Those on the rocky
soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and
these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of
temptation fall away. Luke 8:13
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel. Galatians 1:6
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. 1 Timothy 4:1
Keeping
faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered
shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and
Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught
not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:19-20
To
apostatize is to renounce a belief. This is one of the many warnings
found in the New Testament. The question is asked if it is possible for a
born again believer to apostatize. Some, trying to answer this question
have said that only those who pretend to be believers can apostatize.
But If to apostatize means the renouncing of faith, the question must
then be asked if one who has no faith in a belief system can renounce a
belief system that he doesn't believe in. This doesn't make any sense. A
new meaning must of necessity then be found for the word, apostasy.
Those
who say that Christians cannot apostatize use the parable of the tares
and wheat to support their claim, but in the parable of the wheat and
tares, there never was any mistaking of the tares for wheat. The workers
immediately recognized them as tares, distinct from wheat. So, this
parable cannot be used to argue that apostates are false brethren found
amongst believers. But are there false brethren in the church? Yes,
there are, but unlike apostates, they continue in their self-deception,
but apostates cease to continue in the faith. Apostates make no secret
of their denial and departure from the faith, but false brethren hide,
and seek to be admitted into the commonwealth of believers. And
Interestingly, nowhere in the bible is the believer ever warned against
being a false brethren, but rather, he is warned against apostatizing.
It to this danger of falling away from faith we once had that we are
severally warned against in the bible.
Apostates
are different from those who are unsaved who are among the church,
enjoy the messages, the music, and the fellowship, but have never
repented of their sins and accepted Christ by faith. They have all the
externalities associated with true faith, but inwardly are corrupt and
defiled. To a casual observer, the false brethren who pretends to be a
believer, looks like a believer; but this is not true for the apostate
who openly renounces his association with Christ and His cause, things
that he once embraced. Apostates are not make believe people, they don't
hide the fact that they have renounced the faith, false brethren are
make believe people, who mingle with true believers.
Toni
