Over the years you and I have seen many leave their profession of Christ and go back to following the course of this world. Our Lord Jesus calls such persons temporary believers, “Which for a while believe,” yet finally “fall away,” (Luke 8:13). John Bunyan gave the manner in which these temporary believers “draw back.” He gives nine:

They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.

Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet-prayer, curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.

Then they shun the company of lively warm Christians.

After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like.

Then they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the godly, and that devilishly; that they may have a seeming reason to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmity they have spied in them) behind their backs.

Then they begin to adhere to and associate themselves with, carnal, loose and wanton men.

Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret, and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their example.

After this they begin to play with little sins, openly.