Tuesday: A Dog Returns to its Vomit
Read 2 Peter 2:17-22 and Matthew 12:43-45. What are the dangers when a convert to Christianity returns to his/her former lifestyle?
Peter was particularly concerned about the fate of those whom the false teachers entice back into their former sins (2 Pet. 2:18).
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The false teachers promise freedom, but as Peter points out, the freedom that they promise is radically different from the kind of freedom that Jesus promised those who followed Him.
Look at the powerful warning Peter gave. It would have been better never to have “known the way of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:21) than to have known it and then turned back to their old ways.
Of course, this doesn’t mean their case is hopeless. We all know stories of those who have turned away from the Lord and later have come back. And we know that the Lord is very glad when they do, and happy to take them back. (See Luke 15:11-32.) It means only that turning away is a very dangerous course to take, nor is it a pleasant one, either. A dog returning to its own vomit is a crude and harsh way to describe it, but Peter makes his point with that image.
Perhaps the echo of the words of Jesus in 2 Peter 2:20 is intentional (see Matt. 12:45, Luke 11:26). Jesus tells the parable of a man who has been freed from an unclean spirit. The spirit wanders without a place of his own, and then returns to see “‘my house from which I came’” (Matt. 12:44, NKJV). He arrives and finds it empty and put in order. He then moves back in, but he brings with him several other spirits more wicked than himself. As Jesus says, “‘the last state of that man is worse than the first’” (Matt. 12:45, NKJV). The danger Jesus illustrates and Peter describes is real. The new believer needs to ensure that the things of the Spirit replace the things that used to dominate his or her life. If involvement in church and the sharing of the new faith does not replace the earlier secular activities, it is too easy to revert to one’s old ways.
| What are ways we as a church family can better nurture and disciple all our members, especially newer ones? |
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Love is the essence and the primary tool use by our Father when each of us come before him, regardless of where we come from and despite our nature. Jesus beard the unbearable in order redeemed us from our fallen state. Love can be in part the mirror in which the sinner will see oneself and in the reflection of a fallen image of God one comes in touch with oneself and reality -- how hungry and lonely life is without Him. Mercy imparted by Father is enough of a punishment, to realize all that he is missing and the benefits of having a loving and caring Father.
Peter's metaphors using dogs and pigs as examples may come as a bit of a crude shock to people now-a-days because we are largely urbanized and are unfamiliar with it. I grew up on a farm and such scenes were regular occurrences for me. Our dogs would get washed, mainly because ticks presented a danger to their lives. We usually hosed them down when their bath was over and then they would shake themselves vigorously, often near us so that we would get thoroughly wet too. Then they would run off and roll in something smelly to disguise the fact that they had been washed.
After being washed, they smelled different, and being hunters they did now want their smell giving then away, so they did their best to return to their old smell.
Becoming a Christian is a complete change for many people, and we know change is often hard to take and sustain. Look how many people go on fad diets to reduce weight and after 2-3 months they go back to their old ways because they cannot sustain the change. We need to recognise the "sustaining" issue for new Christians and support them, otherwise they will feel most confortable in returning to their old ways.
The characteristic of a dog is actually the best explanation to describing a man going back to his old way of behaving.Accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior does not really matters, what matters most is how you live a life that is totally changed. God wants as to live a new beginning without ending. This only requires a heart that is fully converted. Hence, we do not fit for heaven when we always entertain our old ways of living. We have to go forward and claim God's promise that only him who can help us to be transformed and be changed from glory to glory .May God bless us ..
Careful, being born again (accepting Jesus) is just as important and a big struggle (that's why it is called labor) one does not live on for Jesus until he accepts Jesus as his personal Savior! Being born IS the first and most important step and then comes the growing! And the living the new life in Jesus I expect that growing will continue for eternity!
Probably one of the problems with new converts reverting to their old ways is their manner of entry, by that I mean that many who came in did not make up their own minds, or were enticed to do so. It is the Holy Spirit that draws, we are only vessels in this great work of reaching others for Christ.
Everyone needs to their best at what God has given as talent. In doing that more talents will be add. From the gift of life to special gifts to be used in the church. Social intelligence also means to embrace the community newcomers! When we are open to others we may naturally attract them inside. It is very important to be grounded in faith just as fluid to extend love to people we get in contact with...
For us to develop a real change in our heart, we have to have a intimate relationship with God . We have die daily by studding His words and praying earnestly. There is so much distraction coming towards us, and we can not change ourselves only Christ can do it for us. we just have to ask Him to clean us and not leaving us empty , but to fill us with His Holy spirit. My God help to make a change in our lives..
From my experience as a new believer and now a seasoned believer, it was the love of sisters in my new church family, and my desire to do what is right before God that has kept me these 20+ years. At times I went astray, but God found ways and people to woo me back. HE placed individuals in my life that held me "accountable" and sometimes with tough love told me what I needed to hear; not what I wanted to hear. Those sisters and a few brothers, invited me into their homes where we had fellowship meals and bible study and discussion. It is God that has kept me through all the ups and downs. So for me, the love-actions of my brethren and sisteren is the example that I use to reach out to others who are new in faith or or are seasoned standard bearers. God used individuals to move me in the direction of His calling and He continues to sustain me. Of the year I was baptized, many fell away from the faith and didn't return for whatever reason. I remain and I often wondered why? Why did I stay? I believe that God's purposes in me will be fulfilled and He has a work for me to do. Where would I go? I have no desire for living my past life. I want to experience all the good God has for me. By His Spirit I pray to remain faithful. Love, hospitality, active listening, patience, accountability, and responsibility/accountability are some of the ways we can nuture and disciple new believers. I'm still growing and learning to lean on Yeshua.
Paul echoes the same:
KJV Hebrews 6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Peter here expresses concern about the fate of those who were enticed back into their former way of life by those who are living falsely in the church. We become false teachers when new believers see no change in worldly practices among us and thus they are enticed to return to their old way of life. This he compares to a dog returning to his own vomit- huh! sickening. But this is what happens when believers do not live up to their God-given calling. We can nurture new believers by our godly conduct, by getting them involved in church activities and in teaching them how to share their faith.
Statistics show that about 4 out of 10 converts leave the denomination. Yet without careful accountability, who knows what is going on with the other 6? Just because they are sometimes church attenders or still on the books, who can say they are not back in their old ways?
Authentic conversion creates a time vacuum. What does one do with that time?
"The greatest help that can be given our people is to teach them to work for God, and to depend on Him, not on the ministers. Let them learn to work as Christ worked. Let them join His army of workers and do faithful service for Him." 7T 19
As Bea stated, it was her church sisters and brothers who got her through her tough times as a new believer.They were patient, loving, kind, forgiving, non judgmental, Invited her into their homes. Made her feel special. Those are ways of the true meaning of being thy 'brothers' keeper. Church members need to be there for each other, help each other in every way that you can. Tarry with one another, however, keeping each others personal woes to yourself..i.e if I share a personal experience with you and ask that you keep it to yourself..keep it to yourself. One of the ways lots of people leave the church is because they personal lives have been made public when asked not to. We must be able to be trusted. Remember when Jesus was weary an he asked the Disciples to tarry with him for a while, all of them went to sleep, in the end it was his Father that comforted him. SO let us genuinely be each others keeper, invite others to your home, talk WITH the youth not AT them,make them know that you have been where they are and you understand what they are going through. Be their friend, make them feel wanted and loved, prayer with them,let them know that you are there for them,you will see the difference in their attitude. God bless our Youth