A10.5 – CAUSES OF BACKSLIDING

1. Backsliding can arise from bad relationships, Hos 4:16-18

2. Backsliding can arise from marriage to the ungodly, 2 Cor 6:14-17

2. Backsliding can arise from ungodly friendships, 1Peter 4:2-5

4. Backsliding can arise from lack of fellowship with God, 1Cor 15:33

5. Backsliding can arise from physical or psychological isolation from other believers, Heb 3:12-14

6. Adultery, sexual unfaithfulness in marriage, reflecting on and caressing the old ‘Adamic’ nature of pornography, reading of romance novels, drunkenness, fleshly lusts, spiritual adultery and idolatry can be offshoots of backsliding, James 4:4; Hos 2:13; Lk 21:34-35

7. Divisions or constant arguments in the local Church can cause backsliding, 2 Cor 12:20-21

8. Jealousy, envy, hatred, philosophical opinions, and heresy can cause backsliding, 2 Cor 11:4

9. Backsliding can arise from inadequate teaching and poor foundation, 1 Cor 3:1-3

10. Poor and immature leadership or over dependence on leaders can cause backsliding, Ex 32:1-5

11. Prayerlessness or neglect of prayer life can lead to backsliding, Luke 18:1

12. Stubbornness, rebellion and hardened heart always lead to backsliding, 1 Sam 15:22-23

13. Over-confidence, self-deception and self-indulgence can cause backsliding, Amos 6:3- 8; James 1:6-8

14. Carelessness, spiritual lethargy, cold spiritual love, decreased love for the Word of God, callous attitude towards sin, worldliness, compromise with the world and a feeling of apathy towards lost souls can lead to backsliding, Ps 106:34-40

15. Murmuring, seeking the praises of men, competing personal interests with the interests of God, wrong attitudes and intentions, self-will and pride can be offshoots of backsliding, Prov 16:18-19; James 1:26-27

16. Spiritual blindness, deliberate disobedience, lack of endurance and fear of persecution can cause backsliding, Isa 51:17-18, Rev 3:17-18

17. Persistent personal problems can sometimes lead to backsliding, Jeremiah 2:17; Mk 4:18-19

18. Satanic Attacks can cause backsliding:

a) Satan, the accuser of believers, using craftiness and subtle tactics, persistently tempts believers in order to draw them away from God, 2 Kings 17:13-16

b) In order to empty a container of its liquid content, you don’t have to turn it upside down. By pouring another substance into the container, the former content is replaced. Whenever the devil fails to make a believer commits an outrageous obvious sin, he ensures his heart is crowded with “the cares of this world” Luke 22:31-32

c) The more deep-rooted a believer becomes in Christ, the more his problems seem to grow. While an unbeliever, the devil might just leave the person since he poses no threat to his kingdom. But as soon as somebody becomes born again, the devil will work overtime in order to deceive and mislead him, Job 2:7

d) The primary assignment of the devil is to weigh down and wear off a believer, 1Peter 5:8

e) As Satan tempted Jesus when He was physically weak (hungry as a result of forty days and forty nights of fasting), so does he attack believers at their weakest points and weakest times, 2Cor 10:3-5

f) When the believer does not grow in the Lord by prayer and Bible study, he opens the door for the enemies, Mat 5:23-25

g) The common route Satan uses to capture Christians is through

i. the lusts of the flesh,

ii. the deceitfulness of riches,

iii. the love of the world, and

iv. the pride of life’, Mat 7:26-27