Apostasy: A Present Danger and a Call to Persevere

Contending for the Word – August 27, 2025

Written by Dave Jenkins

The Question:
What is apostasy, and can it happen today?

Defining Apostasy

Apostasy is the act of deliberately abandoning or renouncing the true, biblical faith. The term comes from the Greek apostasia, meaning “departure” or “falling away.” It is not merely struggling with doubt or wrestling through hard questions—it is a decisive rejection of Christ and His gospel.

What Scripture Says

The Bible speaks with sobering clarity about apostasy. Paul warns in 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

Jesus also spoke of the last days when “many will fall away” (Matthew 24:10–13). Jude 4 describes apostates as those who “creep in unnoticed” and twist grace into license. Hebrews 3:12 cautions believers: “Take care… lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”

Apostasy is real—and it is deadly.

Can a True Christian Apostatize?

Those who are truly born again cannot lose their salvation or ultimately fall away. Jesus promises that no one will snatch His sheep from His hand (John 10:28–29). Philippians 1:6 assures us that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.”

Yet not everyone who claims Christ truly belongs to Him (Matthew 7:21–23). As John writes, “They went out from us, but they were not of us” (1 John 2:19). Apostasy reveals the true condition of the heart—not a loss of salvation, but the exposure of false faith.

Apostasy in Our Day

Modern apostasy does not always appear as outright atheism. More often, it surfaces in subtle yet destructive ways:

• Progressive Christianity: Denying biblical authority or redefining morality.
• Celebrity Deconversion Stories: Public figures abandoning the faith and influencing others.
• Subtle Drift: Gradual compromise that eventually rejects Christ altogether.

Whether quiet or loud, apostasy always rejects God’s truth in favor of man’s lies (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

How the Church Should Respond

• Preach Sound Doctrine — Guard the flock with truth (Titus 1:9).
• Call for Repentance — Warn those drifting to return to Christ (James 5:19–20).
• Discern Fruit — Remember that not all professions of faith are genuine (Matthew 13:24–30).
• Pursue the Straying — Like the Good Shepherd, go after the lost with both truth and compassion (Luke 15:4–7).

Final Thoughts

Apostasy is not just a theological category—it is a spiritual tragedy. It reminds us that Christianity is not about a past decision but about ongoing faith in the living Christ. Those who are truly His will endure—not because they are strong, but because He is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:8–9).

Let us therefore examine ourselves, hold fast to the gospel, and lovingly contend for the truth in a world full of deception. Apostasy is real—but so is the keeping power of our Savior.