Personal apostasy & the reasons for it (#1) Falling Away From God

Religious Surveys: 40% of Catholics & Protestants will fall away from their churches & religious teaching. 28% of Catholics will no longer be Catholic after graduating from college. 75% of all Mormons will fall away from their faith at some point. 50% among churches of Christ will fall away from “the faith” between 18 & 25.

Levels of Falling Away “Backsliding” – a fundamental change in one’s relationship to God (Jer 3:6-14). Sporadic attendance. Uninvolved with the church. Indifferent toward the cause of Christ. Maintain stronger relationships in the world. Greater interest in worldly pursuits. “Drifting away” (cf. Heb 2:1).

Levels of Falling Away “Forsaking the church” – switching one’s allegiance from the New Testament church & its doctrine to a church & doctrine of later or different origin (1 Jn 2:19). To forsake the assembly (cf. Heb 10:25): to abandon, desert, to leave behind (Matt 27:46; Rom 9:29).

Levels of Falling Away “Denying or departing the faith” – renouncing & rejecting the basic truth upon which Christians are to be unified in Christ (Eph 4:4-6). Demas loved the world (2 Tim 4:10) Refusing to provide for his own (1 Tim 5:8). Characteristic of the last days (1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 3:1-5).

Two Observations 1st – Falling away has grave consequences: dead in sin & separated from God. Because one’s relationship to God has changed. One has abandoned the body of Christ. One has rejected the gospel (Rom 1:16).

Two Observations 2nd – We cannot always know why a person falls away, nor can we always see it coming. Because we can’t look into one’s heart to see: Genuine faith in the gospel Authentic relationship to Christ True motives & affections But we can observe signs (cf. Gal 5:15-26).

Seeing the signs 1 Tim 5:24-25 (NASU) – The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. 25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, & those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. What is “evident” in the person’s life? What are his or her “deeds”?

Seeing the signs Matt 7:17-20 (NKJV) – Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Inspect the fruit.