Backsliders Regaining Their Faith

[Bro Flame]

Okay, I'm wanting to know what people here think about a backslider coming back to the Lord.

We all want backsliders to come back, I'm sure.

I know the Bible says that once one backslides we should come back and do our first works over again. In the Apostolic sense, I assume that would be redoing Acts 2:38 over: repentance, baptism, and Spirit infilling.

However, I've heard it stated that one does not need to be re-baptized after returning from backsliding.

What's your thoughts?

[Amanah]

I think that you repent and pray through in the Holy Ghost until your Spirit is renewed with God's Spirit.

When you asked the question though, for some reason I thought of the scripture below, and would like someone to explain what it means:

Hebrews 6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

[Apostolic1ness]

Originally Posted by Holy Roller

Okay, I'm wanting to know what people here think about a backslider coming back to the Lord.

We all want backsliders to come back, I'm sure.

I know the Bible says that once one backslides we should come back and do our first works over again. In the Apostolic sense, I assume that would be redoing Acts 2:38 over: repentance, baptism, and Spirit infilling.

However, I've heard it stated that one does not need to be re-baptized after returning from backsliding.

What's your thoughts?

I believe repentance and renewing of the Holy Ghost of course are required but not re-baptism.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I think that you repent and pray through in the Holy Ghost until your Spirit is renewed with God's Spirit.

When you asked the question though, for some reason I thought of the scripture below, and would like someone to explain what it means:

I believe that Scripture is talking about apostates. Real apostates. Especially ones who go back to Judaism.

[berkeley]

That is what it was dealing with.

Originally Posted by Esaias

I believe that Scripture is talking about apostates. Real apostates. Especially ones who go back to Judaism.

[consapente89]

A backslider is someone who has once walked in light, but returned to darkness, thereby being cut off from the blood of Christ and the fellowship of the church. Once a backslider repents and is renewed in the Holy Ghost, they begin to walk in the light again.

I John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

The blood has already been applied through the initial conversion experience, but it's continued availability depends on one's walk. Re-baptism is not needed nor of any value. The apostle explains further in vs. 9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We re-enter the covenant through repentance, and God confirms it through renewing in the Holy Ghost.

Psalm 119: 9
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

[BuckeyeBukaroo]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I think that you repent and pray through in the Holy Ghost until your Spirit is renewed with God's Spirit.

When you asked the question though, for some reason I thought of the scripture below, and would like someone to explain what it means:

The last time I was asked about that, I just told the person that if you still have the desire to come back to Christ, come back home.

[navygoat1998]

I am not sliding, walking or running back

[votivesoul]

I met someone years ago whose apostolic church practiced rebaptism for backsliders returning to the faith. But I think that is a mistake.

All the typology for baptism from the OT and those symbolic representations of it given to us in the NT, all suggest a once and done thing.

- The flood happened once only, and God promised it would never happen again.
- Israel crossed through the Red Sea once, and they never did it again, even if they literally or metaphorically went "down to Egypt".
- Water baptism is compared to a birth. That happens only once.
- We are baptised into Christ's death, and when He died, He died once, for all time.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Esaias

I believe that Scripture is talking about apostates. Real apostates. Especially ones who go back to Judaism.

I agree. 1st century persecution of Jewish Christians by Jews who were not followers of Jesus was causing many Jews to doubt their faith. When Hebrews was written, it was written to second generation believers who never met Jesus, or possibly any of the Apostles in person, and had believed without seeing.

But the pressure to give up their faith because they were standing to lose their cultural identity as Jews because they were being cast out of synagogues, families were being torn apart, brethren were disowning each other, and etc (all prophesied to happen by Jesus), caused so much doubt that Jewish believers were on the verge of falling back wholesale.

If you take the time to read up on the Birkat Ha-Minim, it will make a lot more sense:

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/birkat-ha-minim

But, for the Jewish believer in Jesus who was on the verge or re-embracing Rabbinical Judaism, they weren't seeing how they were going to enter into a ministry of death and condemnation, and that the very temple system they were considering following again, was on the verge of complete annihilation, which was something that would come down on them, too.

And that's why Hebrews 6:4 reads that way.