Why Believers Backslide

Rev. James R. Reynolds, Sr.

August 21, 2005

Sumnday Morning

Title: Why Believers Backslide

Text: Hebrews 7:5

If God isable to save to the uttermost why do some Belivers go back?

Proverbs 14:14 Where is the problem? the HEART

To understand about backsliding we must understand sin. Sin is in two forms: ACTUAL sin and ORIGINAL sin. ACTUAL being that which we commit and ORIGINAL being that which we inherited being born into this world. Both areas must be dealt with for a Beliver to make it.

In order for the Beliver to make it there are two ways sin must be dealt with : The forgiveness of sin and the freedom from sin. Isaiah 1:18 God can make your soul innocent just as if you had never sinned. Acts 26:18; Psalm 103:12; Ephesians 1:7 He forgives us based on the riches of His grace which is based on the fact Christ died on the cross. Col. 1:14 SIN IS SIN and only God can remove sin. Sin when it is finished will destroy you. I John 1:9 CONFESS TO GOD. I John 2:12 When you ask He forgives your sins for His own name's sake.

Multitudes come only to the point where they are excited there sins are forgiven but never see the need for the freedom sin. WE NEED TO BE FREE FROM SIN. God in His grace brought Israel out of Egypt, but all the miracles that God performed never got Egpyt out of Israel. God can take someone out of sin, but only God can take sin out of the heart. Luke 8:13; Mark 4:17 NO ROOT IN THEMSELVES. It didn't get down inside. He not only wants to forgive you of your sins, but He wants to give you a new nature. If He only forgives your sins then you will find yourself only tallying up more.

Where is the problem? Matthew 15:19 The heart. It is one thing for God to say He forgives you, and it is another thing to live different. 2 Cor. 5:17; Jer. 17:9 There is great danger in not allowiing God to deal with your heart. GET THAT CONVICTION DEEP IN THE HEART TO WALK HOLY BEFORE GOD. People (Proffessing Christians) seem to be more in love with the world than they are with God. 2 Timothy 3:4

IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE FORGIVEN THERE MUST BE A CHANGED HEART.

Acts 8:13,18-21; Acts15:8,9 I have a problem with people saying they have been filled with the Holy Ghost and are still struggling with alcohol. No, there had to be a purifying of their hearts and then were filled with the Holy Ghost.

We have read over Scriptures and we have cast a lot of them aside. But God's promises are a guarantee that we can make it. Matthew 5:8 A changed heart reflects in a changed life. "blessed, happy, spiritually prosperous, one to be envied" is the pure in heart. James 4:8 Needed to purify their hearts because they were doubleminded. They wanted the benefits of Calvary, but did not want to walk righteously. Luke 16:13

We need to make up our mind who we are going to serve. There is a season for which you can fight the carnal nature, but eventually just like gravity that force undealt with will eventually bring the believer down.

The old nature must be destroyed. Romans 6:6 body of sin-original sin, that sin in which you were born-Psalm 51:5; Romans 6:1 Reckon yourself dead-Give NO place unto the devil. Romans 6:18 FREE FROM SIN--'confilct is over'--the desires no longer at war with the will. Free rom sin so that the desires are the same as the will. Conflicts without remain, but no fightings WITHIN. (conflict i.e. , I want to do right, but I really want this...)

"I want to do thy will oh Lord,

I want to do thy will oh Lord,

Take me,break me, mold me, and make me,

I want to do they will oh Lord."

When you can come to the place where you want God's will more than anything else the war is over. My testimony this morning is I don't have to fight when I walk by a bar room because God has changed my heart.

HE IS ABLE to save us to the UTTERMOST. You do not have be dragged, drawn, pulled by sin, but sin can lose its hold on you so that you become free from sin. Romans 6:14

Let us not become entrenched in a shallow excitement over the forgiveness of sin when we need yet a change of heart and a freedom FROM sin.