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"THE ANATOMY OF A BACKSLIDER"
 
Learning From One Who Knows By Experience
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In 2 Pe 2:20-22
we read of the real possibility and serious
 consequences of backsliding
 
2. It is interesting that we find this passage coming from the inspired
 pen of Peter...
 a. For if anyone knew "firsthand" the reality and dangers of
 backsliding
it was Peter!
 b. As he discovered the night he denied Jesus!
 
3. The process of backsliding is a gradual one
often overtaking a
 person by surprise; and lest we fall from our own steadfastness...
 a. We shall carefully examine the process that led to Peter's denial
 of Christ
 b. Followed by noticing how Peter's own words in his epistles are
 designed to prevent the same from happening to us!
 
I. THE ANATOMY OF A BACKSLIDER
 
 A. PRIDE - Mk 14:27-31
 1. In a boastful manner
Peter claims he will not fall away or
 deny Christ!
 2. In doing so
Peter takes the first step in backsliding:
 "pride"! - cf. Pr 16:18
  3. Why is this the "first" step?
 a. Because the first step in entering the kingdom is humility
 - Mt 18:3-4
 b. So if we lose "humility"
we take that first step backward
 4. Paul's advice to the Corinthians is very apropos in this
 regard - cf. 1 Co 10:11
 
 B. LAZINESS - Mk 14:32-42
 1. Told to keep watch
Peter kept falling asleep
 2. It was therefore lack of diligent preparation which caused him
 to be caught off guard for what was to follow
 3. The same thing can happen to us!
 a. Without diligence
we too can be found unprepared - cf. Lk
 21:34-36
 b. More often than not
it is a "gradual drifting" that
 catches us off guard - cf. He 2:1-3
  c. But when we are proud of ourselves
we become lazy
and
 that easily leads to the next step...
 
 C. COWARDICE - Mk 14:54
 1. Note that it says "...Peter followed Him at a distance"
 2. Now that Jesus had become unpopular...
  a. Peter stays far enough away so as not to be identified with
 Him
 b. Peter was unprepared for the challenge of facing ridicule
 and persecution
 3. Without diligent preparation
we too can become guilty of
  cowardice!
 a. Ashamed to be seen carrying a Bible
 b. Ashamed to be seen giving thanks
 c. Ashamed to be seen with other Christians
 d. Perhaps even ashamed to let others know that we are
 Christians!
 4. And yet
Jesus has made it clear what He thinks of "cowardice"
 - cf. Mk 8:38; Re 21:8
 5. When we are ashamed of Christ
it is natural for to fall into
 the next step of backsliding...
 
 D. WORLDLINESS - Mk 14:54
 1. We now find Peter sitting with the servants of the High Priest
 and warming himself by the fire
 2. Ashamed to be seen with Christ
it becomes easy to mingle with
 those of the world and enjoy their comforts
 3. But one cannot be "comforted by the fire" of the world
and
 not be "burned"!
 a. Close contact with that which can harm has its effects! -
 cf. Pr 6:27-29
 b. So it is we cannot "flirt with the world" and walk away
 untouched! - 1 Co 15:33
 4. By the time we become "friends with the world"
it is only a
 short time before we take the next and final step of
 backsliding...
 
 E. DENIAL - Mk 14:66-71
 1. Away from Christ
at comfort with those in the world
Peter
 finds himself denying His Lord and Savior!
 2. In so doing
he has put himself in grave danger - cf. Mt 10:
 32-33
 3. Though we may never actually deny Jesus in "words"
we can
 easily backslide to the point of denying Him in "action"...
 a. We are called to worship Him...but make excuses why we
 cannot
 b. We are called to serve Him...but render little or no
 service
 c. We are called to stand by His side and suffer for His name
 ...but stand afar off in the safety of the world's comfort
 
[When we deny the Lord
our backsliding is complete; unless we repent

the only thing left is to one day face the Lord
where we will fully
realize the error of our ways!
 
For Peter
he fully realized his sin when the Lord turned and looked at
him there in the courtyard (cf. Lk 22:60-62). Imagine the feeling in
Peter's heart as those eyes of His Savior pierced his soul! Like
Judas
Peter wept bitterly over his sin.
 
Unlike Judas
Peter had "godly sorrow" that results in true repentance
(cf. 2 Co 7:10-11). And years later
we find Peter writing the sort
of things that would prevent us from making the same mistake he did...]
 
II. ADVICE FROM ONE WHO LEARNED THE HARD WAY
 
 A. TO GUARD AGAINST "PRIDE"...
 1. Peter enjoins "humility" - 1 Pe 5:5-6
 2. Indeed
"God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble"
 
 B. TO WARD AGAINST "LAZINESS"...
 1. Peter commands "diligence" - 1 Pe 5:8-9
 2. Note especially his words in his second epistle - 2 Pe 1:5
10;
 3:14
 
 C. INSTEAD OF "COWARDICE"...
 1. Peter charges us to "glorify God" - 1 Pe 4:16
 2. Think not of what it means to you
but what it means to God!
 
 D. INSTEAD OF "WORLDLINESS"...
  1. Peter tells us to "abstain" - 1 Pe 2:11-12
 2. Remember that we are "sojourners and pilgrims"
destined for a
 better place than the things of this world have to offer!
 
 E. INSTEAD OF "DENIAL"...
 1. Peter exhorts us to ever be ready to "give a defense" - 1 Pe
 3:15
 2. By careful preparation
we will "defend" Christ
and not
 "deny" Christ!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. From one who learned by the hard road of experience
let's heed his
 advice lest we one day backslide ourselves
and in so doing deny the
 Lord! - cf. 2 Pe 3:17-18
 
2. Remember too that when Peter saw the eyes of his Lord
he realized
 the error of his way...
 a. Fortunately for him
there was still time to repent
 b. But for us
when we see Jesus "face to face"
the time to repent
 will be gone...it will be the time for judgment!
 
3. If we realize that we are guilty of backsliding...
 a. Repent now
do not wait until you stand before Jesus
 b. Do it now
so that your "face to face" encounter with Jesus will
 be terrific
not terrifying!

－－《Executable Outlines》