Apostasy From the Faith (Part 1)

This is another great article from Wayne Jackson. It appeared in the September, 1980 Christian Courier. The paper was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and was edited by Jackson.

Many sincere religious people have been mistakenly led to believe that it is utterly impossible for a child of God to fall from the grace of God. The Swiss reformer John Calvin popularized this notion and it has found its way into numerous theological creeds of today's world. The Bible however, does not teach this dangerous doctrine. In fact, holy Scripture contradicts it repeatedly.

Both Old and New Testaments speak of potential and actual apostasy among the people of God. To the northern kingdom of Israel, Hosea on behalf of Jehovah exclaimed, "My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call on the Most High, none at all exalt Him" (Hosea 11:7). Moses had warned Israel of the possibility of their forgetting the Lord and the wonderful signs He performed in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:11-14; 4:9). The noble prophet Ezekiel declared, "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies" (18:26). The Old Testament record is literally filled with examples of apostasy on the part of God's covenant people. In First Corinthians 10, Paul catalogs a number of these instances.

The New Testament also contains an abundance of evidence on the possibility of apostasy. Observe the following. We are instructed that:

(1) It is possible to fall. Jesus taught that some in time of temptation, would fall away (Luke 8:13). He announced that some branches (disciples) would be pruned from Him (as the vine) and burned (John 15:1-6).

(2) Some did fall. Judas certainly did fall (Acts 1:25) and he was lost (John 17:12) and many other disciples abandoned the Lord as well (John 6:66). Hymenaeus and Philetus erred concerning the truth and by their error, overthrew the faith of others (Second Timothy 2:16-18). Some forsook Christianity, reverted to Judaism and in so doing "fell away" (Hebrews 6:4-6). The church in Ephesus, which has been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; cf. Acts 19:1-7) left their first love and so fell and were thus in danger of being wholly disowned by Christ (Revelation 2:4-5; 1:20). It was in fact, prophesied that before the return of Christ to judge the world, a great apostasy from the faith would occur (Second Thessalonians 2:1-12; cf. First Timothy 4:1ff; Second Timothy 4:1ff).

(3) It is possible to prevent falling. We must be aware that we can fall (i.e., "take heed") (First Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 3:12; Colossians 2:8) and we must apply the divine remedy to keep ourselves in the most holy faith and from apostasy. Note Peter's admonition regarding the adding of the Christian graces and his conclusion, "...for if you do these things, you will never stumble..." (Second Peter 1:5-11); so also Jude's warning in Jude 20-21.

(4) We can be restored from apostasy. When Simon committed the sin of attempting to buy the gift of God with money and was in danger of perishing, Peter urged him to repent and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:20-21). James speaks to this point: "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).

Every serious student of the Bible knows therefore, that a Christian can apostatize. he knows it because of what the Word teaches. He knows it because he has seen brethren fall. In an article or two to follow, we want to explore some of the reasons why some saints depart from the faith. Please study and carefully preserve this valuable material.