Apostasy: John 15:1-8

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. 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. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."

As if it was not clear, there is a connection here to Matthew 7:21-23. In that passage, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that not everyone in Him belongs to Him. John 6:66 is another reference, which informs us that all Christians are disciples of Jesus, but not all disciples of Jesus are Christians. This passage bears out the same information. There are two qualifying statements in this passage that identify the apostates in contrast with the true believers. In the first statement, Jesus says, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away." The "He" here is God the Father. The Greek word translated "takes away" is airo (αιρω), which means "to take away, remove, usually with the idea of violence and authority" (particularly, Luke 6:29-30; 11:22). It is also used in Matthew 9:16 and Mark 2:21 with regard to the new piece of cloth that tears away still more of the old garment. Spoken of persons, it means to take away or remove from the world by death (Matt. 24:39). In the second statement, Jesus says, "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." The words "throw" and "cast" are the exact same Greek word. The last half of this verse is reminiscent of the truths of Jesus' parables in Matthew 13 where the wicked are gathered out of the kingdom and cast into the lake of fire.

How are we to interpret this admittedly difficult metaphor? As always, we must consider the context. And here we find an important clue to Jesus' meaning. Remember what was happening in the upper room. Take not of the characters in that night's drama: "Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And during the supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him" (John 13:1-2).
Here, then, is the cast: Jesus, the Father, His disciples, and Judas the betrayer. All of them were weighing heavily on Jesus' mind that night. He was eager to affirm His great love for the Eleven. He must have also been grieving over Judas, who had utterly rejected His love and set out to betray Him. Most of all, He knew that He and the Father shared an infinite love; yet He was burdened with the knowledge that tomorrow He would be the object of the Father's wrath as He bore the burden of our sin on the cross.
It is not surprising, then, that Christ, the Father, the eleven faithful disciples, and Judas all play a part in the vine-and-branches metaphor. Christ is the True Vine. The Father is the Vinedresser. The disciples (along with all true disciples) are the fruit-bearing branches. And Judas (as well as all false disciples) represents the barren branches.
And so the fruitless branches represent counterfeit disciples—people who were never truly saved. They do not abide in Christ, the True Vine; they are not truly united with Him by faith. They are Judas branches. They can bear no genuine fruit. In the end the Father removes them to preserve the life and fruitfulness of the other branches.
...our Lord was teaching His disciples a truth that would help them to understand Judas's treachery. Judas's faith was a sham. His commitment to Jesus was superficial. He was a fruitless branch. "It would have been good for that man if he had not been born" (Mark 14:21).

John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, ch.16, pp.166-167, 172.

The Greek word translated as "abide" in this passage (and in many others) is meno (μενω), which means "to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy); abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry." It brings to mind the passages that state explicitly that those who endure until the end will be saved (Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:19). Those who do not endure until the end have revealed themselves to be apostates—false converts. The ones who endure until the end have perseverance, and genuine faith always results in faithfulness. The entire idea of faith is that it remains faithful because faith cannot be faithless. With these two statements from this passage, Jesus is revealing both sets of apostates: the ones who leave (v. 6), and the ones who remain as "hidden reefs" (v. 2; cf. Jude 13).

Apostasy: Jude 5-16

"Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same manner these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you.' But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. And about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.' These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage."

Jude describes an apostate in much the exact same way that Peter did in 2 Peter 2. Some people may try to argue against the fact that Jude is speaking about apostates, but his language is pretty clear. He informs us that these people are "hidden reefs" in our feasts. He tells us that they are "without fruit," which is a reference to Jesus' words: "You will know them by their fruit." These individuals do not bear any fruit whatsoever. Jude also tells us that the "black darkness has been reserved" for these people. He also says that they "[follow] after their own lusts." The language is clear that Jude is speaking about apostates. False teachers are indeed apostates.

Apostasy: Hebrews 12:14-29

"Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, 'IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.' And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, 'I AM FULL OF FEAR AND TREMBLING.' But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, 'YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.' And this expression, 'Yet once more,' denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire."

