If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve probably seen fellow believers quit. Those who once seemed like shining paragons of godliness are no longer sitting two rows in front of you in church. You don’t see their car when you arrive for Sunday night service. Instead of asking for prayer requests, they ARE the prayer requests in the monthly prayer bulletin. “What happened to them?” you wonder. “And how can I avoid that happening to me?”
Here are 5 reasons that Christians quit.
Because they get bitter.
In Hebrews, God warns us of the terrible consequences of bitterness in the Christian’s heart.
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” (Hebrews 12:15-16)
When bad things happen, you can respond with either bitterness or forgiveness. Your choice shapes your character and influences your future more than you know. Although you might think your bitterness is only against a person, it is actually against God, too. It is saying, “God, You have allowed this, so You are not truly good. I’ve been badly treated, so I have the right to be bitter.”
If you want to stay faithful to God, don’t let bitterness live in your heart.
Because they love the world.
In his first epistle, the apostle John warned us not to love the world.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
(1 John 2:15-16)
In these verses, John warns us of 3 specific dangers:
1. The lust of the flesh: the desire for pleasure
2. The lust of the eyes: the desire to have
3. The pride of life: the desire for approval and prestige
When we begin to shape our lives after these desires, we are headed for trouble. To satisfy these desires, we’ll have to compromise our standards, ignore the Holy Spirit’s warnings, and abandon all that we know is right. Loving the world will never satisfy us. Instead, it will bring us guilt, shame, and deep regret.
If you want to stay faithful to God, don’t love the world.
Because they listen to false teachers.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
In his epistle to young Timothy, the apostle Paul warned him about false teachers. Over twenty centuries later, this danger has only grown. Today, false teachers spread false doctrine through books, TV shows, radio, social media, podcasts, and more. How can we avoid accepting their false teaching? How can we discern Biblical teaching from unBiblical teaching?
We need to follow the example of the Berean church in Acts 17:11.
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
By studying God’s Word, we can avoid falling prey to false teachers. Join us at the local church’s prison ministry to study God’s Word with us. This will definitely help us stay faithful to God!
Because they start doing “home church” instead of attending a local church.
Sadly, I’ve known some sincere Christians who decided that their local church wasn’t good enough. So they branched off and started having “home church.” They would hold worship services in their homes instead of going to church on Sunday. No longer under the guidance of a pastor, they began to stray from their Biblical beliefs and convictions. Today, they’re not in church, and they’re not serving God at all.
There’s a reason why Paul told his readers in Hebrews 10:25,
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
We need the accountability, encouragement, and prayers of fellow Christians. We need the godly, balanced teaching of pastors to instruct us.
If you want to stay faithful to God, stay in your local church.
Because they won’t submit to God.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, then He is also your Lord and Master. His commands are always for your good, and His plans are always for your best. However, as humans, we tend to be very stubborn. And we sometimes think that we know better than God.
For example, Peter thought he knew better than Jesus. He reprimanded Christ for His plan to suffer and die. And he proudly said, “…Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26:33) But, just days after this prideful rebuke, Peter denied Jesus! The Bible tells us that, after remembering Jesus’ words, Peter went out and wept bitterly.
As Christians, we need to remember that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. If we insist on having our own way, we will only hurt ourselves. James wrote, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
If you want to stay faithful to God, submit to God cheerfully.
Let’s Consider:
Which of these temptations have you struggled with? At the local church’s prison ministry, we want to stay faithful to God, even when it’s not easy. Join us for practical help and encouragement!
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Are you searching? Jesus has the answers for addictions and stubborn habits. For more information, send the Crossmans a private message here on Facebook or come to a church service at Prince Albert Baptist Church. Take the first step in a walk of freedom!
For more information, call (306) 940-9554 or email anchorofhopeheb@gmail.com
