Don't back up
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Don't back up
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Benoni Bulletin -- 240607 "Don't back up!""Don't Back Up!"Sometime ago in Irving, Texas, I visited a long- time friend's condominium. After the visit, I approached the exit to leave the parking area. Yikes! I noted to my horror a row of wicked looking, curved spikes about 4 inches high across the exit. Since I had seen other cars crossing there, I took a chance. Cringingly I drove over the diabolic barrier expecting to hear more than one huge "bang." I was greatly relieved when the spikes descended into recesses in the ground and allowed safe passage over them. Whew! Then I noted a stern warning posted on the other side. It ordered "Don't Back Up!" I thought in my head, "You won't have to tell me that twice!" I didn't want those nasty old spikes piercing my tyres. As I drove away, I pondered about what lesson in life that might teach. What would the spiritual application be? Here it comes. Wouldn't it be great if entering the Christian life would be as simple as driving over those descending spikes while backing up again would be a no-brainer? Once you were out of the mire of sin and death, any attempted return to the old life would then blow out your tyres!! The Bible says "No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back again is fit for the kingdom of heaven" (Luke 9:62). Jesus obviously didn't want us to back up or reverse. He didn't supply us with personal back-up lights, nor a rear view mirror on our heads. In fact, we don't even have eyes in the back of our heads. (Only our moms had those when we teenagers). So, the obviously application must be as the old song says, "No turning back" after "I have decided to follow Jesus." Some Christians have not always heeded that stern warning, "Don't back up." John Mark (Acts 13:13) backed up and out of a gospel mission with two of the most committed missionaries ever. Mark rejected hands-on training from the best artisans of the cross of Christ just because he was suffering a little deprivation. Demas "having loved this present world" exchanged the gold, glamour and glitter of this world for the gospel of eternal life (2 Timothy 4:10). What a klutz! He delivered another blow to the tenacious Apostle Paul, who was obviously hurt but soldiered on. Many of the Galatian brethren were deceived by Judaising teachers (Galatians 1:6-10; 5:1-4). They were ready to throw in the towel and go with the flow. They were ready to pack up and back up. They were ready to trade their freedom in Christ for the bondage of the old law of Moses. No wonder Paul gets exasperated with them and calls them "Foolish Galatians" (Galatians 3:1). He chides them, "You were running well; who hindered you that you should not obey the truth?" [any longer?] (Galatians 5:7). You see sometimes "smart" people do dumb things. Real smart people, though, never turn their backs on Jesus and His church. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the truth in that. The Old Testament (ASV) refers to "backsliding" about 14 times. In later translations, such as the NIV, it is translated as "faithless." The word Mshubah means to retrogress, to turn back, to revert to a worse state. So whether it is backing up, backing down, backing out, backtracking or backsliding it means you are on the slippery slope sliding to perdition. Jeremiah 3:22 quotes the Lord, "Return faithless people; I will cure you of your backsliding." Confucius say "He who slideth down banister backwards shall have splinters in pants!" So, beware and be wary. Don't blow out your spiritual tyres. When you need them to escape, they might just be flat! Don't back up. Stand firm (1 Corinthians 15:58). Love you all, Al -- "the Horne of Africa" |
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