My dictionary defines apostasy as desertion or departure from teachings, principles, a cause, etc., or forsaking a party, a church, or a cause.  It may thus be a doctrinal change or a fellowship change.  Can true believers be taken in by false teachers and false doctrines?  The Bible frequently warns against following false witnesses and false prophets. Those in ancient Israel or among the flock of a local church in this dispensation who are not true believers would be easily deceived by such tools of Satan.  Paul’s epistles were to churches, which contained unsaved as well as redeemed in attendance.  His warnings would be read aloud and repeated, and yes, for them apostasy was a real threat.

Young Christians in the faith, true believers, would be easily influenced by all they heard taught or preached, often unable to discern between what was Scriptural and what was of the figment of man’s desires.  Older believers in the church have a real obligation to warn and to protect such babes in the faith.  That may have been part of what Paul was warning about in many of his epistles.  To those not yet able to discern, teachings and practices might all be merely grey rather than black and white.  We cannot assume that they will automatically have the “wisdom” of older Christians.  Yes, it is important to warn them, to teach them, to pray for them, and to urge them to remain true to the faith once delivered unto the saints.

Some, it appears, are taking apostasy as deliberate departure from Christianity, a human means of spiritual suicide.  The Bible does appear to be clear that God will keep His own true to the end.  Many, perhaps in every generation, who have only outwardly appeared to have a new life in Christ might make public their true inner persuasion and be judged by others as having forsaken Christianity.  The term “apostate” is used of them as well as of believers who have adopted a wrong doctrine.  God sees the heart.  These who proclaim something contrary to Bible doctrine may be born again or still in the flesh.  An area of teaching or practice, clearly contrary to the truth is wrong whether held by one unsaved or by one having the Holy Spirit.   One who has never known the Lord is merely displaying his inner heart.  He has not “lost” a salvation he never had.

In the last century as theological liberalism gained precedence in most of the denominations, only God could have distinguished between those who were believers taken in by false teachings and those who never had come to know the Lord.  Those who continued to teach the fundamentals of the faith displayed loyalty to the Lord.  Those who doubted or denied any of the foundational teachings of Scripture may have or may not have been true believers.  That is not for us to judge.  We who know the Lord are to stay clear of false teachings and false teachers.  That we might be tricked into denying our Lord is a genuine possibility.  We cannot lose our new life in the faith, but we can deny important teachings and practices of our faith.

- “Cogitations”, Dr. Warren Vanhetloo1

  1. To begin subscription, ask questions, or make comments, email Dr. Van at cbsvan@sbcglobal.net [↩]