APOSTASY - a study paper (1996)
by Larry G. Hardison
PURPOSE:
This paper is written to help you explore the subject of APOSTASY
as discussed in God's word. Note: you may find the study of
HERESY a necessary prerequisite or a needed parallel study to
understand the entire ramifications of the subject of APOSTASY.
RESULT:
After finishing this study you should be able to understand what
apostasy is, how to identify it, and what to do when faced with
apostasy.
WHAT IS APOSTASY?
"a total desertion of or departure from one's religion,
principles, party, cause, etc." Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged
Dictionary of the English Language, Gramercy, 1989.
"renunciation of a religious faith; abandonment of a previous
loyalty: DEFECTION", Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,
Tenth Edition, 1994.
"APOSTASY.- The English word does not occur. The Greek
"apostasia" is used twice: (1) is defining the charge made
against St.Paul (Ac 21:21) that he 'taught all the Jews which are
among the Gentiles to forsake Moses' (so AV, RV; Gr. "apostasian"
ape Monseos, lit. 'a. from Moses'); and (2) as the word used for
the 'falling away' (so AV, RV) which precedes or accompanies the
revelation of the 'Man of Sin' (2 Thes.2:3) ... J. Hastings, "A
Dictionary of the Bible," Vol.1, Hastings, Hendrickson, 1898.
"Apostasy, a falling away. The common classical use of the word
is, a political defection... In the New Testament its more usual
meaning is a religious defection (Acts 21:21; 1 Tim.4:1; Heb.
3:12)." Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1966.
"APOSTASY ... In LXX it always relates to rebellion against God
(Jos 22:22; 2 Chron. 29:19), originally instigated by Satan, the
apostate dragon of Job 26:13." New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition,
I V P, 1982.
..."The religious understanding of the term - namely, departure
from the law of God, or desertion of cause, worship, temple, or
synagogue, or abandonment of obedience toward God in
general-...", The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible,
Abingdon, 1962
.
NOTES: 1: LXX means the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the old
testament.
DESCRIBED:
Deut. 13:12-18 "If you hear in one of your cities,
which the Lord your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying
that some worthless men have gone out from among you and have
seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and
serve other gods' (whom you have not known), then you shall
investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly ... (18) if you
will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all His
commandments which I am commanding you today, and doing what is
right in the sight of the Lord your God." N.A.S.B.
Heb.3:12 "Take care, brethren, lest there should any one of
you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living
God." N.A.S.B.
CAUSE & SOURCE:
2 Tim.4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled,
they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to
their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth,
and will turn aside to myths." N.A.S.B.
2 Peter 2:l--3 "But false prophets also arose among the
people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who
will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the
Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon
themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of
them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed
they will exploit you with false words; their judgement from long
ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."
2 Peter 2:15-17 "forsaking the right way they have gone astray,
having followed the way of Balsam, the son of Bear, who loved the
wages of unrighteousness, but he received a rebuke for his own
transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man,
restrained the madness of the prophet. These are springs without
water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness
has been reserved."
2 Peter 2:22 "It has happened to them, according
to the true proverb, 'A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,' and, 'A
sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.'" N.A.S.B.
Mat. 7:15,22-23 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I
never know you: depart from me ye that work iniquity." K.J.V.
Mat.15:9,13-14 "In vain they do worship me, teaching
for doctrines the commandments of men ... Let them alone: they be
blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind,
both shall fail into the ditch." K.J.V.
Mat.24:4 "Take heed that no man deceive you."
{Indicates YOU can be deceived! (if you allow or participate in
the deception or deceptive teachings.)}
Acts 20:29-30 "For I know this, that after my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away disciples after them." K.S.V.
1 Tim.6:3-5 "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to
wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to
the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud,
knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words,
whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse
disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."
K.J.V.
{By introducing questions and doctrines based on the definition
of words such as "gennao," "anagennao" and "hypostasis." Or,
redefines or does not establish an accurate definition of such
words like, "pater" in the Greek language, because it shows God
as a "father" which is a blow to a proffered heretical definition
of God as a triune being.}
Jude 4 "There are certain men crept in unawares, who were
before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning
the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only
lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." K.J.V.
WARNINGS:
Rom. 16:17-18 "Now 1 urge you, brethren, keep your eye on
those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the
teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men
are slaves not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and
by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of
the unsuspecting." N.A.S.B.
2 Cor.11:3-4 "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived
Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the
simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and
preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive
a different spirit which you have not received, or a different
gospel which you - have not accepted, you bear this
beautifully ." N.A.S.B.
Col.2:4,8 "I say this in order that no one may delude you
with persuasive argument. See to it that no one takes you captive
through philosophy and empty deception, according to the
tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ." N.A.S.B.
{How much scripture is used to back up these "new understandings"
as compared to reasoning, explanations, and philosophy? Note that
you can be deluded! Where does the Bible fit in all of this? Are
we following 2 Tim 3:16 or is scripture being turned in to
allegories & metaphors to explain away contradictory scripture to
the "new understandings", or, to ignore significant portions of
scripture?}
2 John 10-11 "If any one comes to you and does not bring
this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not
give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting
participates in his evil deeds." N.A.S.B.
CONSEQUENCES:
Mat.24:10 "And at that time many will fall away and will
betray one another and hate one another." N.A.S.B.
John 15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away
as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them
into the fire, and they are burned." N.A.S.B.
Heb.6:4-8 "For in the case of those who have once been
enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been
made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word
of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen
away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since
they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to
open shame."N.A.S.B.
Heb.10:26-29 "For if we go on sinning willfully after
receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a
sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation
of judgement, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE
ADVERSARIES.... How much severer punishment do you think he will
deserve who has tramped under foot the Son of God, and has
regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was
sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" N.A.S.B.
CONCLUSION:
Apostasy is real and it does happen - review church
history/prophecy in Rev.2 & 3, {Note: 3 John 9 & Rev 2:2).
History shows that God does not micro-manage the church nor
protect it from heresy, heretics or apostasy. He has always
allowed it to go into apostasy from the outset (also see the
history of Israel and Judah when God dealt with them directly,
yet they fell away.)
Jesus said, "Then if any one says to you, 'Behold, here is
the Christ,' or, 'There He is,' do not believe him. For false
Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs
and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." Mat.
24:23-24.
So we of the church, the elect, can be mislead and deceived.
YOUR CHOICE IS TO EITHER ACCEPT THE TRUTH, OR, THE CONSEQUENCES.
CAN YOU TAKE FIRE INTO YOUR BOSOM AND NOT BE BURNED? (Proverbs
6:4)
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR
AND TREMBLING. CHOOSE WISELY, YOUR ETERNAL FUTURE IS AT STAKE.
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Entered on this Website 2007
