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19 Signs You Are A Part Of The Great Falling Away - Steve Gallagher

S
sermonindex

In the New Testament, the Church in the last days will experience what the apostle Paul called the great falling away. Steve Gallagher put together a list of 19 signs that someone is a part of the great falling away.


19 Signs You Are A Part Of The Great Falling Away
1. Prayer is nonexistent or mechanical
2. You know the Word but you don’t live it
3. Earnest thoughts about eternal things are no longer regular or gripping in your life
4. Sins of the body and of the mind can be indulged in without an uproar in your conscience
5. Aspirations for Christ-like holiness have ceased to be dominate in your mind
6. The acquisition of money and goods take up a major part of your thinking
7. You can sing worship songs without really meaning what they express
8. You can hear eternal issues treated flippantly and not be moved to indignation
9. Your main concerns are of your temporal and earthly life
10. Conflicts with others are not a major concern to you
11. You no longer hunger for a deeper life in God
12. You don’t live with a full and grateful heart
13. You have little concern over and make little effort to meet the needs of others
14. You always see your level of spirituality in positive terms
15. You are more concerned about your pet doctrines than you are of people’s lives
16. Sports, recreation, and entertainment are a large and necessary part of your life
17. You are more concerned with your image than with the reality of your life with God
18. You are full of bitterness, or criticism, or pride, or covetousness, or lust
19. You have a head full of knowledge and heart that has grown cold to God

J
JFW

Brother Greg,

Thank you so much for sharing this!
I don't know about anyone else but some of these really hit home, making me aware of areas I'd let slip- I'm grateful for the rebuke and opportunity to repent.

Gonna bookmark this page for future reference~

S
sermonindex

I am guilty of about half of the items on that list. Am I going to hell?

S
sermonindex

Brother Greg, thank you for sharing this. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds me, if I do all theses things, and if I don't have love, it means nothing. Oh that Jesus would perfect us in His love, bringing us into unity, having tender mercies, truly dying to self.

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staff

Hi all
Ithink this post is a bit loaded in the assumption that the falling away is definitely the Church,
Also why stop at 19 why not 119 !
Urs staff

N
narrowpath

Thanks Steve for writing this and Greg for posting. It spoke to me and I needed to go for a walk and seek God.

I believe this warning is for the church; those who are outside cannot fall from a faith they never professed.

T
TMK

Has there been a time when most christians were guilty of a good number of these? If so, is it rather not symptomatic of general lukewarmness that has always gripped the church- vs symptomatic of a great falling away? For example, Tozer warned of these things 60 years or so ago.

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PastorSteve2

This is excellent. Printed and will be examined often...thank you.

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sermonindex

This is very good!!! And at the same time quite convicting. For I find myself practicing at least a good portion of if not all of 19 points.

Dear Jesus have mercy on me. And may I continually live for you.

Bro Blaine

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staff

Hi All,
read through this again and if put in a proper context could be useful but in this context does nothing.Dont expect to see Steve Gallagher in heaven then according to his own list,
urs staff

L
Lysa


staff,

You posted twice against this. Instead of condemning the man, why not contact him?

Here is a way to contact Steve Gallagher:
http://www.eternalweight.com/about-eternal-weight/contact/

Write your concerns about whatever you have against him and these 19 signs.

T
TakeUptheCross

"Am I going to hell?" - This could be the case. You must understand in which direction you are going!

Does Christ live inside you?

If not,... if you have backslidden the Lord calls you to return!

"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

S
sermonindex

There's been some wonderful reproof, rebuke, and exhortation lately on SI that Im so grateful for. The Lord is getting His bride ready by sanctifying and cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

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savannah

If there are any who take offense at the 19 signs given here, maybe you ought to take it to Jesus in prayer.

And while there, ask Him why He had John write those first three chapters in The Book Revealing Him, called, The Book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

S
sermonindex

Esther

"Does Christ live inside you?"

I have been strugglng with that question for 10 years (as is evident from the occasional scattered posts I've put on here over the years).

This article, like many others, leaves me doubting and losing hope once again.

T
TMK

I don't have a problem with the list, which is a good one. But the title is "signs you are part of the great falling away."

What falling away is he talking about? A great majority of Christendom has not been able to stand up to this list for about 2000 years.

