The Cause of Backsliding

The song faded as they walked on, but the weight of Ignorance’s choice remained heavy on their hearts. Christian cast a worried glance back at the solitary figure on the log. “I can’t help but feel sorry for him,” he admitted.

Hopeful nodded grimly. “It’s clear this will end badly for him,” he said. “And the worst part is, there are countless others just like him back in my town. Whole families, even entire streets, blinded by their own false piety, believing themselves to be pilgrims on the right path.” He let out a long sigh. “If there are that many lost souls in our own little corner of the world, imagine how many there must be where he comes from!”

Christian nodded, his eyes on the path ahead. “‘He has blinded their eyes, lest they should see.’” (John 12v40)

Christian then turned to Hopeful. “But now that we are by ourselves, what do you think of men like Ignorance? Do you believe they ever feel conviction of their sin, or fear that their situation is dangerous?”

Hopeful shrugged. “I think you should answer that question, since you are older and wiser!”

“Well then,” Christian began, “I believe they might feel such convictions at times. But because they are naturally ignorant, they don’t realize that these convictions are meant for their good. So instead of heeding them, they stubbornly suppress those feelings and foolishly continue to flatter themselves, following their own misguided hearts.”

“I agree with you,” Hopeful replied. “Fear often plays a big part in leading people to see the truth and start their pilgrimage.”

“No doubt about it,” Christian nodded. “if it’s the right kind of fear. As the Word says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psa 111v10)

Hopeful looked curious. “And how would you describe this ‘right fear’?” he asked.

Christian pondered for a moment before replying, “I believe true or right fear can be identified by three things,

“One, its source—it comes from sincere conviction of sin.

“Two, its effect—it drives the soul to cling to Christ for salvation.

“And three, its result—it creates in the soul a deep reverence for God, His Word, and His ways. It keeps the heart tender, afraid to stray, to dishonor God, disrupt peace, grieve the Spirit, or give the enemy reason to mock.”

“Well said!” Hopeful exclaimed. “I believe you're right, my friend.”

Hopeful then bent down low to the ground, his eyes examining the velvety moss that covered the path. “Do you think we’re nearing the end of the Enchanted Ground, Christian?” he asked.

Christian chuckled heartily. “What’s wrong? Are you weary of our stimulating conversation, my friend?” He winked at Hopeful, playfully nudging his shoulder.

Hopeful’s face broke into a wide grin. “Not at all!” he exclaimed. “It’s just... I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about where we are!”

Christian nodded in agreement. Together they unfurled the worn map that was tucked away in Hopeful’s pack. After smoothing it out on his knee, Christian traced their path with a calloused finger. “According to this,” he said, glancing between the map and the trail ahead, “our journey has no more than two miles left!” He gave a gleeful poke to the black ink depiction of the Celestial City.

“But let’s get back to our discussion,” said Christian, folding the map back into his pack. “The ignorant don’t realize that these convictions, which make them fearful, are actually for their benefit. So, they do everything they can to suppress them.”

“How exactly do they try to suppress those fears?” Hopeful asked.

“Well, first,” said Christian, “they believe these fears come from the devil (though in truth, they come from God), and because of that, they resist them, thinking these fears will bring about their ruin.

“Second, they also think that these fears will destroy their faith, even though, tragically, they have no real faith at all! So they harden their hearts against the very thing that could save them.

“Third, they convince themselves that they shouldn’t be afraid, and instead, they grow overly confident in their own strength.

“Lastly, they realize these fears threaten their false sense of self-righteousness, so they fight against them with all their might.”

Hopeful nodded. “I can relate to that—I was the same way before I truly understood myself.”

The pilgrims then looked back at Ignorance. He was still lagging further and further behind. “Perhaps we should leave him to his own contemplation for a while,” Christian suggested. “How about a quick story?”

Hopeful nodded readily. “Agreed,” he said. “Tell me another tale, one that might enlighten our journey.”

Christian cleared his throat as they started walking again. “Well then,” he began, “do you recall a fellow named Temporary who lived in your neck of the woods a few years ago? Back then, he was quite zealous about matters of religion.”

