Someone asked the question, “Why do people backslide?”
It is because of an surrendered will for something in our past or a desire, that we turn back to the old man. God saves! And, takes away our sin. But, He does not take away our will. Our freedom to choose to serve him or not. Our free will remains.
God gets glory out of our choosing to obey Him, when He knows He has left us with the freedom to choose otherwise. Mankind was not made to obey God. Man was only given God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden and again by Moses, as fulfilled through Christ, to obey God. Which man decided not to do in the Garden, and often since then.
This is why God made man a little lower than the Angels. Psalm 8:5; Hebrew 2:7; Gen. 1:26. He wanted man to choose to serve Him by obeying His Word. This is how God gets the glory out of our lives as his creation. Unlike mankind, Angels are made specifically for a certain purpose without the same level of free will as man. Exception being, Lucifer whose original purpose was made closer to God’s before being cast out. But, even Lucifer, was created with a specific purpose by God. One example among many in the Bible of angels being created for specific purpose by God, can be found in Matthew 18:1o. This portion of scripture lets us know that God has assigned specific angels for children. They have their own angel assigned to them. As if not hurting a child in itself isn’t reason enough not to harm a child . But, to know that an angel also sees and is reporting it directly to the face of God what harm is being done to them, should strike fear in the heart of anyone who would consider to harm a child.
Therefore, returning back to our old ways or backsliding, occurs because we have used our will, and chose to turn back, or backslide. When we do this, according to the Bible, it is “like a dog returning to his own vomit.” 2 Peter 2:22; Proverbs 26:11. We live for God through the mind. Therefore, your mind must made up that you want to serve God and surrender ALL to him. Including appetites for the things that are not of God.
The Good News is, God is married to the backslider! “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: Jeremiah 3:14 KJV. So, for the backslider, repent and turn back again unto God, who wants to restore you back unto Himself.
In Peace and love. -
Rev. Dr. Alice L. Belcher, is an Author, Activist and Researcher
