of backsliding, of falling away from what had the appearance of spiritual life and growth. That dialog, drawn from the tenth stage of Christian’s journey, is important and instructive. Bunyan presupposes that such people have been awakened to their need for salvation by some combination of the fear of God and the danger of hell, but eventually fall back or fall away. Here are four reasons that people backslide:
1. The conscience is awakened, but the mind is not changed. Therefore, when the guilt and fear of God that motivated this awakening of conscience has passed, their desire for salvation cools and they return to their own ways.
Though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their minds are not changed: therefore, when the power of guilt weareth away, that which provoked them to be religious ceaseth; wherefore they naturally turn to their own course again; even as we see the dog that is sick of what he hath eaten, so long as his sickness prevails, he vomits and casts up all; not that he doth this of a free mind, (if we may say a dog has a mind,) but because it troubleth his stomach: but now, when his sickness is over, and so his stomach eased, his desires being not at all alienated from his vomit, he turns him about, and licks up all; and so it is true which is written, “The dog is turned to his own vomit again.” 2 Pet. 2:22. Thus, I say, being hot for heaven, by virtue only of the sense and fear of the torments of hell, as their sense and fear of damnation chills and cools, so their desires for heaven and salvation cool also. So then it comes to pass, that when their guilt and fear is gone, their desires for heaven and happiness die, and they return to their course again.
2. They are overwhelmed by fear of man. For a time the fear of damnation overcomes this fear of other people, but as the sense of danger passes, so too does their boldness.
Another reason is, they have slavish fears that do overmaster them: I speak now of the fears that they have of men; “For the fear of man bringeth a snare.” Prov. 29:25. So then, though they seem to be hot for heaven so long as the flames of hell are about their ears, yet, when that terror is a little over, they betake themselves to second thoughts, namely, that it is good to be wise and not to run (for they know not what) the hazard of losing all, or at least of bringing themselves into unavoidable and unnecessary troubles; and so they fall in with the world again.
3. They are full of pride, unwilling to face the world-ward shame that comes with the gospel.
The shame that attends religion lies also as a block in their way: they are proud and haughty, and religion in their eye is low and contemptible: therefore when they have lost their sense of hell and the wrath to come, they return again to their former course.
4. And finally, they refuse to face their own guilt and the danger that will come to them if they do not receive forgiveness for wrongs done.
Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them; they like not to see their misery before they come into it; though perhaps the sight of at it first, if they loved that sight, might make them fly whither the righteous fly and are safe; but because they do, as I hinted before, even shun the thoughts of guilt and terror, therefore, when once they are rid of their awakenings about the terrors and wrath of God, they harden their hearts gladly, and choose such ways as will harden them more and more.
How to Backslide in 9 Easy Steps
From Pilgrims Progress we have John Bunyan’s wisdom on why some who profess faith in Christ eventually backslide.
1. Stop meditating on the gospel. “They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.”
2. Neglect your devotions and stop battling sin. “Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer, curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.”
3. Isolate yourself from Christian fellowship. “Then they shun the company of lively and warm Christians.”
4. Stop going to church. “After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like.”
5. Determine that Christians are hypocrites because they continue to sin. “They then begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the godly, and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming color to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmities they have espied in them) behind their backs.”
6. Trade Christian community for distinctly unchristian company. “Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with, carnal, loose, and wanton men.”
7. Pursue rebellious conversation and fellowship. “Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret; and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their example.”
8. Allow yourself to enjoy some small, sinful pleasures. “After this they begin to play with little sins openly.”
9. Admit what you are and prepare yourself for everlasting torment. “And then, being hardened, they show themselves as they are. Thus, being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceiving's.”
How To Avoid Backsliding
1. Examine your faith-life regularly.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV):Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
2. If you find yourself drifting away, turn back immediately.
Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV):See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
3. Come to God daily for forgiveness and cleansing.
1 John 1:9 (NIV):If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Revelation 22:14 (NIV):Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
4. Continue daily seeking the Lord with your whole heart.
1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV):
And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
5. Stay in the Word of God; keep studying and learning daily.
Proverbs 4:13 (NIV):Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
6. Stay in fellowship often with other believers.
You can’t make it alone as a Christian. We need the strength and prayers of other believers. Hebrews 10:25 (NLT): And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.
7. Stand firm in your faith and expect difficult times in your Christian life.
Matthew 10:22 (NIV):All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Galatians 5:1 (NIV):It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
8. Persevere.
1 Timothy 4:15-17 (NIV):Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
9. Run the race to win.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-25 (NIV):Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training ... we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV):I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness...
10. Remember what God has done for you in the past.
Hebrews 10:32, 35-39 (NIV):Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised … we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
May The Lord Add a Blessing To The Reading, Hearing and Doing of His Holy Word.