Within these sixteen verses are five statements that indicate this passage is a warning against apostasy. The first statement is found in verse 14b. What the writer is saying is simply this: Pursue salvation; do not stop short only to be lost. There are two contrasting responses to the gospel. One response is to take possession of salvation (cf. Heb. 6:9; the NASB rendering, "accompany" is echo, εκω—middle voice, which means, “to possess for one’s self”). The other response is to turn away from salvation. Here the writer is clearly concerned that some may not press forward (pursue) and obtain (by faith) that sanctification (salvation) without which they are lost. The second statement is in verse 15a. This statement might be somewhat difficult to interpret, if not for the context of verses 14-16. However, given the context, it is apparent that coming "short of the grace of God" means failure to enter into salvation. The third statement is in verse 16. Here, "godless" (bebelos, βεβηλος) means "irreligious." The writer is clearly describing apostasy. Even the illustration of Esau is of one who had something within reach, but turned from it. The fourth statement occurs in verse 25a and is an admonition about refusing Him who warns from heaven. Paraiteomai (παραιτεομαι, translated "refuse") indicates a decisive rejection of God's warning of judgment. The fifth statement, which is found in verse 25b, describes those who "turn away from" God. Unlike some of the other apostasy passages in Hebrews, this one contains no statements which might easily be misconstrued to refer to true believers. It is simply a summary statement of the theme that runs through the entire book. It is a sobering message: Do no trade your opportunity for a bowl of soup or you will be very sorry!

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

Apostasy: Hebrews 10:26-31

"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 judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled 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? For we know Him who said, 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.' And again, 'THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.' It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

We need to preface our examination of this text with a brief orientation. Verse 26 begins with the conjunction "for." When we see this word, we need to ask ourselves "What is it there for?" When we examine verses 26-31, which describes the path to apostasy, what we find is that this section stands in contrast to verses 19-25, which describes true belief. Note also the parallel between 10:19-25 and 3:1-6, and between 10:19-25 and 3:12-14. What we have in this book is a recurring warning against apostasy.

We are able to discern from this passage six reasons why the people described in this section (vv. 26-31) are apostates. The first reason is given in verse 26 where the text says, "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." We know from our previous study of 2 Peter 2 that "the knowledge of the truth" refers to an understanding of the gospel (incidentally, this identification is consistent throughout Peter's writings; see 1 Peter 1:22). So here we recognize that we have a person who "sins willfully" (makes a conscious choice of sin over Christ) after receiving the sure knowledge of the gospel (the epignosis). What we must understand is the nature of this state (I say "state" because the word for "sinning" in the original is a present participle and indicates a continuing condition). The word "willful" is hekousios (εκουσιος), which means "voluntary." In other words, the description of a person who has abandoned himself/herself to a state of sin. Obviously, in light of 1 John 3:6-10, this cannot describe a Christian who is merely struggling with sin. This is the description of a person who has voluntarily abandoned himself/herself to sin and does not know Christ—regardless of what he/she might claim. The entire book of 1 John is devoted to this theme.

The second reason why this passage must be describing apostasy is found in verse 26b, which reads, "...there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." The word apoleipo (απολειπω), translated "remains," means "to be left." We could say, "...there is left no sacrifice for sins." The reason why there is no sacrifice for sin is because the person described in this passage has, with full knowledge, rejected the only sufficient sacrifice for sins—which is Christ.

The third reason why this passage must be describing apostasy is found in verse 26. Here, we are told what this person does not have—a sacrifice for sins. In verse 27 we are told what he does have—the prospect of a terrifying future. Note this very important fact given in verse 27: These people are classed as "adversaries" of God. They are adversaries whom God is going to judge with a consuming fire. The NIV reads: "but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

