The Backslider and Forgiveness
The Lord assures us that when a backslider confesses his sin and repents, he will certainly receive forgiveness. The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Faithfulness is one of God’s main qualities (1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thessalonians. 5:24; 2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 10:23).
The secret of continued salvation lies in continued abiding in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:5,6).
If a person does not abide in Christ, he withers and dies spiritually. When the branch is separated from the vine, the source of life is gone. And the person will be overcome by the devil and his temptations. But when a person slips, let him get up and start again. The devil will try to discourage him from trying but the Lord calls him to forget the past and look to Jesus (Philippians 3:13).
But if a person keeps on slipping into sin, He will get weaker and weaker and his conscience will slowly get hardened (1 Timothy 4:1–2). And sin will look less evil to the backslider with time. A reprobate mind (Romans 1:28) is a reference to those who did not want or “approve” to have the knowledge of God. As a consequence of his determination to forget God, the Lord leaves him to a state of mind that was evil – reprobate mind – which He therefore could not approve. So, it is very important that he keeps his conscience sensitive to the callings of the Holy Spirit by immediate obedience.
Thus, a person’s salvation depends on his daily abiding in Christ. Abiding means daily feeding on God’s Word, praying, and witnessing. As a Christian follows the Lord, the Holy Spirit will dwell in him and believer will become partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The believer’s thoughts will become like his Savior. Then, the Lord will grant him all of his godly requests for they are in harmony with the divine will (1 John 5:14). Thus, the believer’s salvation will be secure in the Lord.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
