Perspectives on Backsliding
On Jeremiah 3:12-24
God calls faithless Israel to acknowledge their guilt that they have rebelled against the LORD their God and return to Him. He lays out all the numerous sins they committed and calls them to repent. He reminds them that He is merciful and will not be angry with them forever. God does not ignore their sins, but lists them all out and describes how their specific sins offended and hurt Him. He calls Israel a “treacherous wife”, implying that He is like a betrayed husband of an unfaithful wife - a wife to whom He gave all the best treasures of His blessings.
Yet, it is simply amazing that God implores Israel to return to Him despite all their heinous sins against Him. That God would be willing to forgive even the most abominable sins that Israel committed against Him.
“Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.” (v. 22)
This beautiful love of God is sure to break any backsliding sinner’s heart. How does and how can God forgive such wickedness! Praise be to Him alone!
See how Israel responds to this love of God.
“Behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our God. Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”
(vv. 22-24)
Israel was indeed struck to the heart and recognized the folly of their ways. They recognized the utter futility of their favorite sins that only resulted in separation from their true salvation - the LORD God of Israel. Sin has a way of leading us to a place of utter futility. We would not be able to survive the consequences of sin if not for God’s tender mercy. Yet, God is perfectly holy, so no sin can stand in His Presence. Sinners will surely perish in their sins. But because of His infinitely great love, He does not want sinners to perish and has made a way for us to live.
Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ died for us instead! Christ calls out to the all of us who are hopelessly lost in our sins, our addictions, our impurities, our pride and arrogance, our worthless idols of worldly pursuit, and our every desire that corrupts and destroys our whole body and our whole soul.
Save me from all my sins, LORD God. Wash me clean once again with Your precious blood, LORD Jesus. Do not let me be destroyed in my sins and my utterly worthless worldliness. I put my hope in You, my LORD and my God. Pour out your compassion on me and help me to return to You wholeheartedly, to walk in obedience to the Father’s will as You walked when You were here on earth.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
