“Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” – 1 Corinthians 10:12
It is a curious fact, that there is such a thing as being proud of grace. A man says, “I have great faith, I shall not fall; poor little faith may, but I never shall.” “I have fervent love,” says another, “I can stand, there is no danger of my going astray.” He who boasts of grace has little grace to boast of. Some who do this imagine that their graces can keep them, knowing not that the stream must flow constantly from the fountain head, or else the brook will soon be dry. If a continuous stream of oil comes not to the lamp, though it burn brightly to-day, it will smoke to-morrow, and noxious will be its scent. Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and his strength, for only so canst thou be kept from falling. Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be redolent of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of him; and when that happy day shall come, when he whom you love shall say, “Come up higher,” may it be your happiness to hear him say, “Thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast finished thy course, and henceforth there is laid up for thee a crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.” On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, “Uphold me according to thy word.” He is able, and he alone, “To keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” – Spurgeon
I love the words of our Christian forefathers. They were always encouraging and uplifting, without watering down the Gospel. Have you ever fallen? Have you ever spent a season away from God? Are you in that wretched place now? Take heart and listen to the still small voice of a our Father–He is always beckoning to us to turn back.
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4, 7
“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:29
Plant those words deep in your heart, meditate on them, so that if and when you do fall, you will not spend one moment longer than necessary away from His grace, due to feelings of unworthiness, and shame. I know that God is greater than all the demons in the world. They cannot take you from the Father’s hand–not even you can do that!
It is a terrible thing to know God and then fall so hard and so far that you feel unreachable. It is a state worst than the first. I know this first hand…so did Peter and reading some of Paul’s writings I wonder if he didn’t know a back-slidden state first hand too. And, after you return to faith, the enemy reminds you constantly how easy it is to fall, or perhaps that you can’t really be forgiven. Just like in the garden and while tempting Jesus, the devil uses scripture against us. That is why it is so important to know the whole body of what God said, not just chosen verses out of context. For years after I repented and recommitted my life to Jesus, there were many scriptures the devil used to put doubt in my mind. These two verses were his favorites to use against me. “…it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.” Hebrews 6:3 “…but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”– Mark 3:29
So, perhaps all the messages about not falling in the first place, don’t come from a place of self-righteousness, but from a place of knowing how wretched it is to fall–and they are warning us, do all that you can not to go there in the first place. I think we can take heart knowing we are in good company when we do fall…always remember what Jesus said to the believers in Laodicea—He is always calling us back to repentance.
‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20
If you are in that wretched place, or have been and you are being beaten up by the devil, I hope you will take God at His word, for ”The Lord is not…wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
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