The question needs to be asked, are you sliding forward or are you sliding backwards?
Logic via the law of noncontradiction dictates that both of these cannot be heading in the same direction.
One is heading towards God and the other away from God.
But the false modern doctrine, OSAS or once saved always saved, that redefines backsliding extrabilbilically states that both have the same outcome which is 'saved', regardless of what the Bible says to the contrary...and the Bible indeed has much to say in opposition to this modern day play on words.
Read on...
If you are a backslider today take heed as to what the Bible says in regards to this. You are not in a good place. You have separated yourself from God and are no longer abiding in His kingdom but instead you are living in the world.
Everything really is black or white, unless you persist in gray areas of “freedom” then you must know that Satan actually owns all gray areas.
Any so-called called moral compass that is defined contrary to this is purely subjective and relative. It is what the Bible refers to as sinking sand.
When we build upon the Rock, Jesus Christ, then we are not subject to falling prey to these gray areas of sinking sand which result in the backsliding away from the grace of God.
Some will take issue with me stating that backsliding takes us out of God’s grace but one only needs to do a topical study of backsliding throughout the Bible to see that anywhere backsliding is mentioned it describes a separation from God being a very dangerous and damning place to be.
This is up to the reader to search out. Remember, "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him". Proverbs 18:13.
Do not go by what you have heard from the pulpits but instead search the scriptures for yourself. Once you have done this you will see the gray areas looking to be what they truly are and that is pure evil. The gray areas are in reality black.
See further below for more scriptures on backsliding and see for yourself. As already stated, backsliding does not keep a person in the grace of God but instead removes them from it.
Narrow is indeed the way.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Matthew 7:24-27
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. Colossians 3:5-7
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin. James 4:17
And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Mark 8:34
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me…If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:6, 15
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11
Note on backsliding. Start here and Ezekiel 33 and then ask yourself about the book of life mentioned in the old and new testaments. The context as well as the math is easy here. One cannot be blotted or taken out if they were not already written in. Many will use theological gymnastics to wiggle around this but the safe thing to adhere to is stay on the old paths, in God’s will, and you do not have to struggle with this concept. Repent or you will perish.
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. Ezekiel 3:20-21
And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Exodus 32:33
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:19
Think on this. If you are backsliding and ridding the fence and Satan owns it what would be your eternal outcome if died on that fence?
More on backsliding:
The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. Proverbs 14:14
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 hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. Jeremiah 2:19
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord . [2] Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. [3] Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. [4] Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? [5] Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest. [6] The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. [7] And I said after she had done all these things , Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it . [8] And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. [9] And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. [10] And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord . [11] And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. [12] Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord ; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord , and I will not keep anger for ever. [13] Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord . [14] Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord ; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: [15] And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. [16] And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord , they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord : neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it ; neither shall that be done any more. [17] At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord ; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord , to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. [18] In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. [19] But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. [20] Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord . [21] A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. [22] Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. [23] Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. [24] For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. [25] We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. Jeremiah 3:1-25
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased. [7] How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. Jeremiah 5:6-7
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. [6] I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. [7] Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord . [8] How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it ; the pen of the scribes is in vain. [9] The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord ; and what wisdom is in them? [10] Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them : for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. [11] For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. [12] Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord . [13] I will surely consume them, saith the Lord : there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. Jeremiah 8:5-13
O Lord , though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. [8] O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? [9] Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Lord , art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. [10] Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. [11] Then said the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. [12] When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Jeremiah 14:7-12
How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. [23] Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. [24] And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks. [25] For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. [26] Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me. [27] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. [28] And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord . [29] In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. [30] But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Jeremiah 31:22-30
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying , Who shall come unto me? [5] Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord God of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth. Jeremiah 49:4-5
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