The fourth reason why this passage must be describing apostasy is found in verse 29. Here we encounter three parallel statements. They all indicate a rejection of the gospel, but they express it in different words. The first statement says that they have "trampled under foot the Son of God." Katapateo (καταπατεω), which is translated "trample" means "to spurn" (when used figuratively, as here). The idea is an outright rejection of Christ. In other words, the person in view considers the Son of God as "worthless"—like dirt beneath his/her feet. The second statement says that he "regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified." "Unclean" (koinos, κοινος) means "common." The idea is that this person has no appreciation for the sanctity and efficacy of Christ's death—it evokes no positive response from this individual. The third statement says they have "insulted the Spirit of grace." The reference is to the Holy Spirit. Our word "insult" does not carry the depth of force that enubrizo (ενυβριζω) indicates. The idea is an arrogant, insolent, scornful, even blasphemous disregard of the Spirit's work in calling men to salvation. In these three statements, we have three pictures of rejection of the gospel.

The fifth reason why this passage must be describing apostasy is seen in verses 30-31. Ekdikesis (εκδικησις), translated "vengeance," refers to retributive justice. The idea is "punishment" in the strictest sense of the word.

The sixth reason why this passage must be describing apostasy is in verse 39, where the author reflects back on what he has said in verses 19-38. Two words in the first part of this verse are key to understanding who and what is being described here. "Shrink back" (hupostole, υποστολη) means "to turn back;" the idea is equivalent to apostasia ("to fall away"). "Destruction" (apoleia, απωλεια) means "perdition." Perdition is by definition the absence of salvation. Also, note the contrast presented in verse 39b. There can be no doubt that verse 39 identifies the people described in verses 26-31 as apostates.

As before, the question is: Is there anything in the description that would lead us to believe that these individuals were previously saved? Arminianists point out that there are a few reasons for thinking that this is the case. Let us look at those reasons. First, since the writer includes himself in the group he refers to by the pronoun "we" (v. 26), some assume that he must be referring to saved people. The answer to this is that the verse itself defines who is included within the scope of this pronoun—it is everyone who has "received the knowledge of truth," which encompasses both those who have responded positively (unto salvation) and those who have responded negatively (remaining unsaved). There is simply no grammatical or contextual reason for restricting this pronoun to refer only to saved people. The second reason offered is that in verse 26 the subjects are said to have "received the knowledge of the truth." This sounds like something that would describe a saved person. However, as we have noted above, one must receive the knowledge of the truth in order to come to Christ; thus such knowledge precedes salvation and in no way indicates that these people ever possessed saving faith.

Peter, in 2 Peter 2:20, describes people who receive the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour but remain unsaved. We should not confuse "receiving the knowledge of the Lord" with "receiving the Lord." These are two distinct ideas. Receiving the knowledge of the Lord does not imply any decision on the part of the recipient. All that is indicated in this passage is that these individuals came to understand the truth of the gospel; it certainly indicates nothing in the way of positive response. The third reason offered is based on verse 29. The people in question are said to have been "sanctified" by the blood of the covenant, which some take as an indication that the writer is referring to believers. The answer to this objection is somewhat more involved than the others, for this reason: When we hear the word "sanctify" (hagiazo, αγιαζω), we tend to associate it with the sanctification in regard to salvation. However, hagiazo is capable of a much broader application than that. For example, in 1 Corinthians 7:14 it is specifically applied to the unsaved spouses of believers. Hagiazo carries the idea of placing something into a privileged position. It might be a position of grace, or of righteousness, or of consecration, or of opportunity. So, in what sense is it appropriate to refer to a lost person as "sanctified" by the blood of Christ? The answer is that the death of Christ sanctifies every man in the sense that it puts every man in a position of opportunity to be saved. This clause has probably been the greatest sticking-point for many, but it is important to recognize that this is due to reading our very narrow concept of sanctification in which only true believers are "sanctified" (with respect to salvation). There is another sense in which all men, especially those that are exposed to the gospel, are "sanctified."

