When we are given a new life in Jesus and freed from our old sins, when we are given understanding of the gospel of the engrafted Word that saves our soul, what do we do? Do we look back?
Do we we look at our sinful past and doubt our salvation from it?
Do we fear our old nature will creep back up and take us over?
Do we look at what the world teaches about Jesus and doubt the reality of our Lord in truth?
Do we look at the pleasures and riches of this world and become covetous after them?
If you’re like me, you might. You might do this a lot. You might be as one who the scriptures warn us of:
James 1:21-24
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
2 Peter 2:10-22
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Standing up for the Christian faith can be difficult, and it can be easy to lose focus and start turning back to the things which kept us in bondage. It is easy to be like God’s people who wanted to go back to Egypt while they were journeying to the promised land. It can be easy to be as Lot’s wife who was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back to Sodom as it burned. As Jesus taught “remember Lot’s wife.”
It can be easy to be like a lost sheep that goes astray, a dog returning to its vomit, a sow wallowing in the mire. These are traits I have characterized myself by and sought freedom from in prayer, but no longer — Lord willing. If I turn aside again, I trust the Lord to retrieve me — though I don’t take it for granted.
We can’t look back. We can’t go back to the kingdom of this world and its prince. We cannot go back to gospels of perdition. There will come a time when the son of perdition comes, and even now he is here and at work, actively deceiving the world in a multitude of ways. If we look back now and long after the things of this world or live in fear of those who oppose us, we will keep looking back when the final deception arrives — and we will be “taken” by it.
However, take comfort! Jesus promises to keep us! Even if you’re like me and you tend to “look back,” Jesus will strengthen your focus.
Disclaimer:
To be clear, though I reference Lot’s wife and keeping a mindset that prevents us from looking back once the son of destruction is revealed, please understand something. Although I say these things and have made mention of the Great Whore and similar ideas, there is teaching that might seem similar, and I do not support it.
There is a sect of Christianity today that claims the Great Whore is already formed in full and serving “Lucifer.” These accuse many Christians as false converts or “Luciferian.” These also come with some dangerous teachings in many cases.
The things I see today are types — and these types are nothing new. It has always been, and there will be a final fulfillment in which all things are fully formed and revealed for what they are. We are not in the end-time yet, and we do not want to go around accusing our fellow-servants and brethren.
KindlingTruth 
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