Those who fall away . . .

RS made a profession of faith as a child, was baptized at age 9, attended church until he started college, then stopped. He began doing things that the Bible forbids and within a few years, his life was no different than most of his peers. While I believe that God finishes what He starts and that true salvation cannot be reversed, this person’s life is discouraging. Is there any hope that he will turn back? Is he a prodigal that has not yet “come to his senses” or is he an apostate that never really believed in the first place?

God knows human hearts and I don’t. However, this is the passage that I read this morning. Can I conclude that these words are describing this person?

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4–10)

John is separating the sheep from the goats. He is marking those with true faith as those who continue with Christ and are marked by spiritual growth. This does not mean no sin but less and less of it with more righteousness. Growing Christians are less apt to fall into deception and have more understanding of who they are in Christ. They are people in whom Christ lives and that powerful life makes itself more and more evident.

The story Jesus told of the prodigal does not tell how long the runaway son was in a “far country” feeding pigs or how long it took him to realize that he was being foolish. It does not describe the boy’s relationships with others who fed pigs, only his older brother’s accusations that he wasted his inheritance on prostitutes. It was not an encouraging description nor did it show any hope for that boy.

I waver when it comes to my prayers for RS. I don’t know how to pray because I don’t know where he belongs. He isn’t as far gone as the biblical prodigal, but he does fit some of the description in John of an unsaved person. (Then again, I suppose my own life is like that at times.)

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Lord Jesus, this isn’t the only ‘prodigal’ that I know whose current lifestyle sends the message that their childhood profession of faith means little or nothing. I could use some encouragement for all of them. Mostly I’d like to know how to pray effectively, knowing the greatest need in their lives. Help me with this in whatever way You know best.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- that I can feel sorrow for the lost and the wayward rather than not caring at all.

- Jesus knows and He is sovereign.

- getting my Wacom table to work.

- finishing half of the quilting on a twin-size quilt.

- Basa fillets steamed with orange slices – yum.

- only one spam phone call today (don’t answer those weird numbers).