As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
An article at Proclaim & Defend last week raised the question “Do We Still Believe in Backsliding?” For me, the answer is, “Yes, but not in the way you mean.”
In general, we should describe the Christian life using biblical language in a biblical way. When we do that, we avoid a lot of misunderstanding or misemphasis. So, considering the topic of backsliding, we should start with three questions:
“Mark Ward and Tim Miller from Shepherd’s Theological Seminary explore repentance in depth as an expansion of Miller’s article, ‘Is Repentance a Change of Mind or Something Different?’” - Word by Word
“Spiritual mourning is laden with blessing, and we are to go after it and get as much of it in our lives as we possibly can. The more you know of this mourning, the more joy you will experience in your life.” - Colin Smith
“Do we share some responsibility for the sins committed by those who were part of the same immediate family? What about the same religious family? Or what if the perpetrators in the past shared our same skin color? In short, how should we think of corporate responsibility?” - Kevin DeYoung
“It may seem odd to think of inclusion as a means of exclusion, yet inclusion in a community willing to call “evil good and good evil” … is a de facto exclusion because it denies the transformative decision that the Gospel requires.” - CPost
“How can a person who has betrayed trust, lied, broken promises, and deceived even their own loved ones come to share in the blessing of God? Hope begins for these brothers… when God awakens the conscience” - Colin Smith
Read Part 1.
Let me offer two reasons why I believe mercy was the primary message communicated through Jesus’ gaze:
“Ask yourself: Is too much empathy really the problem you see in your church? In your pastor? In your life? We should all examine where we are and seek to accentuate what is right while repenting of what is wrong.” - Ken Brown
“As I’ve walked through the meaning of repentance in my own spiritual walk, the Puritans have been helpful in clarifying the meaning of the word repentance. In particular, Thomas Watson’s work entitled The Doctrine of Repentance” - Tim McKnight
Read Part 1.
Basically, this is a prayer for spiritual restoration. The psalmist has strayed from the “paths of righteousness,” and he cries out for the Great Shepherd to rescue him. He wants forgiveness, and he wants to know again the joy of his salvation. As he makes his petition he’s conscious of at two realities:
Discussion