Let me begin by answering the above question. NO! I realize by saying this some might be confused and have several questions, like: Are you saying that a Christian cannot sin? Before you jump to conclusions about my answer, hear me out.
To begin with, I think you must understand what I believe most people think the word backslide means. Many people today have the idea that a person can go to church as a child, make a decision for Christ, leave the church and God, go out into the world and live for years, and then come back to church and rededicate their lives to God. This is false teaching about salvation. Most would call this person just backslidden , the Bible would call him lost.
The word backslide is not a New Testament word, however I do realize that this does not mean that it does not exist in the New Testament. Backsliding in the New Testament would be called apostasy. This is also what it meant in the Hebrew of the Old Testament. The word means: to turn back, turn away, or apostasy.
I John 2:19 says, 'They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.' This verse speaks about those who leave the church because they were never of the church. In other words, they never were really saved. For had they been saved, they would have remained with the church. The issue is not can a person be saved and sin, but can a person be saved and commit the sin of leaving God and the Church? The answer is no. ( I John 3:9, Hebrews 10: 38-39)
Sure, a Christian can sin and will sin, but he is sealed by the Holy Spirit and kept by the power of God and he will endure unto the end. Chastisement is the training and educating of God's children and is a very real part of every child's life. It also involves correction, not just a guilty conscience, as some men think. God is a great God who knows how to correct His children and get them under control. One of the ways that God chooses to chastise His children is by removing fellowship from the child. If the person does not desire fellowship, how will God correct him? Apostates lose the desire for God because they are not his children. In the Corinthian church, when some had sin problems, it was Paul's advice to withdraw fellowship from them. It was the withdrawal of fellowship that ultimately brought restoration. This was possible because, in the heart of every believer lies a desire for God and His church. This desire stems from the indwelling Spirit. (Romans 8: 14-16)
In conclusion, after looking at the definition of the word backslidden combined with the truth of the Bible, the answer is no, a true Christian cannot backslide and leave God.
- Pastor Owen