Matthew 18:21-35 (KJV)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Yesterday in part 8 we looked at if there is such thing as falling from grace.
Today we will try to understand about backsliding.

“Proverbs 14:14 (KJV) The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.”

Let’s understand what backsliding is:
The Free Dictionary defines backsliding as “a return to former bad habits or vices from a state of virtue”. There are many references to backsliding and warning about it in the bible.
For example have a read of Jeremiah 3:6-25 which talks about backsliding Israel and Judah. They were married to the LORD but played the harlot and committed adultery by worshiping idols (which worship includes immorality). GOD even divorced Israel because of that, but Judah did not fear and went the same way in an even worse manner. From this we can see that there is backsliding, that it is progressive and comes by placing other things as more important than our relationship with GOD, not being a wholehearted believer, neglect, and putting hope for salvation from trouble to come from other things instead of GOD Himself.

Here are some more scriptures about this:
“Hosea 11:7 (KJV) And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.”

“Hosea 14:1-4 (KJV) O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. [2] Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. [3] Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. [4] I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.”

“Revelation 2:4-5 (KJV) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. [5] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

“1 John 5:16-21 (KJV) If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. [17] All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. [18] We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. [19] And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. [20] And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. [21] Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

Backsliding starts with the heart and a reducing fear of the LORD or a lack thereof. We are often exhorted in the bible to keep our heart soft and not harden our heart. By sinning and persisting in a sin we are actually hardening our heart and it will be one easier and easier to sin and in the end we thing nothing is wrong with it. It starts when we commit a sin and not deal with it but over time making it a habit, excusing ourself, and start thinking it is ok. By practicing the sin (have it as a habit) we come into bondage of it. We are deceiving ourself in that area.“James 1:26 (KJV) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”. Self deception comes like this and we then sometimes try to excuse ourself by using these Word of God, out of context, only picking and choosing things we like and ignore what we do not. “1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” If taken further and we might start teaching this we become false teachers and prophets not only deceiving ourself but others. Just like in “Revelation 2:20-21 (KJV) Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. [21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”

But let us be encouraged today to fear the LORD and that the LORD Jesus Christ can heal us from our backsliding if we repent and turn to Him with a whole heart.
“Jeremiah 3:22 (KJV) Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.”

Whatever sin we might have committed the LORD Jesus Christ can set us free from this.
“John 8:34-36 (KJV) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. [35] And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. [36] If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”. Let us keep short accounts with GOD. To confess our sins before him, ask forgiveness of our bothers and sisters when we realise we sinned against them and repent asking the LORD to help us overcome and deliver us from the sin.
1 John 1:5-10 (KJV) gives us an important exhortation in that area: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

In Romans 8:1-11 (KJV) it tells us that there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ when we walk in the Spirit having turned from walking in the flesh.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”