Thoughts on Religious
Experience
Archibald Alexander, 1844
Backsliding—The Backslider restored
There is a perpetual, and there is a temporary
backsliding.
1. The first is the case of those who, being partially
awakened and enlightened by the Word accompanied by the common operations of
the Spirit, make a profession of religion, and for a while seem to run well,
and to outstrip the humble believer in zeal and activity; but having no root
in themselves, in the time of temptation fall totally away, and not only
relinquish their profession—but frequently renounce Christianity itself, and
become the bitterest enemies of religion. Or, seduced by the pride of their
own hearts, they forsake the true doctrines of the Gospel, fall in love with
some flattering, flesh-pleasing form of heresy, and spend their time in
zealous efforts to overthrow that very truth which they once professed to
prize. Or, thirdly, they are overcome by some insidious lust or passion, and
fall into the habitual practice of some sin, which at first they secretly
indulge—but after a while cast off all disguise, and show to all that they
are enslaved by some hurtful and hateful iniquity.
People who thus apostatize from the profession and
belief of Christianity, or who fall into a habitual course of sinning, are
commonly in the most hopeless condition of all who live in the midst of the
means of grace. When they openly reject Christianity, their infidelity is
commonly accompanied by contempt and a malign temper, which often prompts
them to blasphemy; and they are, according to our apprehension, in great
danger of committing the unpardonable sin; and some who in these
circumstances are actuated by inveterate hatred to the truth, and who make
use of their tongues to express the feelings of enmity which rankle in them,
do often fall into this unpardonable sin.
The case of such seems to be described by Paul in Heb
6:6: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and
have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if
they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify
to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame." Some
suppose that the apostle here describes the character of the true Christian,
and that he merely supposes the case, if such should fall away, what would
be the fearful consequence; but this seems to us a forced construction. It
seems more reasonable to believe that he is describing a case which may, and
often does occur, and that the description applies to such professors as had
received the miraculous endowments of the Holy Spirit, and yet apostatized:
and by crucifying the Son of God afresh he probably alludes to the manner in
which those who went back to the Jews were required to execrate the name of
Christ in the synagogues, and to profess that He deserved to be crucified as
He had been, and thus put Him to an open shame.
But whether such apostates do actually commit the
unpardonable sin or not seems in most cases to be of little consequence, for
they commonly die in their sins, and all sin unrepented of is unpardonable.
In some cases, however, apostates stop short of infidelity and blasphemy,
and while they stand aloof from religion, content themselves with decency,
and do not treat religion with disrespect; yet it will be found on
examination, that the hearts of such are extremely callous, and their
consciences are seared as with a hot iron. The Spirit of God evidently has
left them, and strives no more with them; and they often die as they have
lived—fearfully insensible, having "no bands in their death". (Psalm 73:4)
But sometimes conscience is let loose upon them in their last hours, and
they are left to die in the horrors of despair. In the days of the apostles
they seem to have had some way of knowing when a man had committed "the sin
unto death", (1 John 5:16) and for such, Christians were not to pray, as
their destiny was irretrievably fixed; but such knowledge cannot be
possessed now, and we may therefore pray for all, as long as they are in the
place of repentance.
2. But when we speak of backsliding, we commonly mean
those sad departures of real Christians from God which are so common, and
often so injurious to the cause of religion. These cases are so common, that
some have thought that all Christians have their seasons of backsliding,
when they leave their first love, and lose the sweet relish of divine
things, and are excluded from intimate communion with God. But, however
common backsliding may have been among Christians, there is no
foundation for the opinion that it is common to all. We find no such
declension in the experience of Paul or John, and in the biographies of some
modern saints we find no such sad declension. We could refer to many
recorded accounts of personal experience—but it will be sufficient to
mention Richard Baxter, Gardiner, George Whitefield, and David Brainerd.
No doubt all experience short seasons of comparative coldness and
insensibility, and they who live near to God have not always equal light and
life and comfort in the divine life. Those fluctuations of feeling which are
so common are not included in the idea of a state of backsliding.
