"_Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord_, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our G.o.d, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7.
8. Why must the wicked forsake their thoughts and ways?
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord." Verse 8.
NOTE.-G.o.d desires that we shall think His thoughts, which are right thoughts, pure thoughts, everlasting thoughts. He desires also that we shall take on His ways, which are ways of pleasantness, and walk in His paths, which are paths of peace.
9. What is especially necessary to prevent backsliding?
"_Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation._ The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." Mark 14:38.
10. What are believers exhorted to do?
"_Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves._ Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Cor. 13:5.
11. If one has G.o.d"s law in the heart, what will not occur?
"The law of his G.o.d is in his heart; _none of his steps shall slide_." Ps.
37:31.
12. What is one characteristic of backsliding?
"Even from the days of your fathers _ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them_. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?"
Mal. 3:7.
13. In response, what neglected ordinance does G.o.d cite?
"Will a man rob G.o.d? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In _t.i.thes and offerings_." Verse 8.
14. What remedy is indicated?
"_Bring ye all the t.i.thes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house_, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Verse 10.
15. Because of Christ"s plain teachings, what did some of His disciples do?
"From that time many of His disciples _went back, and walked no more with Him_." John 6:66.
16. When the backslider repents, what does G.o.d do?
"Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.... _I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely_: for Mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea 14:2-4.
17. Will there be special danger of backsliding in the last days?
"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
Matt. 24:12.
18. What are some of the evils against which we are specially warned at this time?
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with _surfeiting_, and _drunkenness_, and _cares of this life_, and so that day come upon you unawares." Luke 21:34.
19. In view of the perils surrounding us, what are we told to do?
"_Watch ye therefore, and pray always_, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pa.s.s, and to stand before the Son of man." Verse 36.
O for a closer walk with G.o.d!
A calm and heavenly frame, A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb.
WILLIAM COWPER.
Unbelief
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Moses And Aaron Before Pharaoh. "Let us lay aside ... the sin which doth so easily beset us." Heb. 12:1.
1. What warning is given in the Bible concerning unbelief?
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an _evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living G.o.d_." Heb. 3:12.
2. Without faith, what is impossible?
"Without faith it is impossible _to please Him_." Heb. 11:6.
3. How only can we be justified?
"Being justified _by faith_, we have peace with G.o.d through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.
4. By what do the just live?
"Now the just shall live _by faith_." Heb. 10:38.
NOTE.-If men are _justified_ by faith, and are to _live_ by faith, it follows that to be unbelieving is not to be justified, and consequently not to live in the sense here referred to.
5. In whom does the Lord have no pleasure?
"But if any man _draw back_, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." Same verse.