It goes without saying that things are heating up in the world. We have wars and rumors of wars. We have false economic stability with certain people making millions while economic disaster is hanging over the head of the world. In America we have a government gone wild and a media that cannot be trusted with even telling us what time of the day it is.
Things are moving so fast that many feel like they are on a roller coaster ride that won't stop. It seemed like fun the first 30 seconds but now the heart and head can't take any more thrills and uncertain free falls. What about the Christian in all this? What are we to think and feel in all this chaos and uncertainty? There are many “growth areas” and “growth stages” within the life of a Christian. But there is a place that one can go in the Lord that the believer sets his face like a flint and in his heart he settles the issue once and for all. It is the place called “I can’t go back”. Isaiah 50:5 ESV The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. Isaiah 50:7 ESV But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. THE PLACE CALLED: "I CAN’T GO BACK" We know from studying the Scriptures that many believers will fall away from the faith, (2 Thess.2:1-3, Matt.24:10-13). However, there is a place and a price to pay to get to the place where we become disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and we know that we can’t go back to the world or the ways of old Adam. The place called "I can't go back" is not a secret place that is hidden by our Lord. Although one who think so because it is seldom spoken about and even less practiced among believers. I guess then the only right thing for me to do as a Pastor would be to reveal the Scriptures describing the place. In the Scriptures we will see the place and the price of the place. If we settle this in reality of our inner most man we will set our face like a flint before the Lord and nothing or no one will be able to cause our heart to faint away. Then we are in the place of "I can't go back". Luke 14:26-27 ESV "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (27) Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 ESV So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. We cannot lose what we do not have or own. If we have it or own it and we place great value on it, then it will draw our heart away so that we don't lose it. There is no room for anything else when we are cross bearing and living in the place of "I can't go back." If we cannot find the place of "I can't go back" then I only have three words left to say... 'REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE".
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END TIMES DEPARTURE:
We have said that the Greek word for apostasy means "to fall away, to revolt, to defect, and to abundant the faith." In these end times or the last of the last days many will DEPART from the faith. We cannot sin away our salvation, but what happens when we walk away from the faith? We are saved by faith and we are kept by faith. When we say someone walked away from the faith we do not mean they walked away from the church services or other Biblical disciplines. Faith is an issue of the heart. In fact, from the Biblical examples we have, I don't believe that someone who has walked away from the faith realizes that it is or has happened to them. There are 5 evidences in the Word of God that reveals a person is truly born again: 1. Biblical Evidence: This is a person's testimony of praying to receive Christ. 2. Internal Evidence: This is the witness of the Holy Spirit within the person. 3. External Evidence: This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit manifesting outwardly. 4. Fraternal Evidence: This is the love for the Christian brothers. 5. Paternal Evidence: This is the spanking of the Father if in sin. These are explained in detail in my book "THE FIVE WITNESSES OF SALVATION" https://www.amazon.com/CHARLES-W-MORRIS/e/B07SR5X3K6?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060 DEPARTED FROM FAITH: 1 Timothy 4:1-3 ESV 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, (2) through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, (3) who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. The Greek says “shall depart” means to remove, revolt, depart, desert, or withdraw self from the faith. Some would say that these were never saved, or never were in the faith. However, how can one depart from something they never had? How can I fall off a ladder I never climbed up on? The Greek says that in departing they deserted, revolted against, withdrew themselves, and removed themselves form the position of faith. If I am saved by faith, I am kept by faith. We are saved by faith and therefore kept by faith. I cannot sin away my salvation, however I can walk away from the faith and become faithless in my heart. We have identified over the first 6 studies that apostasy a falling away or defection. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat, apostasia, a standing away from.
