In 2007, contemporary Christian recording Artist Casting Crowns released their album, The Altar and the Door. On that album was their hit single, Slow Fade. Pay close attention to the lyrics:
Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands
As darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
(Songwriter: John Mark Hall, Slow Fade lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)
Second Peter 2:17-22, while still dealing with false teachers and their false teaching, zeroes in on an issue we see so often in churches everywhere—backsliding, and even going so far as to turn away from the Faith completely.
Remember the lyrics of the song I read a moment ago by the contemporary Christian recording artist Casting Crowns? That first verse:
Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands
As darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's that second glance that does us in. It's forgetting that others look to us as examples, so if we stray, if we backslide and fall away, who might follow? We need to really seek after God's face. We need to really seek the Lord daily to avoid that slow fade.
Remember the second verse?
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray
When you listen to false teachers, you listen to their flattery and lies that sound good, you begin to compromise with the world and turn away from the absolute truths of God's Word to the deceptions and outright lies of those who are politically correct. Remember, false teachers are "springs without water" (v. 17). They are dried up! And their "empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray."
And don't forget the chorus:
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Falling away isn't quick. It doesn't happen in a day. It is gradual. It takes place over time; sometimes over a long period of time. The process is slow. At first you skip your daily Bible reading or your devotional and prayer time. Just once. Then again. Then more often. Then altogether!
You miss church. Just once. Was too busy that day, but just that one time. Then again. Then more often. Two weeks in a row. Then three. Then four. Eventually, you miss all the time; rarely attending church anymore. It seems there is always something better to do.
And the warning of that third and final verse:
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
The journey from your mind to your hands, the journey from regular church attendance to little or none, the journey from spending time in the Word daily and walking close with Jesus to spending little or no time in the Word and being out of fellowship with Jesus, is much shorter than you think. Be careful if you think, "I'm alright." You just might be sinking. You just might be on that slippery slope. You just might be starting that slow fade.
It's a slow fade. A slow slippery slope we slide down. Gradual at first. But then we gain speed, and soon we find ourselves in a place where we don't want to be—in a situation where we are compromising with the worldly standards around us and no longer walking with the Lord Jesus. And we have all sorts of problems that weren't there when we were more faithful to God.
What happened? How do I get back on track with the Lord? In 2 Peter 2:17-22, Peter deals with these questions and more! So stay tuned! Over the next couple of weeks, we will consider how Peter warns us about the dangers of false doctrine and how he encourages us to be in the Word daily and remain true to Jesus. Amen.
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