A newspaper called Pulpit Helps carried an article by the above title. It said: “The fastest growing religious group in the country today is not the Jehovah’s Witnesses nor the Mormons, but the Backsliders” (June, 1982). Backsliders never have meetings and have no recruiters, but their flock grows daily. Every city is full of “used-to-be-members” of the church.

Let us notice some things that contribute to this growth and suggest some ways to become a part of this popular movement.

First, those who wish to join this group need to get so involved in this world that they do not have time for Bible study and worship. After all, you have plenty of time to prepare for your eternal abiding place. You presently do not have time for God because physical necessities and conveniences for your family must be taken care of first. You can worry about spiritual things when you get older or “get all straightened out.”

Most members of this group have plans, or intentions to change later, but often tomorrow never comes. They intend to change at the eleventh hour, but either die at ten-thirty or become so calloused to truth that they lose all conscience for God.

Second, to keep from feeling guilty for quitting the Lord, and joining the popular crowd, you can follow these suggestions:

1. Blame the church. These people are not friendly and are not interested in you. They did not call, or they did call; they did not come to see you, or they did come to see you—so it is their fault that you joined the “used-to-be” disciples of Christ.

2. Blame the preacher. He didn’t visit you in the hospital, or the lessons he presented did not apply to you, or they did apply and you resented it. Anyway, if you are lost, it will be his fault!

3. Blame the hypocrites. You can always find someone who is not doing right and who looks worse than you. After all, no one should be expected to be faithful to Christ if any of His disciples are hypocrites. Maybe Christ will excuse you for not wanting to associate with hypocrites here on earth!

Third, a person may convince himself that that he was once saved, therefore does not need to worry about his eternal destiny. The denominations are wrong for teaching the doctrine of once saved, always saved, but it is all right for you to practice it. The apostle Peter did not paint a pretty picture of this situation. “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to his own vomit, and, a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:20-22).

The article quoted at the beginning concludes with this statement: “If you are already a Backslider, let me congratulate you. You are a stumbling block to others, a disgrace to Jesus Christ and one of the best helpers the devil has. That was your goal, wasn’t it?“ God’s word says: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12,13).