April 24th, 2024
“Some will depart from the faith.”
As an optimist, I have a hard time with negativity. I don’t like bad news, and I’m always looking for ways to turn it around and see the silver lining. Sometimes, though, you can’t get around it. The truth hurts. And when it comes to eternal souls, the truth can be devastating.
Apostasy is not an exception to the rule, an outlier, or an irregularity, but an inevitability. Sadly, in every generation of the Church, some fall away from the faith. Although the Apostle Paul knew from experience that pastoral ministry was filled with discouragement and heartbreak (see II Corinthians 4:7-12), he did not sugarcoat the truth to his young protégé in Ephesus. He wrote in I Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” Paul was preparing Timothy for this unsettling reality.
In fact, Paul had experienced this firsthand. A trusted ministry partner named Demas, who had even visited Paul in prison (Colossians 4:14) and was called one of Paul’s “fellow workers” along with Mark and Luke (Philemon 24), deserted him, and the faith, “loving this present world” (II Timothy 4:10).
Two others – Hymenaeus and Alexander – suffered spiritual shipwreck (I Timothy 1:19-20). Paul acutely felt the heartache caused by apostasy. But this didn’t lead to a passive resignation for Paul. Nor do we find a defeated attitude anywhere in the New Testament. Instead, the writers of the New Testament take a proactive approach. Even though some will fall away, they want their audiences to be informed (Jude 17-18), warned (Hebrews 3:12; 4:11), and prepared (I Timothy 1:19-20).
Over the next few weeks, I’d like to investigate more deeply what the Bible teaches about apostasy. Although it’s not a word we hear every day, it is happening all around us under other names: deconstruction, losing one’s faith, or deconversion.
Studying apostasy and its opposite in the New Testament – most often translated “perseverance” – will equip us on our own faith journey and prepare us to help those around us who are doubting or deconstructing their faith.
True, there is bad news, an unsettling reality. But there is also good news. God is faithful (I Thessalonians 5:24), and even in the context of apostasy, we can show evidence of “better things…the things that have to do with salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).
As an optimist, I have a hard time with negativity. I don’t like bad news, and I’m always looking for ways to turn it around and see the silver lining. Sometimes, though, you can’t get around it. The truth hurts. And when it comes to eternal souls, the truth can be devastating.
Apostasy is not an exception to the rule, an outlier, or an irregularity, but an inevitability. Sadly, in every generation of the Church, some fall away from the faith. Although the Apostle Paul knew from experience that pastoral ministry was filled with discouragement and heartbreak (see II Corinthians 4:7-12), he did not sugarcoat the truth to his young protégé in Ephesus. He wrote in I Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” Paul was preparing Timothy for this unsettling reality.
In fact, Paul had experienced this firsthand. A trusted ministry partner named Demas, who had even visited Paul in prison (Colossians 4:14) and was called one of Paul’s “fellow workers” along with Mark and Luke (Philemon 24), deserted him, and the faith, “loving this present world” (II Timothy 4:10).
Two others – Hymenaeus and Alexander – suffered spiritual shipwreck (I Timothy 1:19-20). Paul acutely felt the heartache caused by apostasy. But this didn’t lead to a passive resignation for Paul. Nor do we find a defeated attitude anywhere in the New Testament. Instead, the writers of the New Testament take a proactive approach. Even though some will fall away, they want their audiences to be informed (Jude 17-18), warned (Hebrews 3:12; 4:11), and prepared (I Timothy 1:19-20).
Over the next few weeks, I’d like to investigate more deeply what the Bible teaches about apostasy. Although it’s not a word we hear every day, it is happening all around us under other names: deconstruction, losing one’s faith, or deconversion.
Studying apostasy and its opposite in the New Testament – most often translated “perseverance” – will equip us on our own faith journey and prepare us to help those around us who are doubting or deconstructing their faith.
True, there is bad news, an unsettling reality. But there is also good news. God is faithful (I Thessalonians 5:24), and even in the context of apostasy, we can show evidence of “better things…the things that have to do with salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).
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