Post 5

Beware of Backsliding – Mar 27

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! – I John 3:1

There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;’ but if you cannot fall finally, you may fall foully, and may go with broken bones all your days. Take care of backslidings; for Jesus Christ’s sake, do not grieve the Holy Ghost. You may never recover your comfort while you live. I have paid dear for backsliding. Our hearts are so cursedly wicked, that if you take not care, if you do not keep up a constant watch, your wicked hearts will deceive you, and draw you aside. It will be sad to be under the scourge of a correcting Father… Let me, therefore, exhort you that have got peace to keep a close walk with Christ. I am grieved with the loose walk of those that are Christians, that have had discoveries of Jesus Christ; there is so little difference betwixt them and other people, that I scarce know which is the true Christian. Christians are afraid to speak of God, they run down the stream; if they come into worldly company, they will talk of the world as if they were in their element; this you would not do when you had the first discoveries of Christ’s love; you could talk then of Christ’s love for ever, when the candle of the Lord shined upon your soul.

– George Whitefield (1714-1770)