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staff

Hi Lysa
I think im allowed to post twice??
I dont know Steve Gallagher at all and have not condemned him at all,his own words condemn him if anything.
I have written my concerns you just didnt read them :
The post was "loaded " and makes "assumptions".This would be ok if it were pointed out at the start but it wasnt.The article makes it sound like the bible clearly states the falling away is definitely the Church.The bible doesnt say for instance there will be a "great falling away of Gods people".It isnt that clear and it is hotly debated.So to start of in saying the "falling away of the church " is loaded at least and misleading at worst.

Also I have no interest in contacting him at all,I am just commenting on this post once or twice as is my right I think,
urs staff

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staff

Hi all,
What if I Got the wrong answer to point 3,7,9,14 and 18 and all the other 19 right,what are my chances?Or up to a week before my death I got 4,7,14,15,16 and 17 right but I changed that week to getting them wrong will I be lost or found?
Will God take into account that for the majority of my life I was really good but it was just that last week that got me?
Also didnt God say the law would be written on our hearts,not some list written on mere paper.
I think there is folly in a check list not grace in my opinion,
urs staff

S
savannah

Revelation 2 & 3

I have against you that you have abandoned your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works. But if not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you should repent. - Jesus

I have a few things against you, because you have some there holding the teaching of Balaam, who would teach Balak to cast a snare before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. So likewise you also have some holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent! But if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. - Jesus

I have against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, the one calling herself a prophetess and teaching and misleading My servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. And I have given her time that she might repent, and she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. - Jesus

Behold, I will cast her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they shall repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches will know that I am the One searching affections and hearts; and I will give to each of you according to your works. - Jesus

I know your deeds, that you have the characterization that you are alive, and yet you are dead. Be watching, and strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die; for I have not found your works having been completed in the sight of My God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard””and keep it and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come like a thief, and you shall not know at what hour I will come upon you. - Jesus

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you would be cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of My mouth. - Jesus

For you say, ‘I am rich, and I have grown rich, and I have need of nothing.’ And you do not realize that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold having been refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may be clothed and the shame your of nakedness might not be made manifest, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. As many as I might love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. - Jesus

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sermonindex

"The bible doesnt say for instance there will be a "great falling away of Gods people".

Hi Brother, years ago I wanted to know if it was possible for a believer to fall away from the Lord. As I searched the scriptures I found the answer, and it made sense. I had to ask the question, " What can an unbeliever fall away from if he is already lost?" The scriptures were very clear to me that a believer in Christ can fall away....and that makes sense.
-------------------------------------------

Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

"Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
---------------------------------------------
In the interlinear bible, the passage for Hebrews 3:12 actually says "falling away"

The same word "departing", as above, in the Strongs concordance means:

aphistémi: to lead away, to depart from
Original Word: ἀφίστημι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: aphistémi
Phonetic Spelling: (af-is'-tay-mee)
Short Definition: I lead away, seduce, depart, abstain from
Definition: I make to stand away, draw away, repel, take up a position away from, withdraw from, leave, abstain from.

If Im understanding the scripture above, a child of God "can" depart or fall away from the Lord, therefore we are warned.

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons

The words "depart from" are the same meaning as Hebrews 3:12 "departing" in the Strongs:
aphistémi: to lead away, to depart from
Original Word: ἀφίστημι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: aphistémi
Phonetic Spelling: (af-is'-tay-mee)
Short Definition: I lead away, seduce, depart, abstain from
Definition: I make to stand away, draw away, repel, take up a position away from, withdraw from, leave, abstain from.

(edited for leaving out part of scripture reference)
Hope this helps.

S
sermonindex

Hi Brother, I understand what you are asking here,

"Also didnt God say the law would be written on our hearts,not some list written on mere paper.
I think there is folly in a check list not grace in my opinion"

This has been something Im in the process of learning too. A dear sister in Christ encouraged me to read the book of Hebrews over and over until I understood the difference between being under the law and under grace. For me, Ive learned that we are held "more" accountable under God's grace than under the law, because of what Jesus did at the cross.. This passage says it best.....

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[e] says the Lord.[f] And again, "The Lord will judge His people.”[g] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.


Brother, theres still so much I don't understand from the Word of God, but the more I learn, the more seriously I see how God looks at sin, and yet I see His grace and mercy if I truly repent and turn away from my sin. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome sin. If we submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee from us. God bless you Brother.

S
staff

Hi Sherri,
The bible is not at all clear on certain subjects in the sense that Paul doesnt expressly say "Christians can loose their salvation" not at all clear in that sense.The writer of the original post started off with an assumption and didnt clarify that assumption and its obvious that anyone that was a part of the falling away wouldnt recognise it any way.
Ok I would like a comment on this Sherri the scripture says in 1 Tim 4:1 which youve quoted that in the latter times "some" will depart from the faith.How can that constitute the "Great" Falling away?(if it is only some),
Urs Staff
P.s Once we have to start using a concordance (although extremely helpful)things are not clear.

