Personal apostasy & the reasons for it

(#2)

Falling away Falling away from God. ApostatizingApostatizing, going into apostasy. LeavingLeaving the faith. TurningTurning or wanderingwandering from the truth. Going back Going back into the world of sin. LeavingLeaving the umbrella of God’s grace &

mercy. SeparatingSeparating from the love of God in

Christ J. Falling away Falling away == being lost eternally being lost eternally

Luke 8:6, 13 – Some fell on rock; & as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture…13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; & these have no root, who believe for a while & in time of temptation fallfall awayaway.

Matt 24:9-10 – Then they will deliver you up to tribulation & kill you, & you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. 10 And then many will be offendedoffended [will turn away, NIV], will betray one another, & will hate one another.

Heb 2:1-3 – Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we driftdrift awayaway. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, & every transgression & disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, & was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

Heb 3:12 – Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departingdeparting from the living God

Heb 6:4-6 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, & have tasted the heavenly gift, & have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 & have tasted the good word of God & the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fallfall awayaway, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, & put Him to an open shame.

Jas 5:19-20 – Brethren, if anyone among you wanderswanders fromfrom the truth, & someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death & cover a multitude of sins.

2 Pet 3:17 – Beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fallfall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;18 but grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Pet 2:20 – For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them & overcomeovercome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

1 Tim 4:1-2 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will departdepart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits & doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

1 Tim 1:5-7 – Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, & from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayedstrayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

1 Tim 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayedstrayed from the faith in their greediness, & pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Tim 6:20-21 – O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane & idle babblings & contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge — 21 by professing it some have strayedstrayed concerning the faith.

2 Tim 4:2-4 – Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 & they will turnturn their ears away from the truth, & be turned aside to fables.

1 Tim 1:19-20 – having faith & a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreckshipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus & Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

1 Tim 5:12-15 – And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, & not only idle but also gossips & busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 15 For some have already turnedturned asideaside after Satan.

Jud 2:16-17 – Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, & bowed down to them. They turnedturned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so.

Hosea 11:7 – My people are bent on backslidingbacksliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him.

“My people are determined to turnturn awayaway from Me” (NIV).

Lack of spiritual leadershipLack of spiritual leadership: The Jews (Matt 24:12-13Matt 24:12-13) The church (Acts 20:29-30Acts 20:29-30) The home (Eph 5:23Eph 5:23; 6:46:4; Col Col

3:213:21)

Associating with the wrong Associating with the wrong peoplepeople: Solomon’s wives (1 Kings 11:1, 1 Kings 11:1,

44) Evil companions (1 Cor 15:331 Cor 15:33)▪ Context: those who reject any part of

the Truth

Successes & failuresSuccesses & failures: Pursuit of money (1 Tim 6:101 Tim 6:10) Unexpected tragedy (Eccl 5:13-Eccl 5:13-

1717)

Shallow faithShallow faith: Overcome by trial & persecution, and overcome by earthly cares, riches & pleasures (Matt 13:20-22Matt 13:20-22)

No shield of faith to protect (Eph 6:16Eph 6:16).