JUST THINKING: Apathy About Apostasy
Many readers will realize that I often mention apostasy in my column. I was just thinking about how prevalent apathy about apostasy is — especially in our country. I write about it because of how very dangerous it is. Jesus Christ is coming again, but not before the apostasy has reached its peak in the world. Paul wrote the church at Thessalonica: “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report, or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come, until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” (II Thess. 2:1-3 NIV1984).
What is Apostasy?
The Greek word “apostasia”meanta revolt, rebellion, a defection or a falling away from the standard. Some define it as a desertion. Regarding our modern era of the church, apostasy is evidenced by a departure from biblical standards to adopt instead positions that lead to the acceptance of the human perspective rather than the godly.
From the Book of Jude
Apostasy is certainly not new. It had reared its ugly head shortly after the early church began spreading the gospel out from Jerusalem. Jude wrote, “For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 4).
The goal of apostates is not to unite the Lord’s church but to divide it! Jude continued his description, “…In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts but do not have the Spirit” (Jude 18-19 NIV).
Apostasy Indicators Today
Here are a few tenets of apostasy:
• The denial of the Trinity of God,
• Denial of the inspiration of the Scriptures,
• A refusal to preach that God’s Word is the standard of truth,
• Acceptance of a social and prosperity gospel rather than the gospel of salvation from the condemnation of sin and
• The teaching that the Holy Spirit is an outside influence rather than an inside presence.
Jude focused on two important perspectives — to expose the false teachers who had infiltrated the Christian community and encourage Christians to stand firm in the faith and join in the battle for truth. The lyrics of a hymn I have loved since my youth had this refrain: “Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth; Clad in salvation’s full armor, Join in the battle for truth.”
Jude’s Encouragement for Believers1
The half-brother of Jesus urged Christians as to how to battle apostasy:
• Build each other to hold strongly to a holy faith,
• Pray in the power of the Spirit and
• Be merciful to doubters in order to rescue them from sin’s condemnation.
Our duty is essential to battle apostasy. We do that by not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We show allegiance to our Lord by taking a stand and, most certainly, by depending on the Holy Spirit, who will never lead us in the wrong direction. We must battle apathy that is rapidly taking hold today. We must not let down our guard. We must pray for one another, and when we see another believer with a tendency toward apostasy, we must warn them. May God give us grace and courage in these last days.
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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