8 Bible Verses about Backsliding, Christian Examples

That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there as they arrived. When he saw them, he got up to greet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground. My lords, he said, come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may get up in the morning as early as you like and be on your way again. Oh no, they said, We will spend the night out here in the city square. Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. He set a great feast before them, complete with fresh unleavened (unfermented) bread.read more.
They prepared to retire for the night when suddenly all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot: Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them! Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. Please, my brothers, he begged, do not do such a wicked thing. I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection. Stand back! they shouted. Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We will treat you far worse than those other men! They pushed Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they could not find the doorway. Do you have any other relatives here in the city? The angels asked. Get them out of this place, sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. We will destroy the city completely. The stench of the place has reached Jehovah. He has sent us to destroy it. Lot rushed out to tell his sons-in-law: Hurry! Get out of the city! Jehovah is going to destroy it. But the young men thought he was only joking. At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. They said to Lot: Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of here right now, or you will be caught in the destruction of the city. Lot still hesitated. So the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for Jehovah was merciful. Run for your lives! The angels warned. Do not stop and do not look behind you! Escape to the mountains, or you will die. Oh no, my lords, please, Lot begged. You have been so kind to me and saved my life, and you have granted me such mercy. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die. There is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead. Do you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved. The angel said to him: All right, I will grant you this request too. I will not destroy the city you are talking about. Run there quickly! I cannot do anything until you get there. The city is named Zoar [Small].

In the spring, at the time of the year when kings usually go to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. David stayed in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, David got up from his nap and went to the palace roof. He walked around on the roof. He saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful. He sent a messenger to find out who she was. He learned that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.read more.
So David sent messengers to get her. She came to him and they had sexual intercourse. She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she went home. The woman became pregnant. So she sent someone to tell David that she was pregnant.

([[Psalm of David] when the prophet Nathan came to him after David's adultery with Bathsheba:]) Have mercy on me, O God, in keeping with your loving-kindness. According to your unlimited compassion, wipe out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my perversity (iniquity) (guilt), and cleanse me from my sin. I admit my transgressions. My sin is always in front of me.read more.
I have sinned against you, especially you. I have done what you consider evil in your sight. So you hand down justice when you speak, and you are blameless when you judge. Indeed, I was born in perversity (mischief) (evil). I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. Yet, you desire truth from the secret person within me. Deep down inside me teach me wisdom. Purify me from sin with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness. Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face (turn away) from my sins, and wipe out (erase) all that I have done wrong. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast (dependable) spirit within me. Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and establish a willing spirit in me. I will teach your ways to transgressors, and sinners will turn to you. Rescue (deliver) me from the bloodguilt of murder O God of my salvation. Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness! O Jehovah, open my lips (help me speak), and my mouth will speak your praise. You do not desire sacrifice. Otherwise, I would offer one to you. You are not pleased with burnt offerings. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful (contrite) heart. Favor Zion with your goodness. Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness (offered in the right spirit) (Heb 13:15) with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Young bulls will be offered on your altar.

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat.

I am amazed that you so quickly turned away from the One who called you by the grace of Christ. You turned to different good news.

Now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and poor fundamental things? Do you want to slave for them all over again? You observe days and months, seasons and years. I fear for you, that I have labored for you to no purpose (and failed).

It is reported that there is sexual immorality among you. This type of fornication is not even found among the people of the nations (who do not know God). There is a man who has his father's wife. And you are proud! You should have been filled with sadness that he did this deed. And you should have ejected (expelled) (excommunicated) (disfellowshiped) him from your congregation. I am not there with you in person. But I am with you in spirit. I have already judged the man who did this.read more.
When you assemble in the name and with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, I will be with you in spirit. Deliver this one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you know that a little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough? Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new batch of dough. For even Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote in a letter to you not to keep company with fornicators. Yet you cannot completely avoid the fornicators of this world, nor the greedy persons, nor cheaters and robbers, nor those who worship idols. To do so you would have to leave this world. I wrote you not to keep company with any man who is called a brother who is a fornicator, or who is greedy, or who worships idols, or constantly gets drunk, or cheats people. Do not even eat with such a person. What have I to do with judging those outside (in the world)? Do we not judge those who are inside (the congregation)? God judges those outside. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

You know that all that are in Asia turned away from me. This includes Phygelus and Hermogenes.