Every now and then, I read an article about some fairly well-known person who says, “I was a Christian, but I’m not a Christian anymore.”
So how does this happen? How does someone get to that point?
I can guarantee that the steps that led to that statement go back a long way. It doesn’t happen suddenly. They didn’t wake up one morning and say, “I’m going to deny my faith and turn from God today.”
No, it’s a series of steps and compromises that always lead to something like that.
For example, we know about Simon Peter’s open denial of Christ. But where did it start? It began with a prideful attitude. In the upper room, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him and that He would be crucified.
But Peter said, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will” (Mark 14:29, NLT).
Then Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me” (Mark 14:30).
Peter thought there was no way this could happen. That was pride. And the Bible says that pride goes before a fall. This was Peter’s first step down.
His next step down was sleeping when he should have been praying. Jesus took his three friends Peter, James and John to the Garden of Gethsemane and said, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (Matt. 26:41).
But instead of praying, they fell asleep. Then, when the temple guard came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
The problem with Peter was that he boasted when he should have been humble, he slept when he should have prayed and he fought when he should have trusted the Lord. Then he ended up openly denying Him.
Those smaller steps led to bigger steps. Small things turn into big things. And little sins become big sins.
SOURCE: Charisma News
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