Proverbs 2:13
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Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
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Backsliders are a grave danger! Carnal Christians are a threat to your soul! Evil men do not stay in the way of righteousness, even when taught well. They soon compromise what they were taught in order to pursue sin (2:12-15). The purpose of wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding is to save you from such wicked compromisers (2:10-17).
Both testaments of Scripture describe the inherent folly of men, who cannot and will not stay faithful to the old paths in which they were taught. Consider a few Old Testament examples (Judges 2:1-23; I Sam 8:8; Ps 78:40-42; Jer 6:16; I Cor 10:1-11). Consider a few New Testament examples (I Cor 15:12; Gal 1:6-9; 4:9; Phil 3:18-19; II Tim 4:10).
It is every man's duty to learn the wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding of God to avoid compromisers and their sins (2:10-17). Every man must be solidly established in the word of God to despise and reject any other opinion (Ps 119:128; Rom 16:17-18; II Thess 3:6; I Tim 6:3-5). But this requires learning wisdom (2:1-9; Col 1:23)!
God hates backsliding! And He severely punishes those doing it (14:14). When God blesses you with the truth, which is a great thing, He expects you to use it or lose it (Luke 8:18). For the privilege of knowing the truth, you will be judged with greater severity for turning against it (Luke 12:47-48). Paul severely warned the Hebrew Christians numerous times about turning back (Heb 2:1-3; 6:4-6; 10:26-31,38-39; 12:25-29)!
You live in the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1 - 4:5). These 25 verses from Paul to Timothy foretell the rise of an effeminate and compromising brand of Christianity, which is obsessed with pleasure and has only a weak pretense of religion. This warning covers the great majority of "Christians" today, for they will no longer endure sound doctrine. They want teachers who will give them fables rather than truth!
David was committed to not departing wickedly from his God; and though he sinned heinously with Bathsheba, he quickly repented, when confronted (Ps 18:21). He avoided sinners as much as he could, and he chose the righteous for his friends (Ps 101:3-8; 119:63). To be like him, you must have God's word firmly before you (Ps 18:22)!
A primary purpose of a local church is to keep one another from departing from the living God through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:12-13; 10:23-25). And it is the duty of parents to indoctrinate their children against it (Ps 78:1-8). For the glory of Jesus Christ and His gospel, you should either convert or reject all backsliders (Gal 6:1; Jas 5:19-20).
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