As we have seen, there is nothing in this passage that indicates these apostates were once saved. Based on the description given, they are simply individuals who, having come to understand the gospel, simply said "No" (or "Maybe," which is the same thing) instead of "Yes." To illustrate, say you had a son and your son saw a neighbour about to be run over by a transport truck. Your son pushes your neighbour out of the way only to be crushed to death himself by the large truck. After all of this, your neighbour never acknowledges the sacrifice your son made. In fact, your neighbour has been downright unthankful and even hostile to you and your family. Get the picture? This passage is telling us that God sent His Son into the world to die for sinners so they would not have to spend eternity in hell, but some, after coming to understand what God did for them (the epignosis), either reject the precious gift outright or think so little of it that they just never get around to acting on it until finally they no longer think about it anymore. According to the writer of Hebrews, such people have only themselves to blame for eventually crossing over the line into hopelessness and the fearful prospect of eternity in hell. The underlying message of this passage is this: Today is the day of salvation—do not put it off. Whatever a person may think, they are without excuse and without remedy if they fail to respond to the gospel (Heb. 3:7-19).

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

Apostasy: Hebrews 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. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned."

We have already dealt with three basic interpretations regarding the Hebrews passages, but there is another interpretation sometimes given for 6:4-12, which we will denote as the "hypothetical interpretation." It asserts that this passage describes what would happen "if" a saved person could apostatize (which proponents view to be impossible). Thus, according to this view, we have a hypothetical postulation just to make a point—a theological argument from an extreme case. Although this interpretation is certainly incorrect, it has a logical appeal in that it holds that saved people cannot apostatize since that would (hypothetically) lead to the loss of their salvation, which, of course, cannot happen (owing to the presumption of eternal security). Thus, this interpretation argues against a saved person being able to apostatize, but fails to recognize that apostasy is an actual state for some—not just a hypothetical argument.

The fact that this passage is addressed to a believing audience has been a stumbling block to some who fail to see that the key is being able to distinguish between "who is being addressed" (a mixed group that is presumptively Christian) and "who is being referred to." Whoever they are, they are described by five statements:

1. They have been "enlightened."
2. They have "tasted" of the heavenly gift.
3. They have been made "partakers" of the Holy Spirit.
4. They have "tasted" the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.
5. They have "fallen away."

How do we know that apostasy is in view here? First, because of the description. The individual described is one who has "fallen away." The word parapipto (παραπιπτω) is a strong term; it means "to defect." The nature and magnitude of this defection can be seen in the last half of verse 6, "since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame." Note the following: We are told that they "re-crucify" the Son of God (i.e. they display in their own hearts and minds the same hatred, hostility, and rejection toward Christ as did those who crucified him).  This rejection is both personal and public; they re-crucify Him "to" (or "for") themselves (middle voice) and put Him to "open shame" (ridicule). This is clearly the same description given of apostasy elsewhere (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 2:18-19). While some imply that carnality in the life of a believer is figuratively a re-crucifixion of Christ, such a thought is completely foreign to the book of Hebrews (cf. Heb. 10:10-14). Re-crucifixion of Christ in the heart and mind of an individual can only be taken as rejection of His Messiah-ship; it is a "falling away" which, as we have seen from Hebrews 3, disqualifies one from the title of "brethren," and being "partakers of the heavenly calling."

The second reason we know this passage is describing apostasy is because of the nature of the examples given. In verses 7 and 8, the two types of ground represent two types of people. There are those that respond with "fruit" and those that respond with "thorns and thistles" (cf. Jesus' parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-23). The ground described in verse 8 is clearly representative of the person described in verse 6 who "falls away." Notice the description of this ground: "...it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." The word for "curse" is katara (καταρα), which means "condemnation." Of course, it would be impossible for a saved person to suffer the condemnation of God. Otherwise, what is he/she saved from if not condemnation? Some find what they suppose to be a loophole in the word "nigh" (KJV) or "close" (NASB). The argument is that this can describe saved people because it does not say that they are cursed—only that they are "close" to being cursed. But, if as established, a saved person cannot be lost, how close can one get to something that is absolutely impossible? It is as ridiculous to think that a saved person could be close to condemnation as it is to think that such a one could be condemned. The word translated "close" is eggus (εγγυς, pronounced "engoos"). Its usage here has the sense of that which is "impending" (cf. 2 Pet. 2:3b). The idea is that the judgment of the apostate has not been carried out, but it will be carried out when he faces the Lord whom he has persistently denied with full knowledge.

