Is It Possible To Backslide

[Persuaded]

Ya'll are a bunch of reprobates and lovers of sinning!

Just kidding.........we will have the flesh with us until we leave this earth suit. We don't "pretty up the flesh". The flesh will always be here with us and in that flesh is the law of sin.

This is why we can see a seemingly mature Christian like a pastor for over 30 years all of a sudden do something that he hasn't done for decades. He failed to walk by the spirit and thus gave in to the deceitfulness of the sin that is in his flesh.

We don't stop doing the works of the flesh to walk by the spirit. That's religion and backwards and that will never work. We can by our own will-power stop some things for awhile but they can creep back in.

We walk by the spirit and thus not fulfill the lusts of the flesh to do "it's" desires.

Galatians 5:16 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.


Romans 13:14 (NASB)
[SUP]14 [/SUP] But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

The truth is - we can be going to church every day that the doors are open, be pastoring a church, be reading the scriptures every day and still be in a "backslidden" place because we are not really walking by the spirit.

There is "good-looking" flesh and "bad-looking" flesh depending on our religious beliefs but in the end - it is all flesh.

Let's endeavor to learn how to walk by the spirit and put on Christ that is in us in our new creation.

For a minute there, I thought you had gone to the dark side.

 

[Grace777x70]

For a minute there, I thought you had gone to the dark side.

LOL...naw...if that was the case - I would have done it this way..."Ya'll are a bunch of reprobates and lovers of sinning!"

I would have done it to highlight that you are children of the devil.

 

[Depleted]

People endure hardships that are beyond their understanding, and in the midst of their confusion they become weak in faith, if not flat out discouraged or worse. They feel cheated or abandoned and walk away from having an active relationship with God. That backsliding. It is when the dust settles one way or another that they once again draw near to God. Sadly, not everyone returns to having faith in and a relationship with God.

Dagnabit again! Would someone please rep this man! I keep having spreadability problems, and he needs a rep for sheer "This is my reality!"

 

[DustyRhodes]

exactly what i meant and thanks for your testimony...you knew in your mind and lost it, that is clearly possible...but once it penetrates the soul, it can never be lost

 

[Depleted]

Perhaps this our individual experiences will define our answer to this OP? I've had this question come to me several times when my faith was questioned by the events of my life. Especially betrayal by loved loved ones. I had to answer where would I go?

There is no other answer. Only He has the right answers for our lives, and waiting on Him to move changed the circumstances.

Ummmm? Last time, I plopped in this chair, cried, and told God, "Enough."

When I squeezed my eyes shut, did he go away?

Kind of like running to my room and slamming my door shut, only to turn around and figure out God was already in my room, so no getting away.

(Have I ever mentioned I can be a bit thick-headed? )

 

[Depleted]

exactly what i meant and thanks for your testimony...you knew in your mind and lost it, that is clearly possible...but once it penetrates the soul, it can never be lost

Ummm, huh?

 

[DustyRhodes]

why is it that no one reads what i wrote...anything is possible until the Spirit penetrates the soul...that only means it never was and not that it was and became lost

 

[DustyRhodes]

Chester I am speaking from my life's journey...i can assure you that once a person truly becomes a new creation, it is possible to get to that point....it took me 2 deaths and a replaced heart to fully comprehend what i had written...

 

[Stunnedbygrace]

In my view, it is not. Rather than calling it backsliding,
I believe that it has never been. It is possible to read
the words, intellectually believe the words; but not
inherit the Kingdom of God through His Spirit. Once we
have surrendered to Him, there is no going back. What
is there to go back to since His Kingdom is paradise and
if paradise penetrates the soul; thoughts of the flesh no
longer exist.

Half the men will say yes and half will say no. And most of them in here will give their answer having actually met God and experiencing a walk with Him. There are truly godly men who think differently on this. There are men who have attained a high degree of sanctification in this life who say yes and some others also say no.

Satan is delighted when they murder each other.

 

[Grace777x70]

Dagnabit again! Would someone please rep this man! I keep having spreadability problems, and he needs a rep for sheer "This is my reality!"

