A Description of a
Backslider
"You have forsaken your first love."
Revelation 2:4
Backsliding occurs when the Christian is gradually led off from close
walking with God, loses the lively sense of divine things, becomes
too much attached to the world and too much occupied with secular
concerns; until at length the keeping of the heart is neglected, prayer
and the seeking of the Lord in private are omitted or slightly
performed, zeal for the advancement of religion is quenched, and many
things once rejected by a sensitive conscience are now indulged and
defended.
All this may take place and continue long before the person is aware of
his danger, or acknowledges that there has been any serious departure
from God. The 'forms of religion' may still be kept up, and 'open sin'
avoided. But more commonly backsliders fall into some evil habits--they
are evidently too much conformed to the world, and often go too far in
participating in the pleasures and amusements of the world.
Too often there is an indulgence in known sin into which they are
gradually led, and on account of which they experience frequent
compunction, and make solemn resolutions to avoid it in future. But when
the hour of temptation comes, they are overcome again and again, and
thus they live a miserable life, enslaved by some sin, over which,
though they sometimes struggle hard, they cannot get the victory.
There is no more inconsistent thing than a backsliding Christian. Look
at one side of his character and he seems to have sincere, penitential
feelings, and his heart to be right in its purposes and aims; but look
at the other side, and he seems to be "carnal, sold under sin". O
wretched man! how he writhes often in anguish, and groans for
deliverance--but he is like Samson shorn of his locks--his strength is
departed, and he is not able to rise and go forth at liberty as in
former times.
The sleeping backslider is one who, being surrounded with earthly
comforts and engaged in secular pursuits, and mingling much with the
decent and respectable people of the world, by degrees loses the deep
impression of divine and eternal things. His spiritual senses become
obtuse, and he has no longer the views and feelings of one awake to the
reality of spiritual things. His case nearly resembles that of a man
gradually sinking into sleep. Still he sees dimly and hears
indistinctly--but he is fast losing the impression of the objects of the
spiritual world, and is sinking under the impression of the things of
time and sense.
There may be no remarkable change in the external conduct of such a
person, except that he has no longer any relish for pious conversation,
and rather is disposed to waive it. The difference between such a one
and the rest of the world becomes less and less distinguishable. From
anything you see or hear--you would not suspect him to be a Christian,
until you see him taking his seat at church!
- Archibald Alexander, The Backslider,
1844
