The Generation Of The ‘Saved’ Backslider
Saved backsliders? Yes, although it sounds like an oxymoron, it is a sad commonplace in Pentecostal ranks today. Old fashioned type backsliders that say, “I’m not in church, keep praying for me” are getting harder and harder to find.
Remember the day when you knew someone was backslidden and they knew it too?
Their lifestyle gave them away. Their own actions brought condemnation upon themselves.
- They smoked and tried to hide it when they saw the pastor coming because they knew they were wrong.
- They drank alcohol and knew it was wrong.
- They went to nightclubs and hoped no one would see them because they knew they were wrong.
- If they went to the movies they looked around first to make sure no one saw them because they knew they were doing wrong.
- Women cut their hair and felt guilt when members of the church saw them because they knew they had done wrong.
- Women put on make up and jewelry to look like the world and knew they were wrong.
- Women put on slacks and felt ill at ease because they knew they were wrong.
- They went swimming in public places exposing their bodies and knew it wasn’t right.
- They got tattoos and tried to hide them from the church folks because they knew they were wrong.
- They had affairs and their conscience never stopped preaching to them because they knew they were living wrong.
- If they came to church for a visit, they shook with conviction because they knew they were wrong.
- They ran to the altar of repentance and begged forgiveness because they knew they had been wrong.
What happened to all of those people? Where have they gone? Has anyone seen them?
There’s a different spirit that backsliders possess today than they did a generation or so ago.
Today they politely listen to you invite them to church. Then they tell you where they are ‘going’ now. They are very happy ‘there’ and they feel good about their choice.
They post pictures of themselves on Facebook and My Space that are almost shocking.
- Semi nude pictures
- Tattoos
- Drunken parties
- Immodesty
- Women with cut hair
- Men with long hair
- Pictures of their sinner girlfriend or boyfriend.
You get the picture. They have drastically changed and yet feel they are the same spiritual creature on the inside.
When a ‘saint’ posts a comment about a need, the ‘saved backslider’ will jump right in and comment about trusting the Lord. They will tell you they will keep you in their prayers.
They brag about their prayer life, their newfound ‘liberties’ and their love for the Lord.
When they see an Apostolic lady in the mall, they will walk up and say, “Ah, you’re Pentecostal aren’t you? I could tell. I’m Pentecostal too.”
You may look at them perplexed because they look nothing like the Pentecostals you know.
They identify with you, but it is impossible to identify with them. They are not the same. They’ve changed.
Maybe you’ve noticed critical comments online about standards, or pastors, or especially if someone speaks about self-righteousness in the church. They jump all over that and vent their feelings against authority without any reservation.
- They don’t want to go to an ‘Apostolic Church’.
- They are saved just like they are.
- They don’t need an ‘Apostolic Church’ to be saved.
- They feel acceptance and love now.
- They want the old saints to be flexible in their thinking and accept them as they are.
- They laugh and they mock their former life of holiness living.
- They’re arrogant.
- They’re defensive of their lifestyle.
- They’re unashamed.
- They feel superior.
- They’re unrepentant.
- They’re comfortable.
What chance does a backslider have of getting right with God?
I am not an authority nor do I have the final say. But I do have fifty years in the ministry that let me see two basic patterns that backsliders generally fall into.
Category One
The backslider that says, “I’m not right. I’m living in sin, but when I do get right with God, I know where to go. I’m going back to my home church.”
There’s hope for this person.
Category Two
The backslider that criticizes the church, the pastor, and calls them all hypocrites and is glad to be ‘free’.
There’s almost zero hope of them ever making it back to God.
The word ‘delusion is one of the scariest words in the Bible. When they fail to receive a love for the Truth, God said He would hand-pick a strong delusion custom-made just for them.
He’ll give them something they will believe. A delusion. When they believe a delusion, then damnation awaits. All because they wouldn’t receive a love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2Th. 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th. 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th. 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Backslider! What category are you in?
There’s hope for you if you want to come back to Calvary.
The Father is waiting.
He loves you.
Come back home.
From the Ballestaro Blog
http://martynballestero.com/