“For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. They are illustrations of this true proverb: “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22 NASB.

“Backsliding” is a nearly fundamental teaching in many, if not most, churches. But, this is and has been a very difficult issue for this Preacher. How many times do we Preachers call for Backsliders to “come down here to the altar and recommit your life to the Lord.” ? For many years I did the same until I began to find that ‘Backsliders’ were not born-again. Please note Peter’s statement, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire.” V 22. But more prolific is the prior sentence from Peter, “For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first.” V 20.

The ‘Backsliders” whom I have known and observed following such a recommitment always, always returned from where they had come. One in particular I recall well, “Preacher, last Sunday morning I was fishing on the lake, and a lightning storm hit. One of those lightning strikes hit my boat and shook me real bad. Well, I am coming down here this morning to rededicate my life to Jesus, and I have promised Him that I will NEVER again go fishing on Sunday mornings.” Guess what, about one month passed and he returned to his former ways never again to be seen at worship on Sunday mornings. He did come back to most ‘pot-lucks’ most of us Baptists have.

Afterwards, I began doing a great deal of praying to the Lord for great wisdom, reading and studying the Word. These studies helped to discern the difference between one who is ‘born-again’ and another who only thinks ‘I am saved.’ Those who are termed to be ‘backsliders’ are really those who have NEVER been born-again. Backsliders are unable to ‘rededicate’ themselves to Someone they have never known.

I opened this monologue with 2 Peter 2:20-22. Obviously, many more passages can be applied here, many from the Gospels. Jesus has a great deal to say about those who have believed and removed themselves from being His Followers because of unbelief. But remember, these people were following Him BEFORE the crucifixion and cannot really be called ‘Christian.’ Before the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ there were no Christians and the Holy Spirit had not yet come. The OT and the Gospels are replete with backsliders.

From the book of Acts and the remainder of the NT, the term ‘backsliding’ utilized by ‘us’ simply is not possible. Let us move forward to what the writer of Hebrews gives to us.

Hebrews 6:4-10 tells us that it is impossible “to renew them again to repentance since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.” Actually, there is nothing written about a Believer here, but this speaks of someone who has been “enlightened,” “tasted,” and has “partaken” of the goodness of the Message and of the heavenly gift, being salvation. This person is said to have been a “partaker” of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word, metochos is defined as “one who shares in, a partner,  a companion or a comrade.” With this in mind, this person stands in the shadows of the faith rather than one who is a committed Believer.

‘Tasting’ in this passage speaks of one who is not drinking deeply. This person only glimpses the light but does not walk in it. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews is not concerned with what we might call a “backsliding Believer”. This metaphor is about those who are but spectator church members and most likely have become immune to the power of the Gospel of God as described by Paul in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” For these there is no motivation to return to something unknown to them.

I am reminded of the following: I am only a Texas Ranger baseball fan, one who vocally supports this World Series Championship Winner of 2023. However, I am NOT a true Texas Ranger. Will I support them win or lose? Most likely, but if they begin losing again, I may not watch them on TV so much as I do now. Could I become a ‘backslider,’ as such. Yes, I think so. I am a fan only.

On the flip side of this stands my faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I will not and cannot ‘backslide’ because He purchased me on Calvary, was resurrected on the third day, sent His Holy Spirit to live within me, and He will one day return for His Bride of which I am a part.

Hebrews speaks of those who are quagmired in the “elementary principles” of the faith Hebrews 6:1  and cannot step toward maturity, verses 7-8. These thoughts recall Jesus’ parable about the seed falling on rocky soil, sprouting in shallow dirt, but soon withering away and dying because the sun shines intensely. Matthew 13:5-6.

One last statement from John’s letter, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever. Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.” 1 John 2:15-19.

And, yes, there are many, many arguments both ‘pro and con’ to all that I have written. But, have no fear, I will not return to the darkness from which I have come.

Jesus is Lord.