Hopeful furrowed his brow, searching his memories. “Ah yes, Temporary!” he finally exclaimed. “He lived in Graceless, a town about two miles from Honesty. I believe his neighbor was a fellow named Turn-back.”

“That’s right,” said Christian. “They shared a roof, those two. Now, Temporary, he exhibited a period of genuine spiritual awakening. He seemed to grasp the weight of his sins and the consequences they held.”

“I remember him well,” Hopeful chimed in. “He often visited me, clearly burdened by his sins. I felt sorry for him and held some hope for his salvation, but alas, not everyone who cries ‘Lord! Lord!’ is truly sincere.”

Christian nodded. “Precisely. He once confided in me, expressing a desire to embark on a pilgrimage, just like us. But then, unfortunately, he befriended a man named Save-self, and our conversations dwindled to nothing. That’s when Temporary abandoned his pilgrimage altogether.”

Hopeful shook his head. “Well,” he said finally, “since we’re talking about him, let’s take a moment to consider why people like him backslide so quickly.”

“That would be useful, indeed,” said Christian. “Why don’t you start?”

“Alright,” Hopeful said with a smile. “In my opinion, there are four main reasons for this.”

First, although these people’s consciences are awakened, their minds haven’t been truly changed. So, when the weight of their guilt fades, the motivation that made them turn to religion also fades. They naturally go back to their old ways. It’s like a sick dog throwing up what made it ill—not because it chooses to, but because it feels bad. But once it feels better, it goes back and eats the same thing again. As the proverb says, "The dog returns to its vomit." (2 Pet 2v22) In the same way, those who are only religious out of fear of hell lose their passion for heaven when that fear fades. Once their guilt is gone, so is their desire for salvation, and they return to their old ways.

“The second reason is their overwhelming fear of people. As the Bible says, ‘The fear of man brings a snare.’ (Pro 29v25) While they seem passionate about heaven when they’re scared of hell, once that terror fades, they start thinking it’s wiser to avoid unnecessary trouble. They choose to play it safe, and in doing so, they return to the world.

“Third, the shame associated with religion also holds them back. They’re proud, and they see religion as lowly and contemptible. So, once the fear of hell subsides, their pride brings them back to their old life.

“Fourth, thinking about their guilt and the fear of punishment is too much for them to bear. They don’t like to face their own misery, even though recognizing it might lead them to safety. But because they avoid dwelling on their guilt and fear, once they shake off those thoughts, they harden their hearts and embrace paths that harden them even more.”

Christian smiled. “You’re spot on!” he exclaimed. “The real issue is that their minds and wills haven’t changed. They’re like a criminal standing before a judge—trembling and acting repentant, but it’s only out of fear of punishment, not out of a real hatred for their crime. Give that man his freedom, and he’ll be back to his thieving ways. If his mind were truly changed, his behavior would follow.”

“Now that I’ve explained the reasons for their backsliding,” added Hopeful, “can you describe how it actually happens?”

Gladly!” said Christian.

“First, they begin to push thoughts of God, death, and judgment out of their minds as much as possible.  

“Next, they gradually stop their private devotions, like personal prayer, fighting their sinful desires, keeping watch over their hearts, and feeling sorrow for their sins.  

“Then they avoid the company of passionate and committed Christians.  

“After that, they grow indifferent to public worship, neglecting things like attending church, reading Scripture, and engaging in meaningful conversations about God.  

“Soon, they start to criticize and find fault with true believers, often twisting minor flaws they see in others to justify abandoning their faith.  

“Then, they begin to spend time with worldly, indulgent, and immoral people.  

“In secret, they indulge in sinful conversations, and they’re thrilled if they notice others—especially those with a good reputation—doing the same, so they can use their example to feel justified.  

“After that, they start committing smaller sins openly.  

“Finally, with their hearts fully hardened, they reveal their true selves. And, unless God’s grace intervenes, they plunge back into their old ways and are lost forever in their own self-deception.”