When Christians backslide

QUESTION:

Do all Christians backslide from scripture - all we like sheep have gone astray?

Troy

ANSWER:

Troy:

Thank you for your interest in Christian life, and your commitment to Christ. The answer to your question is yes and no. First the yes.

Christians still backslide all throughout this life. Only in the next life will we stop sinning. We all struggle with our dark side. Paul wrote of Christians, “But I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition; to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:16, 17). In other translations it is referred to as a war.

This does not mean that we lose our salvation when we sin, but only our present fellowship with God (see 1 John 8-10).

Now for the no part of the answer and it has to do with the verse you refer to. The verse says, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;  but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isaiah 53:6). 

This is talking about our salvation, and more specifically, the eternal penalty that comes with sin. Isaiah is telling us that all our penalty for all our sin was completely placed on Jesus Christ when He died on the cross. Because Christ took our penalty, we can go to heaven when we receive Christ as our Savior. His crucifixion on the cross is the basis for our salvation and forgiveness, that is, God can forgive us because Christ fully paid forever the penalty attached to our sin (see Hebrews 10:10-14).

Thanks again for your question, and keep walking in Christ. You might want to read some of the articles on this website on spiritual life and salvation. Go to the table of contents to find them.

Dr. Newman