There has been quite a shaking in the Church visible as several notable individuals (Joshua Harris, and Marty Sampson of Hillsong United) have publicly apostatized and abandoned the faith. In the wake of this upheaval, many may ask what does this all mean? In addition to ministers of repute turning from the plow of faith (Luke 9:62), it is estimated that 65-73% of Millennials are Nones or not affiliated with any religion. The statistics of falling away from the faith beg us to ask is this the first of the two signs that confirm we are nearing the return of Christ?:
“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come (returned). Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, NASB)
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:10-14)
There is no doubt in my mind that we are in the end times. The signs certainly point to the falling away from the faith. Although we must take into account that Iran is experiencing record conversions to Christianity and Egypt is rebuilding hundreds of churches. While I still say be alert and prepared for the end by not being caught naked, “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame” (Revelation 16:15 AMP), we shall focus our time on what constitutes apostasy and how we can be sure someone is not in an ordeal of faith, dark night of the soul, heretic, or backslider.
What is apostasy? According to Schofield apostasy is defined as the following:
“Apostasy, “Falling Away,” is the act of a professed Christian who deliberately rejects revealed truth (1) as to the deity of Jesus Christ, and (2) redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice (1 John 4:13, Phil 3:18, 2 Peter 2:1). Apostasy differs therefore from error concerning truth, which may be the result of ignorance (Acts 19:1-6), or heresy, which may be due to the snare of Satan (2 Tim 2:25-26), both of which may consist [coexist] with true faith. The apostate is perfectly described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4. Apostates depart from the faith, but not from the outward profession of Christianity (3:5).” (The Scofield Study Bible, pgs 1280-1281, Copyright 1909-1917, 1996).
Scofield’s definition of apostasy is helpful, but I must warn you Scofield is a Duo-Covenant Theologian who believes Jews will be saved by the Law and Christians by Grace. This false theology of Duo-Covenant Theology is confronted by the plethora of Scriptures: Acts 15:1-11, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 5:4, Romans 3:27-28, Ephesians 2:5-9, John 3:16-18; John 14:6, John 6:40, Philippians 3:9, and Hebrews Chapters 8 thru 11. So be wary of Scofield’s other teachings which are error and dangerous! I merely use Scofield notes on apostasy because he got that right; just as I quote Augustine of Hippo in his Original Sin discourses but I reject his deception by the devil as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) in his Confessions. So I will warn you to be careful with Scofield and Augustine who fell into major error.
We find apostasy in its most stark form in the letter to the Hebrews:
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away (apostasy), to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
In this terrifying verses we find that a Christian can fall away. Using Scofield’s helpful reference a person who falls away commits two offenses against Christ: rejects revealed truth (1) as to the diety of Jesus Christ, and (2) redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice.
By this definition we find that the Judaizers of Acts 15:1-2 wanted people to believe they can be saved by Mosaic Law and faith in Christ, which is an offense against these two revealed truths. For we are saved by God’s Grace through faith in Jesus and His sacrifice alone as testified by Peter and Paul, the pillars of apostleship:
“After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to uHe did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."” (Acts 15:7-11)
“I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” (Galatians 2:21)
“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
“Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of Godb are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” (Philippians 3:2-9).
Scofield argues an apostate can still outwardly profess Christianity, but secretly be fallen away. Hebrews emphasizes that a public apostasy is necessary for falling away:
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away (apostasy), to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6). Notice it says putting the Son of God up to “public disgrace.” This is like the recent ministers who have publicly denied their faith and violated the two revealed truths: (1) as to the diety of Jesus Christ, and (2) redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice.
Let us now examine Paul’s instruction to Timothy and Peter’s analysis of apostasy:
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith (apostasy) by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge (epignosko or ginosko, to know intimately, John 17:3) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back (fall away, apostasy, turn from the plow) from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22)
Paul adds that the teaching of demons they will abandon the faith, while Peter echoes Hebrews 6:4-6, by stating someone who having known and loved Jesus who abandons the faith is now worse than if they had never known Christ, because there is no forgiveness left (Hebrews 6:4-6).
But what of Jesus’s words and the apostle James?:
“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-29)
“My brothers, if anyone among you might wander from the truth, and someone should bring him back, onsider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)
Jesus’ words are that He will never let us go, but it does not contradict that people can let go of Jesus and commit apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-6). As for James, he mentions wandering from truth into error, which is heresy, “Apostasy differs therefore from error concerning truth, which may be the result of ignorance (Acts 19:1-6), or heresy, which may be due to the snare of Satan (2 Tim 2:25-26), both of which may consist [coexist] with true faith.” (Scofield). A heretic and a person in error is deceived and so can be enlightened back to truth (James 5:19-20), but an apostate knows the truth and turns their back on it and are condemned (John 3:18, Hebrews 6:4-6).
We must stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ to the end (Matthew 24:13). We will overcome Satan and all tribulation by Christ’s blood and our testimony: “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelation 12:11), and “This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12). Amen:
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