What Brings On Apostasy?

Mark Twain married a Christian lady. She at first didn’t want to marry, but later did. He at first went through the motions of religion with her, but later said he couldn’t keep up with being a hypocrite. In time, she came to the place where she no longer believed in a personal God. During a time of deep grief, Twain said to his wife, “If your Christian faith will comfort you, go back to it.” She replied, “I have none.” (Source unknown)

Today, I would like to briefly discuss apostasy, or the willful rebellion against Christian truth. Obviously because of the magnitude of this topic; we can only scratch the surface here. However, it is a topic worth more time if you are interested. I am certain that it will definitely give you some food for thought and hopefully discussion, as well.

Throughout the New Testament, we read of individuals apostatizing from the faith, i.e., Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10), Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1:19-20; 2 Timothy 4:14), Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:17-18) and Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). These examples of apostasy should cause us to ask the following question: What precipitates apostasy?

1) Some leave the faith because of persecution. In one of His parables, Jesus spoke of the superficial person who endures for a while, but, “when tribulation and persucution arise because of the word, straightway he stumbles” (Matthew 13:21). The Christian is charged to be faithful, even if it means the forfeiture of his life (Revelation 2:10).

2) Others fall away because, not understanding the permissive will of God, i.e., his allowance of hardships as a consequence of humanity’s initial rebellion. They blame the Creator for those dire circumstances that sometimes invade their lives. As a result, they walk away from Providence. One of the great lessons of the book of Job is that God does not shield His people — even the best — from life’s tragedies. We must learn to trust our Maker — no matter what happens (Job 13:15).

3) Many Christian souls have become victims of false teaching. There are those who seem to think that “false teachers” do not exist. But the Savior warned of this danger (Matthew 7:15), and subsequent history reveals the devastation of believing error (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:1-4). In our own day, we have observed many yielding to the influences of denominationalism.

From Nashville to Abilene to Malibu, defection from the ancient faith is apparent. The expression, “the old paths,” (Jeremiah 6:16; cf. Jeremiah 18:15) has become a term subject to ridicule by a new clan of self-designated sophisticates whose ambition seems to center in fashioning a church after their personal desires.

4) Then there are those who simply ease away from fidelity, in an ever-so-gradual fashion. The writer of the book of Hebrews spoke of the distinct possibility of neglecting one’s salvation, hence, drifting away from the saved state (Hebrews 2:1-3). In our present environment of “busy” activities, it is not difficult to allow life’s distractions to “choke” out our passion for serving Christ (cf. Matthew 13:22), so that we subordinate the interests of the Lord’s kingdom to a multitude of trivial things (contra Matthew 6:33).

For not a few, worldliness has an allurement that has drawn them to destruction, much like the silly fly in Mary Howitt’s famous poem, The Spider And The Fly, who, with flattery, was charmed into the spider’s deadly web (cf. 2 Timothy 4:10). To employ a metaphor more in line with biblical imagery, some members of the church are languishing in a pigpen (cf. Luke 15:15), and they no longer can even smell the stench!
-Mike Riley

In conclusion, the solution to apostasy in the church is found in [1 John 4:1-6. Every Christian needs to return to the measurement “standard” of God’s Word in order to correctly measure and test each “spirit’s” teaching. Only in this way will we keep the church “pure,” “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27; cf. Revelation 19:7-8).

For your own study, here are some passages which record cases of actual apostasy, 1 Timothy 1:19,20; 2 Timothy 2:17, 18; 4:10; 2 Peter 2:1,2. But there is no proof that the persons mentioned were true believers. The Bible itself teaches that there are persons who profess the faith and yet are not of the faith, Romans 9:6; 1 John 2:9, Revelation 3:1. John says of some: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us," 1 John 2:19.  -Louis Berkhof, Manual of Christian Doctrine, Eerdmans, p. 276

Prayer: Dear Father, help us to hear the voice of the Spirit louder than any other voice. Help us to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches -- and to us. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

May God bless you always,

Mindee