This book looks at Christian backsliding and, to a lesser extent, apostasy. To teach and preach on backsliding, one must have clear ideas of what is required to walk faithfully with God. Since many wish to make the Christian life merely a matter of resting in God’s grace, they don’t feel too comfortable talking about the reality that one can backslide, even while in a state of grace, and suffer some spiritual harm (e.g., infrequent communion with God).
However, difficult topics are not to be avoided. They require care, precision, and a pastoral aim to help God’s people. So in this book on backsliding and apostasy, I have enlisted the help of pastors and theologians from various eras in church history who found it necessary to write on these issues. A topic that seems to be avoided today certainly was not in past eras - therefore it is a topic that we must engage in
