When you backslide, your family also may backslide and suffer. When Abraham went aside to Egypt Sarah got into trouble. She was taken to Pharaoh's palace. And Pharaoh "entreated Abram well for her sake" (Gen 12:15, 16). Now Abraham is being honoured by the world. It is crystal clear from this that the way to get the admiration and honour of this world is to deny Christ or compromise with the world. Some churches sometimes compromise with the world so that the church organisation can get the help of the world government.
"And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (vs 17). Some imagine that it is good to compromise with worldlings. "It will do them good; we can win them for Christ," they say. You do not do any good by compromise; in fact, you bring a great plague upon Egypt.
When God's people are not faithful, God has to plague the world or send trouble to the world to get them out. It was because of His mercy that God permitted some trouble in Egypt - to drive God's people out, just as Jonah was thrown out of the ship because of the storm - for the plan of God concerning him to be fulfilled.
We learn a lot from Abraham's backsliding. If we go to Egypt (or backslide) in our trials, both we and our dear ones will have more trials, and others will also suffer unnecessarily.
Abraham finally escaped from Egypt. By the immense mercy of God, we may come out of our backsliding; however, the effects of our backsliding can be eternal. It is said that Abraham got his Eygptian wife Hagar from Egypt. Through her was born Ishmael who became a perpetual enemy of Israel. Also, though Abraham escaped, his nephew, Lot was not completely delivered from Egypt. Having tasted Egypt, he retained "Egypt" in his heart (Gen 13:10). While we may be able to come back from our backslidden state, those who are affected or influenced by us may not come back at all.
- TPM Morning Manna
"And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (vs 17). Some imagine that it is good to compromise with worldlings. "It will do them good; we can win them for Christ," they say. You do not do any good by compromise; in fact, you bring a great plague upon Egypt.
When God's people are not faithful, God has to plague the world or send trouble to the world to get them out. It was because of His mercy that God permitted some trouble in Egypt - to drive God's people out, just as Jonah was thrown out of the ship because of the storm - for the plan of God concerning him to be fulfilled.
We learn a lot from Abraham's backsliding. If we go to Egypt (or backslide) in our trials, both we and our dear ones will have more trials, and others will also suffer unnecessarily.
Abraham finally escaped from Egypt. By the immense mercy of God, we may come out of our backsliding; however, the effects of our backsliding can be eternal. It is said that Abraham got his Eygptian wife Hagar from Egypt. Through her was born Ishmael who became a perpetual enemy of Israel. Also, though Abraham escaped, his nephew, Lot was not completely delivered from Egypt. Having tasted Egypt, he retained "Egypt" in his heart (Gen 13:10). While we may be able to come back from our backslidden state, those who are affected or influenced by us may not come back at all.
- TPM Morning Manna
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