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The Bible, containing extensive historical narratives, provides many personal and corporate examples of spiritual and moral development declension, otherwise know as ''backsliding''.<ref>http://www.biblegateway.com/topical/Backsliders/Nave</ref> [[Israel]] was provided much grace by way of superior laws, and leaders such as Moses and Joshua, and enjoyed blessings of obedience, as recorded in the [[Torah]] (and in such overviews as Psalms 105). But soon they overall "dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not" to God's commandments, as succinctly rehearsed by Nehemiah (cp. 9) and Psalms 78, 105, 107,  Acts 7, and [[Old Testament]] prophets such as Hosea. The grace given to men such as King Saul, David, Solomon, Asa and Hezekiah, and their subsequent failures, provide examples of souls who walked in disobedience, to their and Israel's hurt, though in such examples as David, earnest repentance enabled continued usefulness. In the New Testament, a higher plane of holiness is exhorted and enabled, (Rm. 8:4), with 1 John delineating what manner of faith is efficacious to salvation. Most individual examples of backsliding (which presumes a period of growth first) are more incidental, such as Peter's denial of Christ, (Mk. 14:66-72) and of Gentile equality, under pressure, (Gal. 2:9-14) but are followed by repentance, and their sins counterbalanced by overall holy lives in which such sins are an exception.  

The Bible, containing extensive historical narratives, provides many personal and corporate examples of spiritual and moral development declension, otherwise know as ''backsliding''.<ref>http://www.biblegateway.com/topical/Backsliders/Nave</ref> [[Israel]] was provided much grace by way of superior laws, and leaders such as Moses and Joshua, and enjoyed blessings of obedience, as recorded in the [[Torah]] (and in such overviews as Psalms 105). But soon they overall "dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not" to God's commandments, as succinctly rehearsed by Nehemiah (cp. 9) and Psalms 78, 105, 107,  Acts 7, and [[Old Testament]] prophets such as Hosea. The grace given to men such as King Saul, David, Solomon, Asa and Hezekiah, and their subsequent failures, provide examples of souls who walked in disobedience, to their and Israel's hurt, though in such examples as David, earnest repentance enabled continued usefulness. In the New Testament, a higher plane of holiness is exhorted and enabled, (Rm. 8:4), with 1 John delineating what manner of faith is efficacious to salvation. Most individual examples of backsliding (which presumes a period of growth first) are more incidental, such as Peter's denial of Christ, (Mk. 14:66-72) and of Gentile equality, under pressure, (Gal. 2:9-14) but are followed by repentance, and their sins counterbalanced by overall holy lives in which such sins are an exception.  

Other souls, such as Demas (who "hath forsaken me [Paul], having loved this present world", (2 Tim. 4:10) indicate a more willful spiritual and moral departure. Biblical texts such as Galatians 5:1-4 and Hebrews 3:12; 10:38 warn believers (as believers) of falling from grace, making Christ of no effect, departing from the living God, and drawing back into perdition. The [[apostle Paul]]'s letters to the [[Corinthians]] reveal the most detailed example of corporate backsliding of a Christian church, and in response to which God works to motivate repentance through chastisement, lest one be condemned with the rest of the world. (1 Cor. 11:32)

Other souls, such as Demas (who "hath forsaken me [Paul], having loved this present world", [2 Tim. 4:10]) indicate a more willful spiritual and moral departure. Biblical texts such as Galatians 5:1-4 and Hebrews 3:12; 10:38 warn believers (as believers) of falling from grace, making Christ of no effect, departing from the living God, and drawing back into perdition. The [[apostle Paul]]'s letters to the [[Corinthians]] reveal the most detailed example of corporate backsliding of a Christian church, and in response to which God works to motivate repentance through chastisement, lest one be condemned with the rest of the world. (1 Cor. 11:32)

===China===

===China===