Backslidden Christians True or False

Murph, I already dealt with this text. It was either earlier this thread or the other one.

 

Interesting topic, as it helps me work out this complicated situation...

Three facts stand from Scripture:

1. The spirit of the believer is an eternally sealed and secure new creature and spotless before God.

The believer has God's seed in him and is therefore born of God (1 John 3:9). He is a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). God sees the believer as already seated in the heavens in Christ (Ephesians 2:6).

2. The flesh of the believer is corrupt and will never inherit the kingdom of God. It will however, one day be redeemed and changed into immortality (2 Corinthians 15:35-57).

3. The soul (mind, will and emotions) of the believer are being sanctified daily. The soul and spirit of the believer will one day be in the presence of Christ, united with the regenerated body, thus completing the new creature that God has already birthed and sealed at salvation.

Therefore, we have a tug-of-war going on in the battlefield of the mind between the carnal flesh and the holiness of the spirit. God's own Holy Spirit assists and will ALWAYS lead us to God and His will, but the believer does not always FOLLOW (see Romans 7:14 - 25).

Carnal man, who does not know God and has not been born again, is condemned already from birth (John 3:18). Carnal man is one who follows after the flesh, for his spirit is dead in sin and only the flesh has power to direct the soul. But carnal Christians are a different breed, for they have a spirit that is made alive and are given the Holy Spirit to teach and lead, yet they follow after their flesh's leading instead (of course all believers do to some degree, for we are still mortal and therefore continue to sin, yet it is no longer counted against us by God - Romans 8:1).

It is also true that the believer is not his own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Now, God could have made us holy robots if He so chose at this point, for we are His by purchase of Christ. Never-the-less, God leaves the believer's soul intact, meaning the believer still has a free will when it comes to growth and service.

Satan will use the familiar lure of the old worldly ways to entice the flesh and that side of the mind, will and emotions of the soul of the believer. The Holy Spirit will lead the spiritual side of the soul to the Word for washing and nurishment. It truly is like a father raising a son without forcing his control on the child, but with loving discipline to direct him in the way he should go. The world, the flesh and the devil are a dangerous trio to face on our own, but God promises to never leave nor forsake us. We may break fellowship in the sense that we are not communing with God, but it is never broken in the sense that God is always at our side and sees the GUARANTEED day when we are in perfect communion in the heavenlies!

 

I know of a man who got saved and for about 5 years grew in the Lord. Attended church every time the doors were open, participated in every activity of the church, studied the Bible daily, prayed daily, witnessed, even quit a good job to go to a fundemental bible college with a desire to become a preacher. Then over a short period of time quit the school, quit attending church, quit doing anything associated with being a Christian. did not fall into any blantant obvious sin (no drugs, alcohol, illicit sex, etc.) just returned to being the nice guy (with little interest in spiritual matters) he had always been. If that isn't slidding backwards I don't know what is. This lasted about 4 years. It wasn't a matter of no growth it was definitely a matter of regression in all things spiritual. I was saved before I went through this valley (and getting into a valley is all downhill), I was saved during this valley, and I was still save after I left this valley over twenty years ago. Not nonsense, or theoretical ponderings but hard reality.

 

One problem that often occurs (as shown in this thread) is the habit of using personal experience to interpret scripture. We must not use our experience to determine what the Bible means, but use the Bible to interpret itself.

Any NT examples of backsliding?