BRINGING THE BACKSLIDERS HOME TO THE FATHER

BRINGING THE BACKSLIDERS HOME TO THE FATHER

“For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” ( 1Peter 2:25 NAS )

1. Those who attempt to restore a backslider must themselves be walking closely with the Lord and make sure we are not in the same, or worse position as the backslider.

I remember seeing a preacher publicly condemning a fellow minister because he had fallen into to sin, and it was just a few months later that same critical preacher was caught red handed doing the same thing. If we are going to be in the business of restoring backsliders, then we better make sure we are are not in a backslidden state ourselves.

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” ( Galatians 6:1 )

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” ( Matthew 7:3-5 )

2. When someone that has been living in the trenches of sin, in a backslidden condition, but now they want to return to the Lord, and leave their sinful lifestyle behind them, then we then we have a responsibility to help restore that person.

We must do it with a humble heart, a gentle heart, and with a sympathetic heart knowing that we all fall short in so many things. We are not their judges, only God is the righteous judge.

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” ( 2Timothy 2;24-26 )

God is a restoring kind of God. No matter where they are at spiritually, no matter how far they may be away from where they think they should be at this moment, remember that the Lord is in the restoration business. In Ezekiel 3:18-21, “The Lord exhorts us not to let a man, who has fallen into sin, die without being corrected:”

The word "restore" means to mend, as to mend a broken bone - put that bone back into place and allow that bone to mend. Jesus is in the business of mending broken lives. We want to lift up the broken brother of sister.


3. Understanding the backslider will help you to be a more affective as a restorer.

Proverbs 14:14 says that The backslider in heart has been filled with their own ways. So we need to help them get their life back on course.

“For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard. Then we won't drift away.” (Hebrews2:1)

They drifted away from the truth, so they need to be re-established in the truth. There was some lie that the enemy planted into their thinking that caused them to drift away from the truth.

It is like going on a long trip and a long the way some one changes a road sign. All of a sudden you find yourself some place where they never wanted to be.

A backslider has been deceived, and were led down a road that was not the destination they wanted. In the same way the Devil puts up a sign promising Heaven (lies ), but it ends up leading the person down a road that is hell and destruction. They wake up one day and they are doing things they thought they would never do. They have lost so much, and they think they will never find their way out of the mess that they have made for themselves.

4. Spiritual restoration implies a spiritual re-conversion.

In this sense we are to interpret our Lord's words to His fallen apostle Peter--"When you are converted, strengthen your brethren,"--that is, when you are restored, recovered, turned back again, employ your restored grace, the experience you have derived, and the lessons you have learned by your fall and recovery, in strengthening your weak brethren--in warning and exhorting, in restoring and comforting those who have been alike tempted, and have alike fallen.

A few years after I was born again I fell into a period of backsliding. When I recommitted myself to the Lord I started with the basics of faith and truth. I wanted to find out where I went off course. I don't know if I ever found out where I went off course, but it was a really good choice to re-establish my foundation as a Christian.

You may find the full story from Luke 15: 11-31 where a younger son took his share from his father and went out to squander his wealth but returned to his father when he came to his senses to find himself longing to fill his stomach with pods that pigs were eating. This is a great story illustrating the process the backslider is going through on his way back to his Father.

Maybe you are a backslider reading this, if so find your way back into the Fathers arms of love. He is willing and ready to forgive and receive you back unto Himself. The blood of Jesus will cleanse you from all unrighteousness.