The third reason for believing that the person described here is an apostate is that apostasy is indicated by way of contrast with true faith. Verse 9 says, "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way." The word "accompany" (or "to take possession of") is echo (εκω), which in the middle voice, as here, means "to seize" or "to possess for one's self." Notice that the writer distinguishes his readers, in general, from those people he has just described in particular. They (the believers) have taken possession of salvation, clearly implying that those described earlier (vv. 4-8) had not. There are two responses to the gospel. One is to take possession of salvation; the other is to actively turn away from it, or passively ignore it. The people described in verses 4-8 are those who having heard the gospel, and perhaps at some superficial level having embraced it, have ultimately turned away.

The question we need to answer is this: Is there any indication that these who apostatize were ever true believers? The answer, as before, is "No!" However, the descriptive clauses in this passage present us with more problems than the previous passages because they contain some words or phrases that many have mistakenly come to associate only with true belief.

The first clause occurs in verse 4, and describes the subjects as "...those who have once been enlightened." The word "enlightened is photizo (φωτιζω), and its use here is figurative. The idea is of a person coming to understand truth. The question is: Does enlightenment come before or after saving faith? The answer is, "Both." One certainly comes to understand some things only after coming to faith in Christ, but they must understand the gospel before they can even make the decision to come. So, enlightenment both precedes and follows saving faith. The point with respect to the passage at hand is whether this reference to the subjects having been previously "enlightened" indicates faith on their part. Since one can be enlightened without responding in faith, we must conclude that there is nothing in this description that indicates these individuals possessed saving faith. We should also note from John 1:6-13 that although every man is "enlightened" at some time, not all are saved.

The second clause, also in verse 4, describes the subjects as ones who "have tasted of the heavenly gift." While there is some uncertainty as to what "the heavenly gift" refers to, the key to unraveling this statement lies in the word "tasted." Obviously this is a metaphorical use of the word, since the heavenly gift is not something that could be literally (physically) tasted. The word "geuomai (γευομαι), when used metaphorically, means "to perceive"—as in "a taste of reality." It is not necessary for a person to be saved to perceive the gift of God. The reason is simple: perceiving salvation through the illuminating and convicting work of the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the epignosis (επιγνωσις, sure knowledge) of truth, which one must possess before they can come to Christ. When a person comes to the sure knowledge of the truth, they have perceived (i.e. metaphorically "tasted") the gift of salvation, even if they eventually reject it.

The third clause also occurs in verse 4, and describes the subjects as having been made "partakers of the Holy Spirit." Unlike the previous clause, there is no reason to regard this as a metaphor. There is general agreement that no one could be saved unless they first become a recipient of the work of the Holy Spirit. That work includes illumination, conviction, and calling. Because we normally regard "partaking" as active, it is easy to misunderstand what is being said in this clause. "Partake" is in the passive voice. In other words, these individuals were only passive recipients of the illumination, conviction, and general calling of the Spirit.

The fourth descriptive clause is in verse 5 and pictures the subjects as those who "have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." Again we have the word "tasted" (geuomai), and as before it is here used metaphorically (since one cannot literally taste the Bible or future realities). These individuals are said to have perceived the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come (possibly a reference to the ministry of the Spirit in signs and wonders as manifested in the early churches), but this could be said of anyone within the church whether saved or lost. So there is no implication that these individuals were saved.

