Two
Classes
There are two classes of
backsliders, well illustrated by the Apostles Judas and Peter.
Judas made a great
profession without an atom of reality in it, and consequently an awful exposure
took place. There are many degrees of
likeness found to him, but they all agree in this-
PROFESSION WITHOUT REALITY.
I would shrink from
instituting a full parallel with many, for there are thousands, alas! Who are
deceiving themselves as well as others,
many who imagine that they are on the road to heaven, when they are on
the road to hell. Many honestly believe
that observances of religion and blameless life will save their souls. Awful delusion!
Now the sooner such
backslide from a false profession the better.
Indeed such are more honest without any profession at all.
A girl came to me weeping
one day, and said, “I am the leading singer in the chapel choir, and have
passed as a Christian for eleven years; but since your meetings,
I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM
ONLY A SHAM. WHAT AM I TO DO?
I told her she might as well
drop her mask, give up her false profession, for sooner or later God would take
it from her, turn to Christ in reality and be saved. Thank God, she did so, and is now a rejoicing Christian.
But there is the backslider
like Peter. Do I address one such? Peter was a true man, loved his Lord, and
found backsliding a painful course, and recovered himself by repentance and
confession. You remember when you were
converted, when you were happy.
WHAT
Intemperance, love of the
world, love of money, sin allowed unjudged?
The Lord desires your recovery.
His everlasting love is set upon you. He will never give you up. He died for you. You are His, and His for ever.
He looked on Peter, He looks on you:
He sought Peter’s recovery, He seeks yours.
You are dishonoring Him and
grieving His heart by staying away.
What has He done that He deserves such treatment at your hands? The longer you stay away the harder will it
be to retrace your steps. Get into the
Lord’s presence, make a full confession of your sin and folly, and get right
with Him. He will give you strength,
and show you what to do. But it must be
His strength, for there is no strength in yourself, You have found this out,
surely.
“Thine own wickedness shall
correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know, therefore, and see that it is an evil
thing and bitter, that thou has
t forsaken the Lord thy
God” (Jer.
“Return, ye backsliding
children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jer.
“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them UNTO THE END” (John 13:1)