Backsliding is generally related to religious perceptions. This person, once a believer and active in faith turns away from the spiritual beliefs and conduct related to those beliefs. The turn may be gently made, and the person fades from church culture to secular, sometimes even holding on to some of the former conduct related to faith. I knew a fellow who turning away from faith continued to tithe his income and once gave thousands of dollars at a fundraiser I attended, and with whom my host and I shared the same banquet table. He slipped his check to the host immediately after the dinner, and departed before the main program so as not to face the spiritual context of the evening. My host recited his situation to me after the meeting. The pattern had occurred before. The gentleman was very pleasant enjoying conversation at the table which included little about the ministry we were representing. This may have been the same sort of thing that happened between Demas and the Apostle Paul who reported simply: that Demas loved this present world. (2 Timothy 4:10) Demas is first introduced to the reader and in context with Luke – all implying the Apostle Paul’s favor. (Colossians 4:14) He is mentioned once more in the short epistle sent to Philemon – verse 24 – as a fellow laborer with the Apostle. Luke also appears in the passage. One view holds that the final reference to Demas implies that he recovered faith integrity.
Most backsliding is in private context related to Christ, church and the individual. When it becomes a major matter to one or the other entity it can become severe so as to become apostasy. The apostate in such an instance may become vehement in reaction becoming radicalized against anything Christian. Some apostates were active in the persecutions of the church and the deaths of Christians. Backsliding is sometimes perceived as a form of hypocrisy, so recognized by the apostate who attempts to make up for his perceived hypocrisy by reacting to some probity degree, intense or mild in response to a former context perceived as untrue and detrimental to humanism. For the apostate, his/her faith has to be extinguished in any way available. The backsliding of church bodies from biblical concepts is another matter to be treated with a different approach to social life in tribes and nations. Historically the backsliding, in any religion, was sometimes severely punished by contrary representatives of the same religion. At this writing we are going through a historical period in which some Islamic groups are fighting each other with near incomprehensible ferocity, while also challenging the Christian religion as Satanic and worthy of resistance to the death. The differences between Catholic and Protestant orientations in Christianity have taken out the matter of secular rage that included some fierce responses in history, moving toward cooperation in secular areas, and discussion with prayer about theological matters. God can take care of his defense.
Backsliding is a pervasive factor in human experience. The marriage ending in divorce is likely related to backsliding from both the vows of the wedding, and the original ideals of the couple taking them. A student backslides having voted for learning in personal relationship with self and society, cheats on his/her work, perhaps sluffs off so to be evaluated lower than the gifts of his/her person ought to be evaluated. The worker may backslide from the expectations agreed to in advance – believed by both the person and the employer. The thief backslides (recividism) from duty as a citizen. The young person backslides from parents – or vice-versa. To be a backslider is to be a prodigal from something or someone – a decline in values in faith and/or practice. If it is too extensive it gains the desperation of Judas or King Saul. If it is recoverable it is like Peter at the fire swearing and denying Christ. He found recovery, and proved it in the leap forward from the ship to gain the forgiveness of Christ before his colleagues could draw the boat to shore. His recovery is remembered in his leadership of the disciples in the years following. The stories we might recite seem innumerable. Christ calls us to commitment and values for life. Finding truth, and God’s provision for justification we find the integrity to live faithfully and well. However, we learn also that backsliding is common experience. Reading Scripture for the purpose of self-improvement helps us. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020