The fifth descriptive clause occurs in verse 6 and pictures the subjects as having received all of the aforementioned benefits "and then have fallen away." The question is, "What did they fall away from?" The answer is that they fell away from what they had—the opportunity (by virtue of knowledge and conviction) to respond to the gospel. Here we encounter a hard concept; hard in the sense that it is not pleasant to consider, but there comes a time in the life of every person who refuses the gospel when that refusal becomes permanent by his/her own choice. There is a time in the life of every person when they are at the closest point they will ever be to coming to Christ—maximum light, conviction, persuasion, etc. If they refuse at that point (and they will never be closer), how will they ever be saved? The sad truth taught in this passage is that they will not, and since a person never knows if he/she is at their closest spiritual point, refusing to say “Yes” at any opportunity could potentially render them beyond hope. The writer of Hebrews is delivering a poignant warning to those within the church who had come out of the world and into the church, but who had failed to enter into salvation. Hence the strong parallel to Israel’s wandering in the wilderness described in Hebrews 3:7-4:11.

There is nothing in this last clause that indicates that these individuals were at one time true believers. Again, this passage is a description of an individual who falls beyond hope after hearing the gospel by persistent failure to respond in faith.

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

Apostasy: Hebrews 3

"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, 'TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, "THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS"; AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.' Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; while it is said, 'TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.' For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief."

Three major views exist with regard to the meaning of this passage (and other related passages found in the book of Hebrews—6:4-14; 10:26-31; 12:14-29). The first view says that these passages are warnings to Christians not to live carnally. The second view, being Arminianist, says that these passages are a warning to Christians not to apostatize and thus forfeit their salvation. The correct view is that these passages are warnings to individuals within the church with regard to the danger of failing to take possession of salvation, thus falling beyond hope into apostasy. When we come to Hebrews 6:4-8, we will note an additional view with respect to that passage.

Our major concern with this passage is identifying who is being addressed. In verse 1, the address is clearly to "holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling," and in verse 6, to the house of God. Again in verse 12 they are referred to as "brethren." There can be no doubt that these are all references to a group of saved people. That is the obvious point. Now, let us examine the not-so-obvious point: Each time the readers are addressed as "brethren," or some other term indicative of genuine faith (cf. vv. 1-6a & 12), the address is qualified. The identification as saved people established in verses 1-6a is qualified in verse 6b (where "if" is the third class conditional—"ean" εαν [the subjunctive mood—implying that the condition is uncertain]; in other words, they may or may not actually be of God's house). What the writer of Hebrews is saying is this: "You are what I have called you (in verses 1-6a), assuming (i.e. "if") you hold fast (v. 6b)." What is the opposite of holding fast? Verse 12 defines it as "falling away" (apistia, απιστια). Likewise, the identification of the saved people established in verse 12 is qualified in verse 14 (again, "if" is the third class conditional—subjunctive mood, as before). In other words, the author addresses his audience according to their profession of faith, since he does not know their hearts. But he does so with clear qualification. His form of address contains the cordial assumption that they are what they claim to be (true believers in Christ), though he clearly has concerns that some within the church may eventually be manifested as apostates. This is a wise assumption to make about any church—past, present or future.

There is a parallel to this form of address in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church. Thrice in 2 Corinthians, Paul refers to his readers as "brethren," twice as "beloved," and in the first verse he addresses the letter to "saints;" but in 13:5 he warns that some of them might not be saved! Clearly his designations were conditioned upon true faith in Christ. Even though Paul addressed the readers as "saints" and "brethren," he knew the likelihood that in any church there are some who, though they fully understand the gospel, have yet to act on it. The author of Hebrews does the same thing; he writes to a local congregation warning them about the possibility of apostasy among some within the congregation, even though he is convinced that most of them are saved (cf. 6:9). After all, how else could such a letter have been addressed? We could hardly expect him to have said, "To the saints and potential apostates." Such would have been highly offensive and does not fit with the tone of the letter. While the passage is addressed to those professing faith in Christ, it is a warning of the danger of failing to take possession of salvation through faith in Christ.

The presence of these conditions is clear evidence that the author was concerned about the salvation of some in the local church. His assertion is that those who are truly saved are those who "hold fast the beginning . . . firm until the end." This agrees with the message of 1 John 2:18-19. Therefore, we should understand the "rest" referred to in 3:14-4:13 as illustrating (analogically) salvation through faith. Those who have placed their faith in Christ have entered that rest—all who have not are strongly exhorted to do so. Again, we have seen that there is no indication from this passage that a saved person can be lost. The message here is this: It is those who hold fast to the end that are truly saved. It is simply the nature of true faith to be "faithful." "Faith" that proves unfaithful was never true faith to begin with.