Backsliding occurs when the Christian is gradually
led off from close walking with God, loses the lively sense of divine
things, becomes too much attached to the world and too much occupied with
secular concerns; until at length the keeping of the heart is neglected,
prayer and the seeking of the Lord in private are omitted or slightly
performed, zeal for the advancement of religion is quenched, and many things
once rejected by a sensitive conscience are now indulged and defended.
All this may take place and continue long before the
person is aware of his danger, or acknowledges that there has been any
serious departure from God. The forms of religion may still be kept up, and
open sin avoided. But more commonly backsliders fall into some evil habits;
they are evidently too much conformed to the world, and often go too far in
participating in the pleasures and amusements of the world; and too often
there is an indulgence in known sin into which they are gradually led, and
on account of which they experience frequent compunction, and make solemn
resolutions to avoid it in future. But when the hour of temptation comes,
they are overcome again and again, and thus they live a miserable life,
enslaved by some sin, over which, though they sometimes struggle hard, they
cannot get the victory.
There is in nature no more inconsistent thing than a
backsliding Christian. Look at one side of his character and he seems to
have sincere, penitential feelings, and his heart to be right in its
purposes and aims; but look at the other side, and he seems to be "carnal,
sold under sin". (Rom 7:14) O wretched man! how he writhes often in anguish,
and groans for deliverance—but he is like Samson shorn of his locks—his
strength is departed, and he is not able to rise and go forth at liberty as
in former times.
All backsliders are not alike. Some are asleep—but the
one now described is in a state of almost perpetual conflict which keeps him
wide awake.
Sometimes when his pious feelings are lively, he cannot
but hope that he loves God and hates sin, and is encouraged; but oh, when
sin prevails against him, and he is led away captive, he cannot think that
he is a true Christian. Is it possible that one who is thus overcome can
have in him any principle of piety? Sometimes he gives up all hope, and
concludes that he was deceived in ever thinking himself converted; but then
again, when he feels a broken and contrite heart, and an ardent breathing
and groaning after deliverance, he cannot but conclude that there is some
principle above mere nature operating in him.
The sleeping backslider is one who, being surrounded with
earthly comforts and engaged in secular pursuits, and mingling much with the
decent and respectable people of the world, by degrees loses the deep
impression of divine and eternal things. His spiritual senses become obtuse,
and he has no longer the views and feelings of one awake to the reality of
spiritual things. His case nearly resembles that of a man gradually sinking
into sleep. Still he sees dimly and hears indistinctly—but he is fast losing
the impression of the objects of the spiritual world, and is sinking under
the impression of the things of time and sense.
There may be no remarkable change in the external conduct
of such a person, except that he has no longer any relish for pious
conversation, and rather is disposed to waive it. And the difference between
such an one and the rest of the world becomes less and less distinguishable.
From anything you see or hear, you would not suspect him to be a Christian,
until you see him taking his seat at church. Such backsliders are commonly
awakened by some severe judgments; the earthly objects on which they had too
much fixed their affections are snatched away; and they are made bitterly to
feel that it is an evil thing to forget and depart from the living God.
There is still another species of backsliding, in which
by a sudden temptation, one who appeared to stand firm is cast down.
Such was the fall of Peter. Many others have given full evidence that a
man's standing is not in himself; for frequently men are overcome in those
very things in which they were least afraid, and had most confidence in
their own strength. These cases are usually more disgraceful than other
instances of backsliding—but they are less dangerous; for commonly, where
there is grace they produce such an overwhelming conviction of sin, and
shame for having acted so unworthily, that repentance soon follows the
lapse, and the person, when restored, is more watchful than ever against all
kinds of sin, and more distrustful of himself. Such falls may be compared to
a sudden accident by which a bone is broken or put out of joint; they are
very painful, and cause the person to go limping all the remainder of his
life—but do not so much affect the vitals as more secret and insidious
diseases, which prey inwardly, without being perceived.
There are many people who never make a public profession
of religion, who for a while are the subjects of serious impressions, whose
consciences are much awake, and whose feelings are tender. They seem to love
to hear the truth, and in a considerable degree fall under its influence, so
as to be almost persuaded to be Christians; and for a season give to the
pious, lively hopes of their speedy conversion. They are such as the person
to whom Christ said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (Mark 12:34)
But through the blinding influence of avarice or ambition, or some other
carnal motive, they are led away and lose all their serious thoughts and
good resolutions. Such people usually lose their day of grace. I have seen
an amiable young man weeping under the faithful preaching of the Gospel, and
my hopes were expectant that I would soon see him at the table of the Lord;
but alas! I believe that on that very day he quenched the Spirit, and has
been going further and further from the Lord ever since!
