What is apostasy? Why is it repeatedly warned against in Scripture? Over the course of the next several blog entries, we are going to be looking at some key passages regarding apostasy and determining what it is they are telling us. Once we understand what these passages are teaching and why, everything becomes much simpler and clearer for us.
WHAT IS APOSTASY?
Apostasy is a transliteration of the Greek word apostasia (αποστασια), which literally means "a defection, revolt, apostasy." The Wycliff Bible of 1380 translated this word as "dissension." The Tyndale Bible of 1534, the Cranmer Bible of 1539, and the Geneva Bibles of 1560 and 1599 translated this word as "departing." The Douay-Rheims Bible of 1582 translated this word as "a revolt." The King James Bible of 1611 translated this word as "falling away." In all these translations, the implication is the same: a dissension from the faith, a departing from the faith, a revolt from the faith, and a falling away from the faith. It is all religious apostasy. The term "backsliding," found in the Old Testament of the KJV, also refers to apostasy (see this entry). As is clearly evident, an apostate is someone who once made a profession of the faith but has since jettisoned it. In other words, they were a false convert.
The verb form of the word apostasia is the Greek aphistemi (αφιστημι), which means "to cause to depart, to cause to revolt." In 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul uses this word to encourage Christians to depart or abstain from evil. In Hebrews 3:12, however, it is used to warn people against departing from the living God. Obviously, departing from sin and departing from God are actions that would result in very different consequences.
WHY IS IT REPEATEDLY WARNED AGAINST IN SCRIPTURE?
Apostasy is warned against in Scripture for a specific reason. I could answer this question here and make things clear for you, but I would rather save this question for the last blog entry dealing with this subject. Once you have that truth, you will understand without a shadow of a doubt why warnings of apostasy are necessary and what they accomplish.
WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?
Some individuals who read the passages regarding apostasy, due to their poor understanding of Scripture, salvation, and the covenants, view these passages as if a Christian can lose their salvation. The reason why they believe this is because they believe a false gospel and assume that everyone who walks an aisle, prays a prayer, signs a card, or whatever other gimmicks they use, is a genuine convert. Apparently they have missed reading some key passages in Scripture that prove such a thing is false. What one believes about the permanence of salvation (i.e. eternal security) is relevant to the interpretation of these passages. Based on these passages, Arminians believe that it is possible for a saved person to lose their salvation. Another erroneous view is one that teaches these passages are warning Christians not to live carnally.
The main reason why so many individuals misunderstand the passages regarding apostasy, and attempt to apply them to the erroneous teaching that a Christian can lose his/her salvation, is because they fail to understand the covenants correctly. By the time we are finished looking at the various passages on apostasy, you will have a greater understanding of why they are there. Once you understand the covenants correctly, you will understand the warnings against apostasy correctly. Apart from having a correct understanding of the covenants, it makes absolutely no sense to warn against apostasy.
So... let us begin our study...
WHAT IS APOSTASY?
Apostasy is a transliteration of the Greek word apostasia (αποστασια), which literally means "a defection, revolt, apostasy." The Wycliff Bible of 1380 translated this word as "dissension." The Tyndale Bible of 1534, the Cranmer Bible of 1539, and the Geneva Bibles of 1560 and 1599 translated this word as "departing." The Douay-Rheims Bible of 1582 translated this word as "a revolt." The King James Bible of 1611 translated this word as "falling away." In all these translations, the implication is the same: a dissension from the faith, a departing from the faith, a revolt from the faith, and a falling away from the faith. It is all religious apostasy. The term "backsliding," found in the Old Testament of the KJV, also refers to apostasy (see this entry). As is clearly evident, an apostate is someone who once made a profession of the faith but has since jettisoned it. In other words, they were a false convert.
The verb form of the word apostasia is the Greek aphistemi (αφιστημι), which means "to cause to depart, to cause to revolt." In 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul uses this word to encourage Christians to depart or abstain from evil. In Hebrews 3:12, however, it is used to warn people against departing from the living God. Obviously, departing from sin and departing from God are actions that would result in very different consequences.
WHY IS IT REPEATEDLY WARNED AGAINST IN SCRIPTURE?
Apostasy is warned against in Scripture for a specific reason. I could answer this question here and make things clear for you, but I would rather save this question for the last blog entry dealing with this subject. Once you have that truth, you will understand without a shadow of a doubt why warnings of apostasy are necessary and what they accomplish.
WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?
Some individuals who read the passages regarding apostasy, due to their poor understanding of Scripture, salvation, and the covenants, view these passages as if a Christian can lose their salvation. The reason why they believe this is because they believe a false gospel and assume that everyone who walks an aisle, prays a prayer, signs a card, or whatever other gimmicks they use, is a genuine convert. Apparently they have missed reading some key passages in Scripture that prove such a thing is false. What one believes about the permanence of salvation (i.e. eternal security) is relevant to the interpretation of these passages. Based on these passages, Arminians believe that it is possible for a saved person to lose their salvation. Another erroneous view is one that teaches these passages are warning Christians not to live carnally.
The main reason why so many individuals misunderstand the passages regarding apostasy, and attempt to apply them to the erroneous teaching that a Christian can lose his/her salvation, is because they fail to understand the covenants correctly. By the time we are finished looking at the various passages on apostasy, you will have a greater understanding of why they are there. Once you understand the covenants correctly, you will understand the warnings against apostasy correctly. Apart from having a correct understanding of the covenants, it makes absolutely no sense to warn against apostasy.
So... let us begin our study...