Jeremiah 3 - Backsliding

 

Jeremiah 3 – Backsliding

 

Jeremih told the Israelites that they had backslidden. They once loved God an followed His commands but now they had turned away, backslidden from God.

In the dictionary the word back slide means to fall back from morals or religious values. To become less virtuous or pious.

Many times, people come to the Lord and without proper instruction or daily reading of God’s Word, they lose their interest and go back to the ways of the world. We as Christians fall short in teaching others what God would have us teach them. One way I have been taught to keep me on the straight and narrow road is to have an accountability partner. An accountability partner is a mature Christian who has the desire and time to invest in relationships with others. They must be able to keep confidence and be concerned enough with your personal growth that they can be tough when it is needed. An accountability partner should be older than you, of the same gender and is willing to pray with you at any given moment. To have an accountability partner one must always be honest and not lie to the other, we must be humble and not full of pride. It is not easy to be vulnerable to another’s scrutiny, but if you want honest help, you must be honest too.

An accountability partner is needed to help curb one’s immoral thoughts or actions, to help with greed and gluttony; lying, gossip and slander, and to keep one from backsliding away from God and His word.  Accountability brings the body of Christ together in a supportive way to encourage us to grow in Christ. It allows us to develop our gifts. We grow by doing what is right. Through accountability, our faith is strengthened by the example of other’s obedience.

God judged Israel by withholding their rain. When they return to Israel they will have water in abundance. We can see God’s judgment in many of the calamities that come to our nation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to wake us up and bring us back to Him. Backsliding is a refusal to go God’s way. Then we go backwards every time and unless we repent we only get farther and farther away from Him.

God told the Israelites the same as He tells us today to “Come back to Him, though we have sinned, we belong to Him and He will receive us.” Judah did not repent of their sins, but Jeremiah repented for them and for himself. We as Christians should humble ourselves and repent of our sins. God is our accountability partner, and He is willing to listen and heal us of our backsliding.

 

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If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.