THE GREAT APOSTASY
2 Thessalonians 2:3
“ Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the
apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have
professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed,
who is the son of doom (of perdition),”AMP
“ Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the
apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have
professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed,
who is the son of doom (of perdition),”AMP
Definition:
Apostasy is from the greek word Apostasia meaning a
rejection of the Christianity or professing faith but not practicing it.
The Bible would say unto us also about it in this way:-
The Bible would say unto us also about it in this way:-
2 Timothy
3:5
“For [although] they hold a form of piety
(true religion), they deny and reject
and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of
their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” AMP
and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of
their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” AMP
Biblical Definitions
Other Biblical definitions of this
word Apostasy include:-
1.
Leaving or
Abandoning the first love. Revelation 2:4
(But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].) Amp.
(But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].) Amp.
2.
Neither Hot
nor Cold. Revelation 3:15-16 (I know your [record of] works and what you are
doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!
doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!
So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold
nor hot, I will spew you out o
of My mouth!)AMP
of My mouth!)AMP
3.
Love Growing cold. Matthew
24:10-12
(And then
many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him
Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray
one another and pursue one another with hatred. And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many
into error. And the love of the great body of people will grow
cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,)AMP
4.
The falling away from the
faith. 1 Timothy 4:1 ( BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in
latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding
and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach,) AMP
Apostle Paul gave us some scriptural examinations of the great
Apostasy of our time which include:
·
Christians will not endure sound doctrine, they’ll heap up teachers to
teach them things that their ears are
itching to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
itching to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
·
In the latter days there’ll be a form of godliness but denying the
power of God thereof. 2 Timothy 3:5
·
People will mock the promise of Jesus Christ’s return. 2 Peter 3:3-4
This is so
true of our time today, many have notions like the rapture, will never take
place, others say He promised to come soon and now its 2000 and some years, He
is nowhere to be seen. But the Bible clearly says to us that He’ll come like
thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)
He will also
come like lightening. (Matthew 24:27)
Questions to
ask ourselves are who knows when the thief will break in or who knows how and
where and when will the lightening take place? This shows us that His coming
will be so soon and sudden, so we should be ready at all times to meet Him. Are You Ready If He Came Right Now?
Although many
preach, these things are happening in our day today and the Lord warns us that
we should watch unto prayer that our faith doesn’t fail us and also be able to
escape the coming of the day of the son of Man. Luke
21:36.
The Church today has so much
fallen away, that the Holy Spirit is convicting us to wake up to the reality
that Jesus Christ’s soon return is eminent and we should start preparing
ourselves for Him as well as go out and win the Lost. We should stop being so
concerned with our little dreams in slumber like the Virgins of Matthew 25.
Hebrews
3:12-14 therefore says (Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil,
unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the
living God.) ESV
Let’s Look at the some of the
Root causes of Apostasy in our times today that the Spirit of God
is telling us to look out for and endure:-
is telling us to look out for and endure:-
THE
ROOT OF APOSTASY
How have we reached this
crisis point in the Church today? Many have bought the lies of the
enemy that he circulates through knowledge today, thereby getting those who seek
knowledge get trapped.
enemy that he circulates through knowledge today, thereby getting those who seek
knowledge get trapped.
The Germany school of Higher Criticism of
skeptics invaded the world big-time in the 1920’s
with the theory (The Scientific Approach of the School of Skeptics) that the
with the theory (The Scientific Approach of the School of Skeptics) that the
Bible
is not the revealed word of God, Rather it’s man’s search of God, and therefore
it’s
filled with Myth, Legend and Superstition. Today this view fills the seminaries of
filled with Myth, Legend and Superstition. Today this view fills the seminaries of
America. This now introduces
us to our first root cause of Apostasy in the Church today:-
- Taking the Bible out of it’s place in the Church today.
This leads to
error and deception in the Church. Many false teachers, christs and prophets (Matthew 24:4, 5, 11, 1 Timothy 4:1-4, 2 Timothy 4:34)
will come with many ideas deceiving even the elect if possible. Because
believers in the latter times will heap up teachers to teach them what their
ears tingle to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
This means
that believers
will also begin to form their identity based on culture Rather than Christ.
- Persecutions.
Tribulations
come to test our faith, when we are found not rooted in the precious Word of
God, our faith weavers and therefore fall away from the truth. Luke 8:11-13
Let’s
not be deceived that we can run away from these trials and tribulations but the
Bible calls us to endure them in His name. Matthew 24:13 (But he who endures to
the end will be saved.)AMP
John 16:33 (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the World.)KJV
Bible calls us to endure them in His name. Matthew 24:13 (But he who endures to
the end will be saved.)AMP
John 16:33 (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the World.)KJV
- Temptations.
James 1:2-4
(Consider it wholly joyful, my
brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or
encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and
understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and
steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience
have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly
and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.) AMP
encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and
understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and
steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience
have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly
and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.) AMP
This message
is a wake up call for us to:-
- Watch and Pray.
Luke 21:36
(Watch
ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to
escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
of man.) KJV for no one knows when the Son of Man is coming back.
escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
of man.) KJV for no one knows when the Son of Man is coming back.
- Cleansing ourselves in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians
5:26-27
(So
that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water
with the Word, That He might present the church to Himself in glorious
splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy
and faultless])AMP. For Christ is coming back for a spotless Church.
with the Word, That He might present the church to Himself in glorious
splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy
and faultless])AMP. For Christ is coming back for a spotless Church.
- Looking Unto Jesus.
Hebrews
12:1-2
(THEREFORE THEN, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
[who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every
encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and
cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and
steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set
before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the
Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief]
[who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every
encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and
cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and
steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set
before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the
Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief]
and is also its Finisher [bringing
it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was
set before Him, endured the cross, despising
and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.)AMP
and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.)AMP
We are called to throw away the sins
that so easily beset us that we may look unto Him,
the High priest of our souls who will save us from this great and terrible of His coming.
the High priest of our souls who will save us from this great and terrible of His coming.
Conclusion:
Let’s return to the Truth of Jesus Christ’s Gospel as we await and
anticipate His eminent
return on the earth as a King of Kings
return on the earth as a King of Kings
An English man called William Booth (1829-1912) founder of Salvation
Army, on the eve of
the 20th century when Christendom was caught up in Euphoria about how the Church
would soon take the world for Christ, he prophesied that the Gospel would not fare well in
the new century, specially he prophesied that by the end of the 20th
Century, much of the Church would be preaching:-
the 20th century when Christendom was caught up in Euphoria about how the Church
would soon take the world for Christ, he prophesied that the Gospel would not fare well in
the new century, specially he prophesied that by the end of the 20th
Century, much of the Church would be preaching:-
·
Christianity without Christ.
·
Forgiveness without Repentance.
·
Salvation without Regeneration.
·
Heaven without Hell.
This is happening in our time today, Watch Brethren Watch.
Maranatha.