2. _Those who lack assurance because of sin._ The trouble with those who lack assurance is, often, that there is some sin or questionable practice which they ought to confess and give up. John viii. 12; Is. lv. 7; Prov. xxviii. 13; Ps. xxxii. 1‒5, are useful passages in dealing with this class of men, for they show that it is when sin is confessed and forsaken and we follow Christ, that we receive pardon, light and assurance. Often times it is well when one lacks assurance to put the question squarely to him: “Do you know of any sin on to which you are holding or anything in your life which your conscience troubles you about?”
II. BACK–SLIDERS. There are two classes of back–sliders and they should be dealt with in different ways.
1. _Careless back–sliders; those who have no great desire to come back to the Saviour._ With such persons use Jer. ii. 5, drive the question right home, “What iniquity have you found in the Lord?” Show them the base ingratitude and folly of forsaking such a Saviour and Friend. Very likely they have wandered away because of unkind treatment by professed Christians, but hold them right to the point of how _the Lord_ treated them and how they are now treating Him. Use also Jer. ii. 13, and show them what they have forsaken and for what. Have them read the verse and ask them, “is not that verse true? When you forsook the Lord did you not forsake the ‘fountain of living waters’ and turn to ‘broken cisterns that can hold no water?’” Illustrate the text by showing how foolish it would be to turn from a fountain of pure living water to broken cisterns or muddy pools. God has greatly honored this verse in bringing back–sliders back to himself. Use Jer. ii. 19. When they have read it ask them whether they have not found it “an evil thing and bitter” having forsaken the Lord their God. Prov. xiv. 14; 1 Kings xi. 9, and Luke xv. 13‒17, can often times be used with effect with an impenitent back–slider, showing him the result of his wandering. I have a friend who always uses Amos. iv. 11, 12, and often times with good results.
2. _Back–sliders who are sick of their wanderings and sin and desire to come back to the Lord._ These are perhaps as easy a class to deal with as we ever find. Jer. iii. 12, 13, and 22, will show them how ready the Lord is to receive them back and that all he asks of them is that they acknowledge their sin and return to him. Hos. xiv. 1‒4, is full of tender invitation to penitent back–sliders and also shows the way back to God. Is. xliii. 22, 24, 25, and Is. xliv. 20‒22; Jer. xxix. 11‒13; Deut. iv. 28‒31; 2 Chron. vii. 14; 1 John i. 9; ii. 1‒2, set forth God’s unfailing love for the back–slider and His willingness to receive him back. Mark xvi. 7; 2 Chron. xv. 4; xxxiii. 1‒9, 12, 13, give illustrations of great back–sliders who returned to the Lord and how lovingly He received them, 1 John i. 9; Jer. iii. 12‒13; 2 Chron. xv. 12, 15; vii. 14, show just what steps the back–slider must take to come back to the Lord and be restored to his favor, viz: humble himself, confess his sins and turn from his sin. Luke xv. 11‒24, is perhaps the most useful passage of all in dealing with a back–slider who wishes to return for it has both the steps which the back–slider must take and the kind of reception he will receive.
When a back–slider has returned he should always be given instructions as to how to live so as not to back–slide again. The instruction to be given will be found in Chapter xii. sec. 15.