DISPOSED TO BACKSLIDING
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(By Pastor Larry Burkholder)
Hosea 11:1-12
INTRODUCTION: For the past several days I've been reading articles on the matter of "backsliding". After pastoring various churches for a little over 53 years, I have noticed a bent in various people of those churches for the capacity of deliberate, sometimes unwittingly, walking away from the things of their Lord. I use that word "unwittingly" only because sometimes people are not careful about their fellowship with their Lord and allow themselves to be influenced by those whom they presume "spiritually minded" but are not. Oh, yes, they attend church services. Also, they may carry Gospel tracts in their pockets or pocketbooks and actually pass these to those passing by periodically. There are those who are backslidden and even hold positions in their local churches but they have not been faithfully, ardently, and purposefully seeking the Lord's face in the matters of their life.
I also talk from experience about this matter of spiritually being backslidden. From the time I was saved (1963) until the summer of 1967 I lived this way. I actually "flunked out" of one year of Bible institute training due to this unspiritual condition. I wished I had time to explain all of that so you could have a greater understanding and appreciation of my spiritual condition back then.
For the past almost 14 days I've been studying the book of Hosea. In the process of doing that our Lord has spoken to me about many things pertaining to this matter. I wish to share a few of those thoughts which our Lord brought to mind when studying Hosea 11 the other day.
First of all, let's define what is meant by "backsliding". "Backsliding" is the act of returning to the lifestyle, philosophy of life from which we have been saved because we yet have our fleshly nature. A fleshly nature in and of itself is not an excuse but, rather, a reality of which we must recognize and deal with it daily.
I believe that perhaps the first step, at least I believe it was this way for me, is to always be thankful for our salvation. Each day we live we ought to realize what our Lord did for us on Calvary's tree, the empty tomb of which He rid Himself, and the victory which is ours over sin, death and hell. "Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" said the Apostle Paul - Galatians 2:20 (Please read it in its entirety).
How easy it is to forget to be thankful. Consider the ten lepers which our Lord healed (Luke 17:11-19).
When we forget, whether purposefully or incidentally, a kindness done by another, we slight the person who performed that act of kindness. It is the same with our Lord Jesus. With our forgetting the fact of and importance of our salvation, we slight the grace of God which, in my mind's eye, is tragic. When we as a believer loses sight of the great price that was paid for our salvation (redemption) it is spiritually tragic. And, of course, it is offensive to our Saviour.
In Hosea 11:1-4 we see easily the love of God bringing about Israel’s deliverance from the land of bondage. But as did the nine forgetful lepers, Israel soon forgot what He did for them. This is a sure indication that the child of God is in a state or condition of back sliding. No longer being grateful, we can be sure that fellowship with our Heavenly Father has been broken by our unappreciative hearts. No longer being truly grateful we can be sure that fellowship with God has long departed and it is totally our inept neglect to be thankful.
Perhaps just singing the chorus "Thank You, Lord!" on a daily basis would bode well for our continual fellow ship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Look at what God says through Hosea in 11:7, "My people are bent to backsliding from me:..." This verse shows that God definitely holds His people responsible! Also, know this: We are responsible for growing in grace. 2 Peter 3:17, 18 reads, ''Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. BUT GROW IN GRACE, AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
Neglecting to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" we will find ourselves in a natural downward trend from the things of our Lord. This will automatically "kick-in" and lead to our falling from steadfastness. REMEMBER: Our Christian lives have no neutral ground. We are either actively walking with Him or we are drifting away. As did Israel, so do we have our ''own counsels" as read in Hosea 11:6 which will quite easily, because it is natural for us, lead us away or astray which is backsliding.
I firmly believe that backsliding is not at all acceptable to God. And if we have been led away by our ''own counsels" then 11:8 shows the mercy and forgiveness of God: "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how then shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together."
And if 11:8 is not a convincer for you, look at 11:9 where we read: "I will NOT Execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: FOR I AM GOD, AND NOT MAN; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city." He could not enter the city due to their spiritually backslidden city; and yet He would not "execute the fierceness of mine (his) anger."
How gracious was our Lord and Saviour to save us in the first place. How gracious again, as we have just noted in our text. He yet is when we allow ourselves to naturally to be led away or astray which is backsliding.
How gracious He is in our deplorable, neutralized, spiritually backslidden condition! Men desire vengeance every time. But God, He desires or seeks restoration via His mercy, grace, lovingkindness, and restorative powers.
Believer, He deserves, and only He deserves, our undivided attention and continual fellowship! Let's not allow ourselves to be removed to such a spiritual low as being backslidden.
Praise God for His tender mercies! AMEN!
"Thank you Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you Lord, for making me whole,
Thank you Lord, for giving to me,
Thy great salvation so rich and free."
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