Returning to Our First Love # 4

Returning to Our First Love # 4

When aged Christians warned us of our danger, we were disposed to think that their solicitude in our behalf was superfluous, for we were confident that we would never decline from the walk of faith. Our foresight was, indeed, short; by insensible degrees we left our first love and have wandered like straying sheep.

But now, again, the Good Shepherd causes us to hear His voice. And His first call to us is to "Remember!" - to remember from whence we  have fallen.

This is in order to the next step, which is to REPENT. Be sorry for what you have done. We should be willing to admit the painful, humbling conviction that we have grievously and foolishly sinned in departing from the living God. Sin is embittered to none more than to the penitent backslider; especially the sin of ingratitude breaks his own heart. He is astonished at his own blindness and unbelief which prevented him from seeing the snare which the enemy spread to entangle his feet. Oh what stupidity, after having tasted the joy of pardoned sin and after being favored with the Spirit of adoption, to turn again to folly!

This fills him, on the recollection, with astonishment and regret; and he now asks himself, "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?" (Romans 6:21). Where now are the promised pleasures of sin? Alas! That which was sweet in the mouth, is turned to gall and wormwood in the stomach! Remember, then, from where you have fallen and repent.

But our obedience must not be confined to the feelings and affections of the heart, however pious and penitent these may be. A good tree will produce good fruit. Our Lord, therefore, adds, "And DO THE FIRST WORKS." Immediately, on a sinner's first conversion, he begins to work. "Lord, what will You have me to do?" is the language of every renewed heart. "He who has My commandments and keeps them," says our Lord, "It is he who loves Me" (John 14:21). "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

But in a state of backsliding, the commandments of Christ are neglected, or obeyed in a very imperfect manner. Undue conformity to the world takes the place of self-denial, and formality is substituted for spirituality in the worship of God. 

But when the backslider is reclaimed - which is really like a new conversion - he is again led to engage cordially in the service of God. He now returns to the performance of his first works, as well as to the exercise of his first love. He again abounds in prayer and praise, makes the Sabbath a delight and counts it honorable, draws near to God in the Holy Supper, and is found walking blameless in all the commandments of the Lord. He does justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with his God.

The heart of a reclaimed backslider is sure to be more humble and distrustful of itself than before. There is also, now, more caution and watchfulness in regard to the heart. It has been found to be "deceitful above all things," and therefore ought not to be trusted! The vain self-confidence of such is now completely cured. The reclaimed penitent knows experimentally that his standing is not in himself - that unless he is preserved by the grace of God, he will certainly fall away again.

The penitent backslider is especially on his guard against those wins and temptations by which he was overcome when he departed from God, so that in all his future life, he is more secure from these than from other sins.

~Archibald Alexander~

(continued with # 5)