S. PERSONAL APOSTASY
PERSONAL APOSTASY The reason I have decided to include an article on this subject is because after studying so many of the apostolic letters in the New Testament, I have come to see that this is a major theme in the New Testament (Hebrews, 1 & 2 Timothy, James, 2 Peter, etc.) It is not limited to a few verses of Scripture.
Apostasy (Gk. apostasia) appears twice in the New Testament as a noun (Acts 21:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) and in Hebrews 3:12 as a verb (Gk. aphistemi, translated “depart”). The Greek term is defined as a falling away, defection, withdrawal, or turning from what one has formerly turned to. To apostatize means to sever one’s relationship with Christ or to withdraw from true faith in Him. Apostasy may involve two separate, though related, aspects: (a) theological apostasy, that is, a rejection of all or some of the original teachings of Christ and the apostles (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:3) and (b) moral apostasy (See Titus 1:16). In the Vine’s Greek Lexicon under the word “Error” it states, “Plane, a wandering, a forsaking of the right path (See James 5:20), whether in doctrine, or in morals. In Scripture, doctrine and morals are never divided by any sharp line. “Error” in doctrine are not infrequently the effect of relaxed morality and vice versa” (p. 369). The Bible issues urgent warnings concerning the possibility of apostasy, designed both to alert us to the deadly peril of abandoning faith in Christ and to motivate us to persevere in faith and obedience. The divine purpose of these warning passages must not be weakened by the view that states, “the warnings are real, but the possibility of actual apostasy is not.” Rather, we should regard them with sincere alarm. A few of the many New Testament warning passages are: Matthew 24:4-5; Matthew 24:11-13; John 15:1-6; Acts 11:21-23; Acts 14:21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:16; 1 Timothy 6:10-12; 1 Timothy 4:2-5; Hebrews 2:1-3; Hebrews 3:6-8; Hebrews 3:12-14; Hebrews 6:4-6; James 5:19-20; 2 Peter 1:8-11; 1 John 2:23-25.
Example of actual apostasy can be found in Isaiah 1:2-4; Jeremiah 2:1-9; Acts 1:25; Galatians 5:4; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 2:20-22; Jude 1:4; Jude 1:11-13. The steps which lead to apostasy are as follows: (a) The believer, through unbelief, fails to take the truths, exhortations, warnings, promises, and teachings of God’s Word with utmost seriousness (Luke 8:13; John 5:44; John 5:47; John 8:46). As the realities of the world become greater than the realities of God’s heavenly kingdom, he gradually ceases to draw near to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 11:6).
Through the deceitfulness of sin, he becomes increasingly tolerant of sin in his own life (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 3:13). He no longer loves righteousness and hates iniquity (Hebrews 1:9).
Through hardness of heart (Hebrews 3:8; Hebrews 3:13) and rejecting God’s way (Hebrews 3:10), he ignores the repeated voice of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; Hebrews 3:7-11). The Holy Spirit is grieved (Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 3:7-8) and quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and he eventually departs from his former faith (Colossians 1:22-23; Hebrews 3:14).
If apostasy continues on its course unchecked, an individual may eventually reach the point when no repentance is possible (Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 12:17). That is, a person may continually harden his heart to the Holy Spirit’s voice (Hebrews 3:7-19), continues to sin willfully (Hebrews 10:26), and refuses to repent towards God (Acts 20:21), he may reach a point of no return where repentance and salvation is no longer possible (Hebrews 6:4-6). This point of no return cannot be defined in advance. Hence, the only safeguard against the peril of ultimate apostasy is found in the admonition: “Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8; Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7).
It must be emphasized that while apostasy is a danger for all who drift from the faith (Hebrews 2:1-3) and fall away from God (Hebrews 6:6), it is not made complete without constant and willful sinning against the voice of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). Because of the possibility of self-deception, Paul exhorts all those claiming salvation to “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Any person who becomes sincerely concerned about his own spiritual condition and finds in his heart the desire to return to God in repentance, has sure evidence he has not committed unpardonable apostasy. The Scriptures clearly affirm that God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 1:18-19; Isaiah 55:6-7) and declares that God will receive all who come to Him in faith (2 Corinthians 2:5-11; Luke 15:11-24; Romans 11:23; James 5:19-20; Revelation 3:21). (The Full Life Study Bible, pgs. 524-525).