FRIDAY
Our Christianese If You Please for this week:
He’s backsliding
This Christianese may connote images of someone sliding on their back down a water slide or a backyard slip-n-slide. Not the case. In the Christian world it refers to someone who professes faith in Jesus but isn’t living the way of Jesus.
This is another biblical word…sort of. It’s translated backsliding in Prov. 14:14 but it most often means to simply turn back or withdraw.
Jokes aside, this is actually a legit and helpful article on backsliding that I came across. What the Bible Says about Backsliding
A regular practice of confession will help keep us from backsliding.
Confessing sin to God and to one another is one of the more difficult things to do in the Christian life. Many of us feel paralyzed in regards to what we would say. That being the case I thought it would be helpful to end our week on this topic by reading some examples of confession and repentance in Scripture that will help give us language and frame our confessions.
Luke 18:9–14 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 15:17–32 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Psalm 51
Daniel 9:3–19
Nehemiah 1:4–11
Additional Content
Reflection
Reflect on the posture of your heart towards God. Is your posture more like the Pharisee and the older brother or more like the tax collector and younger brother.