Word: tij

Pronounce: tis

Strongs Number: G5100

Orig: an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).

Use:

Heb Strong:

1) a certain, a certain one
2) some, some time, a while

S
sermonindex

Hi Brother, we are all learning as we study the Word of God...... For me, the scriptures are very clear. The Lord is merciful and full of grace, but He is also just.

But these are my convictions.

These verses by Jesus are pretty sobering as well....

Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

and.....

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Thank you staff, for sharing your thoughts....

May these passages encourage us to pray this for one another... :)

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood,[c] the forgiveness of sins.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Lord bless you Brother

S
Sree


read through this again and if put in a proper context could be useful but in this context does nothing.Dont expect to see Steve Gallagher in heaven then according to his own list,
urs staff

Jesus came to save us from our sins, not to give free passes to heaven. If escaping from hell is the only motive of one to be a christian, then I can guanantee that he is not born again yet. I want to escape the sins inside me which are far more dangerous than hell. This article warns us from the backsliding or accepting our own lack of purification from sins.

Everyone who has the hope of seeing the Lord will purify himself. If he stops doing that means he has no hope, no matter what he claims to believe.

S
staff

Hi Serri
Whats ur answer to "some" vs "the great falling away"? Urs staff

T
TakeUptheCross

I have been strugglng with that question for 10 years (as is evident from the occasional scattered posts I've put on here over the years).

This article, like many others, leaves me doubting and losing hope once again.

10 years?! This is a long period to stay in the unknown... If the article leaves you doubting - it is well, if it leaves you out of false security and wakes you up from your sleep.

Losing hope - that's also good, if you lose hope in yourself! Don't lose hope in Christ! But forget it, realize once and for all that you can never save yourself from the misery you are in. Even if you lived like an angel the rest of your days - still that will not be enough to redeem your former deeds and actual sins. But Christ died for the ungodly! Praise God! He is the propitiation for our sins! His blood alone washes away our sins, and He alone is the hope of glory!

So Jon, don't stay there! Move on! There is hope in Christ, there is life in Him - just come to Him!

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

S
sermonindex

Esther

Thank you for your reply and encouragment.

Indeed, what I cling on to is the appeal you alluded to. Depending on Christ for salvation, leaning on his promises and trusitng in his gospel is all I have.

I get frustrated, though, with the constant theme in revivalism of offering salvation with one hand one minute, and taking it away with the other hand the next. So the gospel is freely offered, and a bid is made to come to Christ, but then if you don't measure up (i.e. don't have the right fruit, a particular experience or do the 19 things Steve Gallagher says disqualify you) then you're out and headed to hell.

The back and forth, back and forth nature of it drives me crazy. It's like playing "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me etc." with God

T
TMK

I guess much depends on what is meant by the term "falling away." The word "falling" indicates a progression. A stone dropped off a cliff is falling until it hits the ground.

S
savannah


Butters,

You have written,


"I get frustrated, though, with the constant theme in revivalism of offering salvation with one hand one minute, and taking it away with the other hand the next. So the gospel is freely offered, and a bid is made to come to Christ, but then if you don't measure up (i.e. don't have the right fruit, a particular experience or do the 19 things Steve Gallagher says disqualify you) then you're out and headed to hell.

The back and forth, back and forth nature of it drives me crazy. It's like playing "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me etc." with God."

_________________________________


The reason you get frustrated, and it drives you crazy is because you've swallowed not only the bait, but the hook as well. The bait and hook are choking the life out of you. That bait and that hook are another gospel and another jesus.

The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus plays no games such as those romanticisers do with their flowery emotion they call love.

Thanks be to God for His salvation, which is by His grace and for His glory.

I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine!

T
TakeUptheCross

I get frustrated, though, with the constant theme in revivalism of offering salvation with one hand one minute, and taking it away with the other hand the next. So the gospel is freely offered, and a bid is made to come to Christ, but then if you don't measure up (i.e. don't have the right fruit, a particular experience or do the 19 things Steve Gallagher says disqualify you) then you're out and headed to hell.

I think, your understanding of the matter is wrong. The gospel is freely offered, yes...

"but then if you don't measure up" - don't have the the right fruit... Does not Jesus Himself say "Ye shall know them by their fruits... Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." (Matthew 7) And it is true in nature, it is true in spiritual matters.