It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express a total abandonment of the faith. In this text Paul is addressing those believers who believed the teachings of the Sadducees over our Lord Jesus Christ concerning the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees taught against any form of the resurrection of the dead. This teaching affected the young church. Paul said that the faith they had placed in Christ for salvation would be in vain or worth nothing if Christ did not raise from the dead. He said that if this life is all we have and that we will not be resurrected to a new life then we are to be pitied. 3. EXERCISED FAITH IN VAIN: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 ESV (12) Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (13) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. (14) And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (15) We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. (16) For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. (17) And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (18) Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19) If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. The Greek says “faith is in vain” means that the faith has become empty and profitless. We have identified apostasy in the first five studies as a falling away or defection. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat, apostasia, a standing away from
It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express a total abandonment of the faith. This was a warning that was foretold to the believers. Question: If apostasy is something that only lost people can do, as many of our denominational teaching espouse, than why was it important that the warning was given to believers and to the church? The first warning from 1 Tim.4:1-3: Questions: In verse 1 it says that there are those who will depart from the faith. How can you cannot fall away from, defect from, or withdraw from something you have not been in? Secondly, lost people are already the children of Satan, deceived and speak the teachings of the enemy, so how can lost people leave the faith that they were never in, and devote themselves into something they have always been in? 1 Timothy 4:1-3 ESV 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, (2) through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, (3) who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. More later Salvation is by faith. If I get it by faith then it is kept by faith. But what happens when I develop a heart of faithlessness?
MADE VOID OR CANCELED OUT THE FAITH: Romans 4:13-16 ESV For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (14) For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. (15) For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. (16) That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. In verse 14 the Greek “to make null or void” means to make empty, abase, neutralize, falsify, or cause faith to be in vain. We will see that we are not boast that we were grafted in to the branch because we were grafted in by faith, and if we no longer walk in faith then we will be cut off. Romans 11:17-22 ESV But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, (18) do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (19) Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” (20) That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (22) Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. We said in previous studies that there is no evidence within Scriptures that supports a believer being able to "sin away" his salvation. However, there is a "falling away" from the faith which we are covering in these studies.
We in the first two studies that apostasy was a falling away or defection. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (apostasia, "a standing away from") It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. I know that many are emotionally tied to their church doctrines either because it was the church were they were saved or it was the one which their parents brought them up in. However, it is of no benefit to embrace doctrines that have so many "embarrassing Scriptures" that teach otherwise. I have found that people will believe anything you teach as long as you teach what they already believe. I embrace the doctrine of "the eternal security of the believer." But I do not embrace the doctrine of eternal security or "once saved, always saved." When some approach a lot of the salvation Scriptures such as Jn.3:16 they read it like the "believing" is eternal. No, the life is eternal. The believing is conditional. We will be covering many examples within the Scriptures of those who walked with our Lord Jesus Christ and then walked away from the faith. However, if your mind is made up to embrace your denominational teaching over the Word then your heart is unteachable. Why do I teach this? Because the Scriptures relating to falling from the faith is a great warning to the church. If you embrace the "once saved, always saved" doctrine, or perseverance of the saints then you cannot embrace Revelation chapter 22 as God's Holy Word Revelation 22:18-19 ESV I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, (19) and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Some would say that our Lord is speaking to lost people here. But the lost don't have any part of the tree of Life, which is our Lord Jesus Christ. We in the first two studies that apostasy was a falling away or defection. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (apostasia, "a standing away from")
