Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth Series
Peter, Paul or Mary
A Closer Look at the Law for a Christian!

How To Backslide from Paul
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk...
Ephesians 4:17


Let's review the marks of a maturing Christian from Philippians 1:3-11...
Thankful for the brethren
Prayer for others
Fellowship of the brethren around the gospel
Confident in God's working in you
Heart of grace towards the brethren
Longing to see the brethren
Love to grow in knowledge & judgment
Sincerity
Be without offence toward God & others
 
Maturity results in being filled with fruits of righteousness BY Jesus Christ!

Paul's difficult times and daily battles just carry the gospel even further, not backwards.  We ought to GROW when things get tough, not faint!  Romans 8:28  According to Philippians 1:6, the brethren are to wax confident; they are to become even more bold, not to faint or lose confidence!

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
I Thessalonians 5:24,25

That is because Jesus Christ will do it, not us!

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Thus we have the right confidence - in Him, not in us!
Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6


I.  We should Have a Desire to Grow Forward,
not Backward!

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians 4:11-14

We should grow together as brethren, too!

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  Ephesians 4:15-16

II.  But Today?  No Growth or Even Desire?
But... there seems to be a serious lack of growth & even DESIRE to NOT grow.  Remember, we are happy and figure we have need of nothing these days.  Revelation 3

The four letter word these days for our rightly dividing doctrinally trained Christian is...
WALK!


I believe that we are walking more and more like other Gentiles walk...
...in the vanity of their mind!
See Psalm 36:5,6; Romans 1:21; I Corinthians 3:20

A Backslidden Christian...
Having the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart:
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Ephesians 4:18,19

Understanding is darkened
Alienated from the life of God
Ignorant
Blindness in their heart
Past feeling (don't care anymore)
Given themselves over to lasciviousness
Live an unclean and greedy life

But that is only because:
They have not heard from Christ - they don't read their KJV!
They have not been taught by Christ - they don't study their KJV!

But ye have not so learned Christ;
If so be that ye have heard him,
and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Ephesians 4:20,21


Conclusion:
That is what keeps us from backsliding and living like the lost world!
Our King James Bible!
Read it - hear from Christ!
Study it - learn from Christ!

Or go back to the old life!


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