"A Guide for Religious Workers and Bible Teachers” from The John A Hertel Co. 1969-1970 - Part 3-Backsliders

Disclaimer: This is but a section of the Holy Bible published by Mr. Hertel. The information is unique to his version of family Bible and extremely instructive. It has been converted to modern English Standard Version (ESV) and, in some sections, reformatted. The writings will be in italics. I have updated spelling according to current conventions and put those words in brackets once only. Any mistakes made are solely mine. ************************* The "A Guide for Religious Workers and Bible Teachers" is rather long so I will bring it to you in sections. The next section is on "Baptism-A divine command." I think it is essential and very informational on every subject pertaining to being, staying and teaching as a Christian. The work will be in Italics.************************** I have many blogs that address the fact that God chooses you as you are and will restore you if you let Him, but first, you must believe and surrender. This may mean falling a hundred times but only because we still cling to our unbelief based on our own worth. But He says, none are worthy, no matter what they look like or how they act. But you, if you hear Him calling you, can be saved. *************************** I also want to reinforce what I have said many times before: We all fall short of the glory of God. We all have strayed for one reason or another. Sometimes it is a brief oops and sometimes we are lost in the wilderness until we are in our 40’s (like me). Sometimes we are saved and stray because the world has something or someone that we can’t let go of. Please, after you read these, there should be no doubt that, though you are lost, though you may ‘backslide’ or though you have not yet been found, redemption is for you, no matter who you are, no matter how far down the rabbit hole you fell, or how long you have been gone. If He is calling you back, in speaking to your heart, LISTEN. He is a merciful God and will help you on your way back to Him. He never fails. (End rant) ******************** Please note that most of what is written to discuss the subject matter is scripture. There is a reason for this. Nothing matters more than what God says on the subject. It is what we are meant to know, teach and believe on all content. It isn’t for us to put words in His mouth, but for us to share what He has to say. We don’t need to grandstand when we have his scriptures to live by. **************************** Section contents: Part 3: Backslider- God’s warning to the backslider. ************************** “...but my righteous one shall live in faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38 ********************* “For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.” 2 Peter 2: 21 ********************* “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17 ******************** “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12 ******************** “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” Amos 4:11-12 *************************** “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Rev 3:16 ********************* If you are cold and indifferent and have fallen into sin, you never will be truly happy, or have peace in your soul, until you confess your sins and return to the Lord. God says: ************************* “The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.” Prov 14:14 ********************* God says although man’s ways are not his ways, there, nevertheless, is hope for the backslider. Think of the story of the Prodigal son and how the father welcomed his boy home. *********************** “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 ******************** Section contents: Part 3 (continued): Backslider- How he may return to the Lord. ********************* 1. Submit to God. He will forgive. ****************** “Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “Return faithless Israel,” declares the Lord. “I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful,” declares the Lord; “I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, Return, O faithless children,” declares the Lord; “for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” Jer 3:12-14 ************************ “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.” Hosea 14:4 ******************* 2. Confess to God. ************************* “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Ps 32:5 *********************** “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ******************** 3. Repent of sins. ********************** “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him,“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” Acts 8:18-23 **************** 4. Turn to God. ******************* “So you, by the help of your God, return, and wait continually for your God.” Hosea 12:6 ******************* “If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents,” Job 22:23 **************** “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2 ************************