The Foul Fruit of Apostasy

Many people profess to be Christians but reject the Bible as God’s Word; deny the deity of Christ; or repudiate the incarnation, virgin birth, resurrec­tion, or justification by faith. These doctrines and others are cardinal to Christianity and nonnegotiable for true believers in Christ.

Scripture warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Mt. 7:15-16). Following is helpful information on apostasy.

Apostasy. “A deliberate repudia­tion and abandonment of the faith that one has professed (Heb. 3:12).”¹

The Apostasy of 2 Thessalonians 2:3. “An aggressive and climactic revolt against God that will prepare the way for the appearance of the man of sin.”²

Apostates Are Not True Believers. (Dt. 13:13; 1 Jn. 2:19). There is a dif­ference between someone who denies the faith out of fear and then returns to it, as the apostle Peter did, and someone who categorically rejects it.

Apostates Will Flourish in the Last Days (2 Th. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Apostates Will Be Punished (2 Pet. 2:17-22).

ENDNOTES

1. L.G. Whitlock, Jr., “Apostasy,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984), 70.
2. Charles Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition NASB (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 1912 n. 2:3.