PERPETUAL BACKSLIDING

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INTRODUCTION

Apostasy is nothing new among the people of God.

Apostasy began in the Garden of Eden…
Apostasy is going on this very day
"Fellowship"
"Woman's role in the church"
The “Rejuvenated Earth” ...

Jeremiah was called to the office of prophet to preach to people who had gone away from God.

They were guilty of idolatry - Hosea called it whoredom
Through Jeremiah, God called and called on them to repent, but with a deaf ear they refused to hear
Jeremiah 6:16–17 KJV 1900
16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Jeremiah 8:5 KJV 1900
5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
In the following verses God’s question is answered…
Why are my people backsliding?
The answers to this question that the Lord sets forth are extremely important for us to understand.
WHY? ... Because many people today have fallen into apostasy for the very same reasons that Israel did.
We must be careful that it doesn't happen to us!
Knowing the reasons why will help us to avoid this great disaster.
DISCUSSION

NO SELF-EXAMINATION

Jeremiah 8:6 KJV 1900
6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

One of the most important elements in spiritual stability is self-examination

This is what Israel lacked.
They never questioned their actions, they just ran into sin like a war horse would run into the battle
Amos 7:7–9 KJV 1900
7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 8 And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: 9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; And I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Self-examination is needed in a great many things:

Brick mason ... plumbline
Sailor ... Compass

As a Christian it is our responsibility to do as Paul says in...

2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV 1900
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Look closely at our lives
Look honestly at our lives

We are to examine ourselves by looking into the perfect law of liberty

James 1:22–25 KJV 1900
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Use the Bible like a mirror
Don't just look, then walk away!

We are to use the perfect law of liberty because of its quality

2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
It is inspired - God breathed
It completely furnishes with all that we need

The absence of self-examination is sure of bring about backsliding

How does the church compare with the church of the first century?
How do we as Christians compare with the New Testament example of Christianity?

WILLFULLY IGNORANT

Jeremiah 8:7–9 KJV 1900
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Pro. 1:7), but these people had ceased to fear the Lord.

Israel, being guilty of idolatry, were warned to repent

They said…
Jeremiah 44:16 KJV 1900
16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee.
They had turned their noses up to God
They would NOT do as they were instructed, and neither did they want to know the instructions
Jeremiah 6:16–17 KJV 1900
16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Israel was ignorant and determined to stay that way
They did not realize the warning of God...
Hosea 4:6 KJV 1900
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Today the church has a host of Christians who know shamefully little about the Bible

We have too many members who do not know the Book like was once known
Ignorance will destroy the church!!!
Ignorance does not relieve us of our duty!
Ignorance will be no excuse in the day of judgment!

So STUDY!!!

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV 1900
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Timothy 4:13 KJV 1900
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

COURTEOUSNESS

Jeremiah 8:10 KJV 1900
10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

This is precisely the problem spoken of in...

Micah 3:11 KJV 1900
11 The heads thereof judge for reward, And the priests thereof teach for hire, And the prophets thereof divine for money: Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us.

It is sad when preachers preach only the things that the hands that feed them want to hear.

This kind teacher shows no concern for the flock
John 10:12–13 KJV 1900
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Many are fleeing from the truth because they do not really care for the flock
Many parents don't truly care for their children
Philippians 3:18–19 KJV 1900
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Many are enemies of God!
Because they care only for themselves

We need to have the attitude of Paul

Acts 20:20 KJV 1900
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
Acts 20:27 KJV 1900
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
We must not omit the profitable things for fear someone might not like it ... that will make one like a "cake not turned" (Hos. 7:8)
We must preach the whole counsel of God ... a failure to do will make a weak congregation

All too often we allow "things" (worldly) to guide us

Luke 12:15 KJV 1900
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
We must not allow the things of the world to direct us spiritually!

Materialism destroys the church!

FALSE TEACHERS

Jeremiah 8:11 KJV 1900
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Jeremiah preached that they must repent or be destroyed
The false prophet preached "Peace" - all is OK
They we lying to the people.
Isaiah 5:20-21
In this day and time some think that they can redefine terms and thus change God's law to suit them.
e.g. New Hermeneutics
Sin - alternative lifestyle
Car theft - unauthorized use of a vehicle
By doing so they are calling light - darkness, and darkness - light
Malachi 2:17 KJV 1900
17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, And he delighteth in them; Or, Where is the God of judgment?
Israel was praising their false teachers
The same is happening today
False teachers must be rejected and not praised
2 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
False prophets come secretly
They speak evil of the truth, they ridicule the truth
False teachers will destroy the church

False teachers lead men astray and divide the church

It is not those who stand for the truth that divide the church, BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT stand for the truth who divide the church!!!

NO SHAME FOR SIN

Jeremiah 8:12 KJV 1900
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

The people had progressed to a point where they were no longer ashamed of sin

Their attitude changed toward sin
Once they despised sin, but now they embrace it
Psalm 31:17 KJV 1900
17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

Let us not be indifferent about sin and the church

CONCLUSION

What was the result of Israel's perpetual backsliding?

Destruction - destruction came to them
Jeremiah 8:13 KJV 1900
13 I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

What will be the result of those who backslide today?

Revelation 21:27 KJV 1900
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 20:15 KJV 1900
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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