by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
Scripture Focus: Matthew 5:13-15, Proverbs 14:14, Jeremiah 3:20-22
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” – Matthew 5:13-15
“The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.” – Proverbs 14:14
“But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God.” – Jeremiah 3:20-22
A Word of Knowledge:
Recently, in a time of prayer, the Lord revealed a deep truth about backsliding. He said:
“A Christian who has lost his or her saltiness is one who is sick of heart. This person is backslidden. He or she has come out of agreement with the covenant that Jesus has with God, created on the day of Jesus’ sacrifice. These people were once in agreement, and now they are no longer in agreement. They are in active REBELLION. God cannot tolerate a rebel or give everlasting life to one who is outside of His covenant. Repentance and surrender are the only answers to a sick, backslidden heart.”
These words cut deep into the reality of spiritual drift. Losing your saltiness means more than just slipping into bad habits—it signifies a heart condition that has shifted out of alignment with God’s will. A backslider is not merely someone who struggles but someone who has actively broken agreement with the covenant of Jesus Christ.
The Danger of False Repentance
God further revealed:
“A backslider can return to his religion, the spirit who lied to him or her in the first place, but he or she has not returned to Me.”
This is a sobering reality. Many times, people who backslide return to religious routines—church attendance, Christian language, or even ministry—without ever truly returning to God. They return to the false comfort of what first deceived them, rather than surrendering their hearts fully to the Lord.
This is why Jesus warned about salt losing its saltiness. When we stray from the purity of our walk with Him, our hearts can become hardened. Even when we appear to return, if our hearts remain unrepentant, we have not actually come back to Him.
Recognizing a Backslidden Heart
Here are some signs of a heart sick with backsliding:
- Spiritual numbness – No conviction of sin, no hunger for God.
- Self-justification – Explaining away disobedience or excusing sin.
- Religious performance – Doing the “right things” but lacking intimacy with God.
- Resistance to correction – Avoiding accountability or conviction.
- Apathy toward God’s presence – Worship feels empty, prayer feels pointless.
The Call to True Repentance
The good news is that Jesus is always ready to restore those who return to Him with sincere repentance.
“Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” – Jeremiah 3:22
The only cure for a backslidden heart is true repentance and surrender. This means more than just saying sorry—it means realigning our hearts to Jesus, rejecting rebellion, and walking in full agreement with His covenant once more.
A Prayer of Repentance
If you recognize areas of backsliding in your own life, pray this prayer from your heart:
Father, I come before You with humility. I acknowledge that I have strayed from Your covenant, and my heart has grown cold. Forgive me for my rebellion. I reject every lie that led me away from You, and I renounce any spirit that deceived me. I return to You fully—heart, soul, and mind. Restore my saltiness. Make me a light for Your kingdom again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- Are there areas in your life where you have “lost your saltiness”?
- Have you truly returned to God, or just to religious activity?
- What steps can you take to surrender fully to Jesus again?
Let this be a wake-up call. Don’t settle for a false return—come back to the heart of God today.
#Faith #Repentance #Backsliding #JesusSaves #ChristianLiving #BibleStudy #SaltAndLight #SpiritualGrowth #Surrender #ReturnToGod
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