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

Apostasy: 2 Peter 2

"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 judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, 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. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 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.'"

Peter describes the same type of person that Paul had described in 1 Timothy 4:1-3. Notice:

1. In verse 15, he "forsakes" (relinquishes) the right way.
2. In verse 20, after escaping the defilements of the world by knowledge (epignosis, επιγνωσις, which means "full discernment") of the Lord and Saviour, he reverts back to those defilements.

The question we have to answer is this: Is there any indication from this passage that the apostates described here are, or ever were, saved? The answer is an emphatic "No!" This can be supported from three lines of evidence.

The first line of evidence is found in 2 Peter 2:20 where Peter says, "the last state has become worse for them than the first." Verse 21 defines the two states to which verse 20 refers: the first state is "not to have known the way of righteousness;" the second state is "having known it, to turn away." If we understand this statement to be referring to saved people, then that sets Peter up in the position of stating that these people were better off before they were saved—obviously an absurdity. For that reason alone, this passage cannot be referring to saved people. It could never be correctly stated that a Christian was better off before they were saved. The Arminianist view of this passage believes that the people described were saved and then lost their salvation, in which case they certainly would be worse off (but not worse off than they were before they knew the gospel—only worse off than they were before they "lost" their salvation). But that is not what this passage actually says. The passage says that they are worse off than before they knew the gospel. The idea is that these individuals were far better off before they turned away from the truth, because up until that point they could have yielded themselves and have been saved. But now they have determined to reject the truth, and in so doing they have rendered themselves with no recourse—since there is no other means of salvation than faith in Christ. If a person rejects the truth with full knowledge of what he/she is doing, what hope is there? Such an individual had understood the truth of the gospel fully, and with sufficient knowledge has refused it.

The second line of evidence is found in verse 22. What does the proverb of "a dog returns to its own vomit" mean? A dog returns to its vomit because that is a dog's nature. Why does a pig "wallowing in the mire"? Because wallowing in the mire is consistent with the pig's nature. You can bathe a pig, but that does not change the pig's nature. A pig having had a bath is still just a pig. We should not be surprised when it returns to the mud. This proverb simply illustrates the difference between reformation and transformation. An apostate turns away from the faith because he/she was never transformed through person faith in the truth, even though they may have experienced a measure of personal reformation (behavioural modification) for a period of time. (Personal reformation may involve both attitudes and actions—soul and body—but does not originate from a renewed spirit as does transformation.) When such a one departs from the faith and denies the Saviour, they are simply doing what is in accordance with their untransformed nature. They may have appeared to be a saved person, from what could be detected externally, but in reality their nature was never changed. Eventually, some of them overtly return to their old ways (they apostatize, cf. Luke 11:24-28), while others covertly remain as "hidden reefs" within the local church (Jude 12).

The third line of evidence that this passage is describing apostasy involved the apostate's destiny. Verse 1 says that apostates will be "destroyed" (apoleia, απωλεια, which means "to destroy utterly"—a total and final destruction). This is the same term that is translated "perish" in John 3:16. There, the ones perishing are set in bold contrast to the saved. In Matthew 15:24, apoleia is translated "lost." The idea is that to be "lost" indicates a future of eternal destruction in hell. In 2 Peter 2:9, Peter indicates that these individuals will be kept under punishment "for the day of judgment." In 2:17, Peter says, "the black darkness has been reserved" for apostates. This phrase, composed of six Greek words, is repeated in only one other location in the entire New Testament—Jude 13. A comparison of Jude 5-13 clearly establishes that Jude was speaking in reference to the same people that Peter had in mind—apostates. Note that Jude adds the word "forever" in the phrase. Doubtless, this is an eternal judgment. Thus, we see that apostates, as described in this passage, are lost and there is no indication that they were ever saved.

