Apostasy - Part 2

There is a common thread that unites every church that turns from truth to apostasy and that thread is that they have set aside the authority of God’s Word. This is the most well-worn path to apostasy taken by an apostate congregation. Consider the spiritual ground that is lost when the church surrenders biblical authority. If Scripture does not speak with absolute, inerrant authority, the offer of justification by grace through faith cannot be extended to desperate sinners. We have no leg to stand on if we do away with the sufficiency of Christ as the sacrifice for sins, or His authority as the head of the church nor, are we unable to cling to the glorious truth that was imparted by way of the cross. Without these truths, man has no guarantee that God’s wrath against sin has been satisfied. There can be no assurance of faith, no hope of heaven, and no confidence in the promises of God for salvation in John 3:16. Doing away with the authority of Scripture to the authority of men only paves the way for false doctrine and false teachers to infiltrate a church. It invites theological confusion, elevating the words of fallible men over the inerrant Word of God. Romans 1 gives us a true glimpse into what the world will look like once truth has been shut out and God's light is no longer allowed to reflect biblical truth and authority.

The enemy's plan and intention is designed to exchange the gospel of grace for a man-centered system that pollutes the purity of God’s truth. It clouds biblical doctrine with superstition, tradition, an extra-biblical revelation, which all leads to a demonic deception. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees because they were making up rules that were not given to them by God, but from their own corrupt intentions and were laying heavily upon the people. They preached a separate theology than that of what God had instructed Moses to give them. Churches today are so invested in attracting people and I fear that in their attempt to bury their theology under the welcome mat, they are losing any solid spiritual ground that they may have had. That unbiblical model of outreach is the very thing dulling many churches’ ability to reach the world with the gospel. Filling the pews with comfortable, unaffected unbelievers is the fastest way to confuse and corrupt the work of the church. God has not called His people out of the world to chase its trends in vain attempts to seem relevant. The church cannot be salt and light in this world if we are indistinguishable from the very people that we are seeking to reach as described in Matthew 5:13–16.

Sadly, the fate of an apostates not only ends in destruction for themselves, they take those who listen to them and believe their false teachings with them. Speaking to His disciples about the religious leaders of His day, Jesus said, “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Matthew 15:14 Jesus affirms that it is not only the false teachers that go to destruction, but their disciples also follow them.

Matthew 13:24-30 explains how in the right time God will deal with apostates. In one of His parables Jesus told the story of a farmer who sowed good seed on good ground, but while he slept an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. Tares are poisonous weeds that look just like wheat in the early stages. But if eaten by a person or an animal, nausea would occur, convulsions, and in certain circumstances, even death! This was a spiteful act of malice by the enemy to do such a thing. The enemy had nothing to gain, except to ruin the wheat crop of the farmer. When his workers realized what had been done they asked the farmer if they should begin removing the tares, and he told them no, that it would be easier to tell the difference at harvest time. He added, that at that point, they would bring the wheat into the barn, but would separate the tares into bundles and burn them. Apostates will always be in the church. It is not always clear as to who they are. Their teaching is so close to truth at times that if possible, even God's elect would be deceived. But O friend, God knows who they are and at the right time will deal with them properly. Matthew 7:21-23 gives us a glimpse of that day. Our churches are full of people who have a religion but they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord. Philippians 2:12 tells us all to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Billy Graham once said that his greatest mission field had been the roll books of churches. Many that were brought to Christ through his ministry had been church members. Examine yourself today sweet friend whether you be in the faith!

Hold Fast,

Bren