Backsliding

 Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return.
Jeremiah 8:5 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.8.5.ESV

The temptation with this verse is to apply it to whatever countries we are from, especially if we're from the West. Most Western countries are traditionally known as Christian countries, although of course Christians are part of another Kingdom to the kingdoms of this earth. Is that a good application though?

Jeremiah was referring to the professed people of God. He wasn't primarily addressing a political entity but a spiritual community. At least, they were professedly spiritual.

So a better application of this verse would be to apply it to ourselves as professing Christians. Do our lives match up with our professions? If not, we need to recover and return to the Lord.

Sadly, like Jeremiah's people, many professing Christians perpetually backslide. Do our lives betray the fact that our professions of faith are not worth the breath it takes to profess? We need to produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

'Almighty God, please forgive our tendencies to backslide, and draw us back to Yourself, to walk faithfully with You all our days, until You call us home, in Christ's name, amen'

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