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

Apostasy: 1 Timothy 4:1-3

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth."

In this passage, Paul describes an apostate as one who departs from the faith. Some individuals have erroneously interpreted Paul's statement here to mean that these individuals were previously saved. However, this is a reference to a departure from the gospel itself, not from personal saving faith. We must not confuse "the faith" with personal faith in Christ Jesus. These are two distinct concepts (cf. Jude 3). "The faith" refers to the body of truth (inclusive of the gospel) that defines Christianity. "Personal faith" is submission to the gospel, which is a portion of that truth (cf. 1 Pet. 1:22; 2:8; 3:1; 4:17). Of course, in order for someone to depart from the faith, they must have professed to have believed that faith. Otherwise, how else could it be said that they depart from it? In other words, an apostate is one who professes to believe the truth for a time, but later turns from that profession. It is crucial for you to understand that outward profession may or may not be the product of genuine saving faith. There is no way of telling from a profession if the faith professed is genuine. True faith can only be seen through a transformed life consistent with belief in the truth. The fact that Paul indicates it was from "the" faith that they departed, rather than from "faith," proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this passage is not suggesting that they were previously saved.

Borrowed and revised from Sam A. Smith's The Biblical Doctrine of Apostasy.

What Is Apostasy?

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...

Backsliding

BACKSLIDER

            Proverbs 14:14              5472

BACKSLIDING

            Jeremiah 3:6                  4878

            Jeremiah 3:8                  4878

            Jeremiah 3:11                4878

            Jeremiah 3:12                4878

            Jeremiah 3:14                7726

            Jeremiah 3:22                7726

            Jeremiah 8:5                  4878

            Jeremiah 31:22              7728

            Jeremiah 49:4                7728

            Hosea 4:16                    5637

            Hosea 11:7                    4878

            Hosea 14:4                    4878

BACKSLIDINGS

            Jeremiah 2:19                4878

            Jeremiah 3:22                4878

            Jeremiah 5:6                  4878

            Jeremiah 14:7                4878

4878: waywardness, backsliding, faithlessness, apostasy; turning away (Prov. 1:32)

5472: [Q] to turn away, be faithless, be disloyal; [N] to be turned back, be disloyal, be faithless; [H] to move, displace; [Ho] to be driven back

5637: [Q] to be stubborn, be obstinate, be rebellious

7726: faithless, rebellious, apostate

7728: unfaithful, traitorous, apostate

[H] Hebrew verb stem, Hiphil

[Ho] Hebrew verb stem, Hophal

[N] Hebrew verb stem, Niphal

[Q] Hebrew verb stem, Qal

APOSTASY: A “falling away.” The common classical use of the word has to do with a political defection. In the NT its more usual meaning is that of a religious defection. This is called “apostasy from the faith:” a withdrawing from the church, and a disowning of the name of Christ. Some of its peculiar characteristics are mentioned, such as seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, hypocritical lying, a seared conscience, forbidding of marriage and of meats, a form of godliness without power. The grave nature of apostasy is shown by such passages as Heb. 10:26-29, 2 Pet. 2:15-21, and John 15:22. Apostasy is the act of a professed Christian who knowingly and deliberately rejects revealed truth regarding the deity of Christ (1 John 4:1-3) and redemption through His atoning sacrifice (Phil. 3:18; 2 Pet. 2:1). Apostasy departs from the faith but not from the outward profession of it (2 Tim. 3:5). Apostasy, whether among angels (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:15; Jude 6), in Israel (Isa. 1:1-6; 5:5-7), or in the church (Rev. 3:14-16) is irremediable and awaits judgment. Apostates are only professors and not actual possessors of true salvation, otherwise their defection would incur severe chastening or, if this failed to restore them, untimely (physical) death (1 Cor. 5:5; 11:32; 1 John 5:16).

Can a backslider be a Christian? No, because he has never slid forward to begin with.

Can a Christian be a backslider? No, because the mere definition proves they were never Christian to begin with. A Christian cannot jettison the faith and disown Jesus Christ.