The backsliding believer can only be distinguished from
the final apostate, by the fact of his recovery. At least, when
Christians have slidden far back, no satisfactory evidence of the
genuineness of their piety can be exhibited, nor can they have any which
ought to satisfy their own minds. In the course of pastoral visitation I
once called upon an habitual drunkard who had been a flaming professor. I
asked him what he thought of his former exercises of religion. He said that
he was confident that they were genuine, and expressed a strong confidence
that the Lord would recover him from his backsliding state. Now here was the
very spirit of Antinomianism. Whether he was ever recovered from his
besetting sin I cannot tell—but I rather think that he continued his
decadent habits to the very last.
I have often noticed how tenaciously the most profane and
obstinate sinners will cleave to the hope of having been once converted, if
they have ever been the subjects of religious impressions. One of the
profanest men I ever heard speak, and one of the most outrageous drunkards,
when asked on his deathbed, to which he was brought by alcohol, respecting
his prospects beyond the grave, said, that when a very young man he had been
among the Methodists, and thought that he was converted; and though he had
lived in the most open and daring wickedness for more than twenty years
since that time, yet he seemed to depend on those early exercises. Miserable
delusion! But a drowning man will catch at a straw. An old sea-captain whom
I visited on his deathbed seemed to be trusting to a similar delusion. He
related to me certain religious exercises which he had when he first went to
sea—but of which he had no return ever since, though half a century had
elapsed. I have met with only a few people who had neglected to cherish and
improve early impressions, who were ever afterwards hopefully converted.
They are generally given up to blindness of mind and hardness of heart. But
some of these are sometimes brought in, in times of revival; or, at a late
period, driven to the Gospel refuge by severe affliction.
The conviction of a Christian backslider is often more
severe and overwhelming than when first awakened. When his eyes are opened
to see the ingratitude and wicked rebellion of his conduct, he is ready to
despair, and to give up all hopes of being pardoned. He sinks into deep
waters where the billows of divine displeasure roll over him; or he is like
a prisoner in a horrible pit and in the miry clay. All around him is dark
and desolate, and he feels himself to be in a deplorably helpless condition.
His own strivings seem to sink him deeper in the mire; but as his last and
only resource, he cries out of the depths unto God. As his case is urgent he
cries with unceasing importunity, and the Lord hears the voice of his
supplications. He brings him up out of the horrible pit, and places his feet
upon a rock, and establishes his goings, and puts a new song into his mouth,
even of praise to the Redeemer. The freeness of pardon to the returning
backslider is a thing which is hard to be believed until it is experienced.
No sooner is the proud heart humbled, and the hard heart
broken into contrition, than Jehovah is near with His healing balm. To heal
the broken in heart, and to revive the spirit of the contrite ones—is the
delight of Immanuel. And he receives the returning penitent without
reproaches. He pardons him freely, sheds abroad His love in his heart, and
fills him with the joy of the Holy Spirit. It is in fact, somewhat of a new
conversion; though there is but one regeneration. We never hear of a sinner
being born a third time—but we remember that Christ said unto Peter, "When
you are converted, strengthen your brethren." (Luke 22:32) Indeed, the
exercises of the soul on these occasions may be so much more clear and
comfortable than on its first conversion, that the person is disposed to
think that this is the real commencement of spiritual life, and to set down
all his former experience as spurious, or at least essentially defective.
Christians, when recovered from backsliding, are commonly
more watchful, and walk more circumspectly than they ever did before. They
cannot but be more humble. The remembrance of their base departure from God
fills them with self-loathing. Whenever spiritual pride would lift up its
head, one thought of a disgraceful fall will often lay the soul in the dust.
And whether the backslider's sins have been open or secret, the recollection
of his traitorous behavior fills him with shame and self-abhorrence. When
such people have so conducted themselves as to bring upon them the censures
of the church, so as to be separated from the communion of the Lord's
people, at first, it is probable, resentment will be felt towards the
officers of the church who perform the painful duty. But after reflection,
these resentments are turned against themselves, and they pass much heavier
censures on themselves than the church ever did.