It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. I just finished reading R C Sproul's definition of apostasy and according to him only lost people can apostatize. His argument was emotional at best using ten dollar words that said nothing. When we are emotionally and mentally bound to a certain doctrine, we need to find intellectual and emotional answers for Scriptures that doesn't fit our doctrine. I call those Scriptures our "Embarrassing Scriptures." These are the Scriptures that blow holes in our man-made intellectual belief system, yet we either ignore them or use some lofty explanation to dummy them down to fit our doctrine. So, to those who believe that a lost person commits apostasy here is my question. Exactly what is a lost person falling from, revolting against, defecting from? A man is never as bad as he can be, for no matter what immoral word, deed or thought he commits, he can outdo himself and be worst. However, even though a man is never as "BAD" as he can be, when he is spiritually lost, he is as "BAD OFF" as he can be. There are no degrees of lostness. A man can't fall deeper into being lost. A lost man can't defect to another level of being lost. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about a great apostasy from Christianity in the last days in the Book of Matthew. Remember that He is warning His followers. If this message was for lost people why didn't our Lord find a group of heathen or religious lost leaders and deliver it to them? Matthew 24:9-13 ESV “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. (10) And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. (12) And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Let's look at what our Lord said without our preconceived denominational biases. In verse 9 who is being delivered up for tribulation to be put to death? The believers. In verse 10 it will be the believers who will fall away. In verse 11 the lost false prophets will lead believers astray. It certainly can't be lost religious people leading lost people astray, they are already deceived. In verse 12 the love of many will grow cold. Only believers know the love of God. What love do lost people have? Phileo, Eros, and Epithumia, all of which are emotional and conditional. In verse 13 again we see that our Lord is speaking about saved people. What are they enduring? The tribulation of verse 9. The watching of many falling away and betraying one another of verse 10. The temptation to follow false prophets and becoming deceived of verse 11. The watching coldness of fellow believers of verse 12. The Apostle Paul piggybacked on Matthew 24, in his warning to the church about the coming tribulation. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 ESV Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, (2) not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, More Later.... We said yesterday that apostasy was a falling away or defection. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (he apostasia, "a standing away from")
It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. I am not speaking about those who were lost and thought that they were saved. That is covered in Matthew chapter 7. Matthew 7:21-23 ESV “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ (23) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ In Matt.7:21-23 this is lost religious people trying to convince the Lord on the day of judgment of all the great things they did. In verse 21 they confessed the right name, "Lord, Lord," but our Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear that is not enough. In Matt.7:22 these lost religious people start running down their list of all the wonderful things they did in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. They prophesied, they cast out demons, they did mighty works. Notice that the men were not making a statement of fact, but was asking a question, "did we not" In Matt.7:23 Our Lord answering the question in a way that is surprising. Our Lord said that He NEVER knew these men. They were religious and religiously active, but NEVER had a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He then told then to depart away from His presence. The next statement is amazing, He called them "workers of lawlessness." Our Lord Jesus Christ was basically saying that they used His name but had no right to. And He never acknowledged any credibility to their claims of great and mighty works such as prophecy, casting out demons, and mighty works. In fact He had a name for that which we might look at as great things within our church. Because they did not know Him, their religious works were explained as works of lawlessness. I have known many religious lost people in my ministry. Those who got baptized and joined the church and basically treated the church like their social hour each week. Now that we have covered the fact that there are lost people who think they are saved, look like they are saved, smell like they are saved, talk like they are saved, and have others deceived that they are saved, we can move on. I am not addressing these people. These are those who have NEVER met the Lord. They can't fall away from the faith because they have never been in the faith. You can't defect, revolt and fall away from something you have never owned or embraced. Embracing a religious institution or denomination is not being "in the faith." I am addressing the actual falling away of those who are truly born again. More later.... Anyone who has done any reading of God's Word at all knows that we cannot sin away our salvation. If this could be remotely possible we need to ask the hard questions.
1. Which sin is so much worse than all other sins that God would pull His salvation away from us? 2. How many times do we need to sin before God pulls His salvation away from us? We are not saved by works or our ability to be good or bad. We are saved by placing faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Let's look at the word apostasy which means, the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief, an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith, and an abandonment of a previous loyalty. It is a falling away or defection. Middle English apostasie, taken from the Late Latin apostasia, which was taken from the Greek, literally meaning to revolt. The Biblical Greek explains it this way a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (he apostasia, "a standing away from") It is a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. Paul was falsely accused of teaching the Jews apostasy from Moses and the teachings of circumcision. Acts 21:20-21 ESV And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, (21) and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. There are those who teach that only lost people can commit apostasy. Again, it means to revolt and fall away. How can someone fall off a ladder he has not climbed, and how can someone fall away from, revolt against, or defect from a faith or relationship he does not have? More later... |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
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