The four steps on the Journey of a Reprobate

Rom 1.28 God gave them over to a Reprobate mind

There is a difference between backsliding and becoming a reprobate! Reprobate means worthless, castaway, or rejected.

2 Thes 2.10-12 because they received not a love for the truth.

Lam 3.12 Marked for falling.

Jonah 2.8 Forsake their own mercy.

Spirits use people, the spirit wanders in dry places, seeking a dwelling place!  In John 13.27 Satan entered Judas.

Spirits looking for dry places, Mt 12.43, Luke 11.24 the spirit walks and looks.  The spirit is looking, looking, looking, are you exempt??

Consider the plumbline in Amos 7.7-9.  No one ever knows when God walks away.  He said it concerning Israel, then 800 years later he silently walked away in Matt 23.37.  The nation of Israel never knew when he left.  That is the way God walks away from a reprobate.  They never know the moment, and believe things are the same as always.

Jesus called the temple “my house”, and then finally with tears and sadness, the last thing he said of it was, “Your house is left unto you desolate”.  He simply turned and quietly walked away. To this day the nation of Israel does not recognize the moment.

No one used of Satan ever thinks they are, Rom 1.28, 2 Tim 3.8,Tit 1.16.

Years ago I talked to a woman on ferry.  She was living in a sinful relationship. Yet, she was convinced God approved of how she was living.  She even quoted scripture to defend her sinful life style. This shows me the power of the human mind to convince itself that it is right!!

The journey of a reprobate is a slow road!  People who backslide quickly come back to church often, but slow measured, calculated backsliders drift away, and many times become reprobate.

The road to being a reprobate always involves feelings toward the pastor or someone else. A reprobate never sees or understands what is happening to them.  People who backslide quickly can turn it around but there are reasons why a reprobate never returns to God.  There are steps in the journey.

Step one is Eph 4.30, Grieve the spirit (spurn an object of love).

Step two is 2 Tim 3.8 Resist the spirit, make excuses – argue with God (holiness, etc)

Step three is 1 Thes 5.19 Quench the spirit (cut off) stop it, won’t yield, override feelings

Step four is Heb 10.29 4) Blaspheme the spirit (refuse the only help available)

– 1. Trodden underfoot the Son of God

– 2. Counted the blood unholy

– 3. Done despite unto the Spirit of grace

No more sacrifice for sin!

Consider the 10 virgins, 5 were wise, 5 were foolish.

Someone is gonna be a foolish virgin! Go ahead walk out, let God mark you as a target.  Let God draw a bullseye on your back, draw his bow, set you for a mark, start the journey of a reprobate.  Not me, I’m going to find a place to pray!

A reprobate loses sense of time. They say not today, not now.

Rom 1.28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper. (NAS)

Rom 1.28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. (NIV)

Rom 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. (NKJ)

Rom 1.28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. (NLT)

Rom1.28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. (RSV)

Rom 1.28 So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. (TLB)

Verses for journey of a reprobate

Rom 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (KJV) reprobate mind = rejected, worthless, castaway

II Th 2.10-12

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because the received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (delusion – to stray from orthodoxy or piety)

12 That they might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  (sentenced, condemned, judged)

Lam 3.12-13

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

Jonah 2.8

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

John 13.27

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him.  The said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Matt 12.43-44

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return unto my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Amos 7.7-9

7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou?  And I said, A plumbline.  Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

9 And the high places of Israel shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Rom 1.28

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

2 Tim 3.8

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Titus 1.16

16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Eph 4.30

30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Step #1 – Grieve the Spirit – spurn an object of love)

2 Tim 3.8

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.  (Step #2 – Resist – make excuses, argue with God – holiness etc)

1 Thes 5.19

19 Quench not the Spirit.  (Step #3 – Quench – cut off – stop, won’t yield, override feelings)

Heb 10.29

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shal he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (Step #4 – Blaspheme).

A reprobate resists the only cure for sin, Jesus.  And thus completes the journey of a reprobate.  They step into the horrible land of the living damned.

God help me to never start down the steps on the journey of a reprobate!

Thanks for reading today!