Got him for you ..( but I think you mentioned something about being a "reprobate" when you reped him...lol )

 

[Chester]

Half the men will say yes and half will say no. And most of them in here will give their answer having actually met God and experiencing a walk with Him. There are truly godly men who think differently on this. There are men who have attained a high degree of sanctification in this life who say yes and some others also say no.

Satan is delighted when they murder each other.

I nominate your post for "post of the month"!

What a profound and insightful way to say both sides could be very godly people -- but please don't let the enemy make us fight one another!

But I still think my view is right and the other wrong . . . but I am going to be nice about it . . .

 

[Chester]

exactly what i meant and thanks for your testimony...you knew in your mind and lost it, that is clearly possible...but once it penetrates the soul, it can never be lost

DustyRhodes -- Hint - when you are directly answering someone hit the "reply with quote" option. Otherwise as in the above (post #24) no one knows who you were answering.

 

[Stunnedbygrace]

Ummmm? Last time, I plopped in this chair, cried, and told God, "Enough."

When I squeezed my eyes shut, did he go away?

Kind of like running to my room and slamming my door shut, only to turn around and figure out God was already in my room, so no getting away.

(Have I ever mentioned I can be a bit thick-headed? )

It's a good thing you told us you can be thick-headed. We never would have guessed it.

 

[Chester]

Chester I am speaking from my life's journey...i can assure you that once a person truly becomes a new creation, it is possible to get to that point....it took me 2 deaths and a replaced heart to fully comprehend what i had written...

Oh - uh !!?? "paradise penetrate the soul" -- depends what that means? - for me I have been through some experiences that have surely torn open and exposed deep areas of my soul with the raw discipline of God, but then the grace and healing mercy of God has ongoingly and deeply flowed with the healing waters of the balm of Gilead! So has paradise penetrated my soul? Depends what that means?

I know for me that I know who I believe; my faith in God is rock solid; no one in a million years will convince me that there is a better place to put my faith and life! I BELIEVE!

And yet I know that I am also still in the flesh - and in me is the moral capability to go my own way and forsake God! In me is the moral capability to sin.

I have no plans to commit another single act of sin - and God has given me every resource to live above sin - and that is my plan.

But if I do commit an act of sin (God forbid!) then I have an advocate with the Father who has died and paid the price for my sin! Praise the Lord for the Saviour!

 

[resurrection33]

In my view, it is not. Rather than calling it backsliding,
I believe that it has never been. It is possible to read
the words, intellectually believe the words; but not
inherit the Kingdom of God through His Spirit. Once we
have surrendered to Him, there is no going back. What
is there to go back to since His Kingdom is paradise and
if paradise penetrates the soul; thoughts of the flesh no
longer exist.

Yes, I think it is possible to backslide.

 

[jenniferand2]

Yes you can backslide. None of us are perfect and won't be until those in Christ receive their immortal incorruptible bodies.God forgives backsliders if they confess and repent for their ways.

some days I do more back sliding then I do going forward.... I have bad days where I am so tired and in so much pain. I swear like a drunken sailor. I smoke to much while trying to quit. I get mad at my life and angry God has me in this situation. But then I remember I am still in a process of shaping my life around God and his will. I also remember that I am not pure as snow and I make mistakes daily several times a day...I ask God to forgive me for my bad days as he knows I am a work in progress still. I tell God I need strength from him on my bad days and just try to take it one day at a time. Even though most times I am thinking farther a head. I may end u p smoking and swearing like a sailor until the day I die I hope not lol but God knows I am working on it everyday to change my behaviors. some days I take 8 steps forward and 90 steps backwards. But I always try to regain the steps I lost.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

If a Christian doesn't understand God's prescribe order of victory (Romans 8:2), then you are operating in the realm of the "law of sin and death."

 

[dcontroversal]

If a Christian doesn't understand God's prescribe order of victory (Romans 8:2), then you are operating in the realm of the "law of sin and death."

Sanctification and growth is a process..........babes in Christ don't start with a steak.........!

 

[DustyRhodes]

exactly my point...hadn't yet understood what was happening...that all changed when he became a new creation..

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Sanctification and growth is a process..........babes in Christ don't start with a steak.........!

How does sanctification work for a Christian? How do I do the will of our Father in Heaven?