What is the evidence that you are born again? It is seen in your life, it is not something you make up like a New Year's Eve resolutions - "I won't do that anymore, I will do that everyday" etc. The new birth is a change of heart! And out of this changed heart proceed good works!

The spiritual life is not a set of checklist (you've probably heard that). And yet there are certain things that indicate that you are becoming colder and colder - and if that doesn't stop death is the consequence! It is the same in medicine! Doctors measure blood pressure, heart rate, oxygenation - these are called vital parameters because they are essential for life. And if your blood pressure is 40/60 - we have a big problem! Life threathening problem!

So if you do not pray - we have a problem! Really big problem - because prayer is for a Christian what breathing is for all humans. We cannot live without it! The proud, self-sufficient, blind man does not pray (Revelation 3:15-18)

2. You know the Word and do not live it - "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22) You only deceive yourself if you just have head knowledge of God and His Word...

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?... Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

"But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

- Without foundation! It's not a good idea to build a house without foundation! Well of course, you'd say! Then why would it be reasonable to think that you can build your spiritual life by just hearing and not doing the will of God?! The end of it is great ruin!

So you see, there is no back and forth with God! It is with us! "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." FOLLOW HIM!

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and FOLLOW ME" (Matthew 16:24)

S
sermonindex

Esther

You said [I can't seem to get the quote function to work for some reason]the following:

"The spiritual life is not a set of checklist (you've probably heard that). And yet there are certain things that indicate that you are becoming colder and colder - and if that doesn't stop death is the consequence! It is the same in medicine! Doctors measure blood pressure, heart rate, oxygenation - these are called vital parameters because they are essential for life. And if your blood pressure is 40/60 - we have a big problem! Life threathening problem!"

I know you are trying to be helpful, but I'm afraid it is having the the opposite effect. For 10 years I have wrestled almost daily with thoughts of "you're not born again, you don't have enough fruit, you're going to hell etc" You have added just one more voice to the crowd.

And tell me, what am I to do if the signs tell me I'm not born again? Which revivalist answer is correct?

Do I undertake a great period of spiritually flogging myself, counting my sins, doing as many religious activities as possible, and hope God will save me at the end of it, though he may not if he hasn't predesntined me? (Jonathan Edwards, the puritans)

Similarly, do I grovel before God, pray and wait for him to zap me with the witness of the Spirit? (John Wesley, Leonard Ravenhill)

Or do I just decide to start being a Christian, love God, and stop sinning by the mere act of my will?(Charles Finney)

Needless to say, I've done all these things in some form, and been through various rituals of repentance. I cry out to God often for faith, change of heart, and assurance etc.

I'm not going to say that there is no fruit that I can discern in my life - there is (and others would agree). However, I rountinely fail these wretched salvation tests, and checklists such as the one in the OP.

Am I saved? Does God even want to save me? Is he even good?

I wrestle with these questions, despite having (I think) an above average knowledge of scripture.

N
noone

Butters,
I hear what you are saying! In fact I have struggled with the very things you have mentioned. It has only been through a direct revelation to my soul that I am loved by God, the Creator of the Universe has my life changed...even after growing up and spending decades going to "church" and knowing that I believe in Jesus, that I have repented and also knowing that I am going deeper in to Christ, but still I never felt the overwhelming love and grace and mercy that others spoke of... only droplets.

I still will pray "Lord forgive my unbelief....Lord help my unbelief" when the enemy of doubt and fear try to attack me, then I rebuke and quote God's word to begin to renew my mind again and I still pray every day for a deeper revelation of God and His love to my innermost being. God's revelation NOT MAN'S IDEAS OR SERMONS OR THOUGHTS of how salvation looks.

But I wanted to give you a link to a free pdf book that was/is instrumental in my walk. I try to read this once a year at least. I pray it will help start you on your own journey of revelation of living greatly loved by our Father. You will probably love the title to the first chapter :)!

https://www.lifestream.org/sites/default/files/--pdf/he_loves_me_1st_edition.pdf

T
TakeUptheCross

Jon,

I did not answer so long because I don't really know how to... for now I can give you only two advices:

- "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29)
- speak with godly elders / pastor if possible

"Am I saved?" - I cannot answer that question for you.
But yes God is good and He wants to save you. Seek Him... I'll pray for you and I currently really cannot give you any other advice except - Seek Him!

May the Lord lead you!

T
TMK

Jon-

The fact that you are asking the question at all is a very good question.

I don't know of any unsaved persons going around asking if they are saved.

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