Judicious, seasonable discipline is a powerful
means of grace, and often would be the effectual means of recovering the
backslider, if exercised as it should be. Indeed, this may be said to be one
main design of its appointment. If whenever there is an appearance of
declension in a church member, the pastor, or some other officer of the
church, should go to the person, and in the spirit and by the authority of
Christ should address a serious admonition to him, and then a second and a
third; and if these were unheeded, then bring him before the
church—backsliding, in most cases, would be arrested before it proceeded
far.
But all Christians have a duty to perform towards
erring brethren. When they see them going astray, they should not act
towards them as if they hated them—but should rebuke them in the spirit of
meekness. Christian reproof from one Christian to another seems to be almost
banished from our churches. There is a quick eye to discern a brother's
faults, and a ready tongue to speak of them to others; but where do we now
find the faithful reprover of sin, who goes to the man himself, without
saying a word to anyone, and between themselves, faithfully warns, exhorts,
and entreats a straying brother to return. The serious discipline of formal
accusations, and witnesses, etc., by such a course would be in a great
measure rendered unnecessary. But the common practice is to let the evil
grow until it has become inveterate, and breaks out into overt acts—and then
there is a necessity to pay attention to the matter, and to put in force the
discipline of the church. But even this often proves beneficial, and is a
powerful means of reclaiming the offender; or, if he persists in his evil
courses, it serves to separate an unworthy member from the communion of
saints.
But when church officers and private Christians utterly
fail in their duty towards backsliding brethren, God Himself often
makes use of means of His own, which do not require the intervention of men.
He smites the offender with His rod, and causes him to smart in some tender
part. He sends such afflictions as bring his sins forcibly before his
conscience. He deprives him of the objects for the sake of which he forsook
the Lord—it may be of the wife of his youth, or of a beloved child,
on which his affections were too fondly fixed so as to become idolatrous. Or
if it was the love of the world which was the seductive cause of his
backsliding, riches are caused to "make to themselves wings and fly away
like the eagle to heaven". (Prov 23:5) Or was the love of ease and
indulgence of the sensual appetites the cause of his delinquency, the
stroke falls on his own body. He is brought low by sickness, and is tried
upon his bed with excruciating pains, until he cries out in his distress and
humbly confesses his sins. Or if he was carried away by an undue love of
the honor from men, it is not unlikely that his reputation, which he
cherished with a fondness which caused him to neglect the honor of his God,
will be permitted to be tarnished by the tongue of slander, and things may
be so situated that, although innocent, he may not have it in his power to
make the truth appear. Children, too much indulged, become by their
misconduct, heavy causes of affliction to parents; and thus they are made to
suffer in the very point where they had sinned. Look at the case of Eli and
of David.
All afflictions are not for chastisement--but sometimes
for trial; and those whom God loves best are the most afflicted in this
world. They are kept in the furnace, which is heated seven times
hotter--until their dross is consumed, and their piety shines forth as pure
gold which has been tried in the fire. "I will put this third through the
fire; I will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is
tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say: They
are My people, and they will say: The Lord is our God." Zechariah 13:9. "You
have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver melted in a
crucible." (Psalm 66:10) "I have refined you in the furnace of suffering."
(Isaiah 48:10)
But we are now concerned only with those afflictions
which are most effective to bring back the backslider, the virtue of which
the psalmist acknowledges when he says, "Before I was afflicted I went
astray, but now I keep Your word. It was good for me to be afflicted so that
I could learn Your statutes. I know, Lord, that Your judgments are just and
that You have afflicted me fairly. (Psalm 119:67, 71, 75) It may be truly
said that many who had backslidden never would have returned had it not been
for the rod; other means seemed to have lost their power—but this comes home
to the feelings of everyone. Whether a believer is ever permitted to die in
a backslidden state is a question of no practical importance; but it seems
probable that Christians die in all conditions, including spiritual
declension. No one has any right to presume that if he backslides, death may
not overtake him in that unprepared condition. Backsliding then is a fearful
evil; may we all be enabled to avoid it; or if fallen into it, to be
recovered speedily from so dangerous a state!