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....
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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.... Genesis 14:17-24 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. [19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: [20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. [21] And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. [22] And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, [23] That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: [24] Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. Abraham went out to rescue Lot and his family. God gave Abraham a great victory and upon returning the Father took him to another place of worship. Abraham met Melchizedek, the king of Salem. Melchizedek was the priest of the “Most High God.” The Hebrew word for this is “El-Elyon” and means “the Possessor of Heaven and Earth.” Melchizedek is introducing Abraham to a new name for God that carried a new authority and promise. The name El-Elyon says that God is “over all, above all that is, and the highest of everything.” It is the name that is above every name, “The Most High.” Melchizedek brought the bread and wine to Abraham and blessed him and his God. Melchizedek and Abraham acknowledged God as their provider. Abraham brought his tithes to Melchizedek. Abraham refused the spoils of the enemy because he wanted to say that God cared for him and his needs and not some evil unrighteous king. This valley became a coveted place of worship for Abraham as he surrendered to trusting the Lord for care and provision. (Small example of this text). The Old Testament shadow here for New Testament substance. Think about it when the man of God, your Pastor, a priest of the Most High God, serving the church in peace, blesses you with the Lord's Supper table, (the bread and the wine), and you honor the Lord and the church as you bring your tithe with great thanksgiving to the storehouse. 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... Genesis 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
Again Abraham acknowledges his relationship with the Lord. He realizes that all the land belongs to the Lord and again he “called upon the name of the Lord.” Again we see worship taking place. This is the “heart of worship” and the heart of meeting with the Father. It is calling on Him out of our sense of dependence and putting our trust in Him as our deliverer and provider. The act of “calling out to the Lord” is the true mark of those who have learn to trust and follow God no matter where He leads. The ability of Abraham to quickly follow the Lord was due to the fact that he “pitched tents” and “built altars,” instead of “pitching altars” and “building houses.” Today we want the American dream of owning a house. Through this we may have developed the attitude that the house is our permanent security and the altar is the temporary place once a week down at the church. But our Father Abraham, whose seed we come from, knew that the house is the temporary structure, and the altar is the permanent security. We all start out our Christian life the same by “calling upon the name of the Lord.” This is what makes us “believers.” But it does not stop there, because we continue our Christian life “calling upon the name of the Lord” as we follow Him. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 2 Tim. 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Hebrews 10:11 ESV And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
The reason Christians are not delivered from their stronghold of sins is they don't know that this is promise in the New Testament and is a distinct feature of the New Covenant. In our generational theology, there doesn't appear to be a clear statement that our salvation includes deliverance from daily sin or a workable program for overcoming the nature or habit of sin. Before we can attempt to overcome our sinful nature we must know for a certainty that the Bible teaches that believers do not have to be continually trapped in sin. We must know what the Word teaches. 1. The New Covenant does not permit continuing in sinful behavior. 2. The New Covenant includes deliverance from sinful behavior. 3. The New Covenant includes a workable plan for deliverance from all sinful behavior. We do not gain victory over the stronghold of sins until we learn that such victory is in available by faith in the Word of God and our Lord's work on the cross. Then we have faith to pursue victory over the sins of the flesh until we obtain it. We are not speaking of some sudden experience in which the habit of sin will be removed. The removal of the sin nature is included under the New Covenant, but it has to do with a whole life of cross-carrying obedience to the Lord as the sinful nature is slain and Christ is formed completely within us. Such freedom from the sin nature, being transformed into the moral image of Christ, and resting in the Person of the Father through Christ, are all part of the New Covenant. To much of modern Christianity is still be lived in the Old Covenant. We are not dealing with victory over behaviors, such as impure thoughts, lust, anger, lying, gossip, slander, selfishness, hatred, unforgiveness, spite, backbiting, sexual perversion, drunkenness, the use of drugs, and other demonic chains that destroy people including Christians. We do these things knowing that we can keep coming to the cross for forgiveness or we start excusing them away as normal human behavior. But the Scriptures tell us to come boldly before the throne of God for help. Does the New Covenant include victory over these and all sinful strongholds? You bet it does. Let’s see what the Bible says about victory over sin. It is entirely possible to get victory over this bunch of messy behaviors while we still are in this world. More later.... Genesis 12:1-3, 7 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. [7] And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
It has been a little over 1,000 years from the time of Adam to Abraham. In these Scriptures we see that God was establishing a land (a new place), a what (a new people), a who (a new name), and a when (a continuous future) who will worship Him. In Gen. 12:1-3 we have what we call the “Abrahamic Covenant”. It is more a covenant of worship from God to man. He was re-establishing relationship with man by making a people from those who were not a people, the Jewish nation, and moving worship from an individual act to a corporate act. What did Abraham do after the Father spoke the covenant promise? In verse 7 we see that he built an altar and worshipped the Father of promises. Remember that the “altar” represents a place of sacrifice, a place of giving, a place of submission, and a place of one honoring another. What was God’s response? He appeared to Abraham. This sounds like the relationship that Adam enjoyed before the fall. It involved worship, walking hand-in-hand with God the Father daily in confession, repentance, sacrifice, obedience, and thanksgiving. By the covenant promise that God gave to Abraham He was setting apart a land (the place), setting apart a people (the what), setting apart a name, (the who), and setting apart a future, (the when) for His Divine Presence. When God “sets apart” a land, a people, a name, and a future it means that He declares it “holy for His presence.” God is more committed to (us) a people that will worship Him then we are committed to give Him the act of worship. Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. We see in these two Scriptures the result of a broken fellowship and relationship with the Father and yet we see that God is calling mankind back to fellowship with Him. No matter how far a nation will turn away from the Father, He will try tp get that nation to repent and if it will not He will keep a remnant with a heart after Him. Because of the innocence of Adam’s heart before the fall, we could actually say that everything he did was an “act of worship” and everywhere he went was a “place of worship.” This again is an Old Testament shadow of New Testament truth and substance. In Adam’s sin we see the progression of separation from the Father. First, he was not sensitive to the voice of God and stopped hearing the voice of the Father and listened to other voices. Secondly, he no longer was submissive to the will of God but desired his own will. Thirdly, he was no longer obedient to the Word of God but became obedient to the words of another. One minute everything Adam did was a selfless act of worship and the next minute everything he did was an act of selfishness. One minute everywhere Adam stood was a place of pure worship and the next minute everywhere Adam stood was a place of fallen nature, infected with the sin and death of disobedience. In the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ and through His resurrection we have the right to be called the “sons of God.” With that right comes the power and right to walk as a son. In walking as a “son of God” we have the ability because God's righteousness on us and His Holy Spirit within us, to walk as Adam did before his rebellion and have that daily relationship and fellowship with the Father. In doing so everything we do can be an act of worship and everywhere we go can be a place of worship because where we place our feet is holy ground. SALVATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY FAITH IN OUR SAVIOR:
Clearly, Old Testament saints were aware of the promised Redeemer, and they were saved by faith in that Savior, the same way people are saved today. The difference is that they looked forward to a promise, and we look back to an event. There is no other way. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” There is a movement among the big name big church boys who have made themselves smarter than God by teaching the cross was not important. They proclaim that God would never demand a human blood sacrifice. They proclaim that we are saved from the perfect life and example of Jesus and not by His sacrificial blood atonement. The official named of this false doctrine is "Moral Government Theology." These smart TV preachers speak a lot that sounds good to itching ears but you will never here them preach on the cross. Much learning has made them foolish in their doctrines of demons. Yet unaware believers are drawn to them by their great music program and their high lofty words. I say what the WORD of God says. There is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood. Acts 4:11-12 ESV This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (12) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Psalms 118:22 ESV The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. What failed us for the removal of sin? The Old Testament sacrificial system did not take away sin, as Heb.10:1-10 clearly teaches. It did, however, point to the day when the Son of God would shed His blood for the sinful human race. Hebrews 10:1-10 ESV For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. (2) Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? (3) But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. (4) For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (5) Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; (6) in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. (7) Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” (8) When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), (9) then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. (10) And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. We can seek the rule and reign of God in our hearts first, because God is a MUCH MORE God:
Getting our priorities right seem to be an ongoing battle. During our day there are so many things that pull for our attention and time. What are we to do? The Scriptures tell us not to worry. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us not to be anxious about where we would live, what we would wear or what we would eat. How could He be so calm about making statements like this when there were so many poor surrounding Him in His day and the world is filled with the homeless and hungry today? Easy, He knew how to make and keep the main thing the man thing. He commanded us to seek after God and His kingdom first and then don't worry about the rest, such as food, clothing, and shelter. How could He make such a claim? Because He knew that our God is a MUCH MORE God. Matthew 6:30-34 KJV Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not MUCH MORE clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 2 Tim. 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
We have spent a lot of time in the past devotionals discussing the “how” in meeting God in a place of worship. (1) We must deal with sin correctly, (2) we must offer the acceptable sacrifice of worship meaning that we come to God His way and not our way, (3) we must be obedient no matter what the cost and (4) we must have a grateful heart. Now I would like to look at the “place” where we meet God in worship. Where do we meet God? Where do we worship Him? Every culture has set apart certain places to meet with God. In a lot of denominations the "special" place is in the front of the church kneeling at the altar bench. In Gen.2 we saw that God planted a Garden and placed man there to meet with Him each day. There was no building, no structure, no Tabernacle, just a place where God and man met to have fellowship together. God has wanted the place where we meet Him for worship to be a joyful place. We have said before that Adam and Eve’s worship experience with God was pure and unhindered before the fall. First of all Adam was sensitive to God’s voice. This is something we seem to have difficulty with in these days because we are sensitive and listen to the voices of the world. Secondly, Adam and Eve were submissive to God’s will. This is also difficult today in that we live in a society that screams at us to exercise our own rights and will. Thirdly, Adam and Eve were obedient up to the point were they ate from the forbidden tree. We don’t know how long they walked with God before this act of disobedience, but the implication of Scriptures seems to have Adam and Eve in a sweet relationship and fellowship time with the Father. God wanted Adam to name all the animals. We see Adam’s obedience in following His wishes. When we walk with the Lord in forgiveness, purity, righteousness, and obedience, then the Father will led us into ACTS of worship and PLACES of worship. In other words, we will do what He wants us to do at the place He wants us to do it. Why did our Lord Jesus Christ pick the garden to spend His last hours in prayer before facing the cross? Because the Father directed Him there. Find the place where you seem to be sensitive to the Father's voice and meet with the King of Glory there. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE TRAPPED IN SIN!
Romans 6:14 KJV For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. It typically is true that before we can receive a blessing from God we have to know the promise is in the Bible. This is true of the blessings of being saved. It is true of the blessings of the gifts of the Spirit. It is true of the blessing of Divine healing. Once we know God has given the promise we can choose to believe and receive, or doubt and reject. The same is true with the blessing of victory over sin. Once we see the victory which we have in the Scriptures we can choose to believe and receive that victory or live as a defeated victim of our flesh. I have had people tell me “No one ever told me before that I could get victory over sin." Many believe that because we are 98.6 and breathing we just had to live with the fact that we are going to sin each day. Some believers live their whole life with sin. Let me pick one: Anger issues. Every time they get angry and lose their temper they have deep regrets because of the people they hurt verbally or physically. They would feel deep conviction about the anger, but did not know they could get victory over it. We can have faith for victory over anger or any sin that hinders us from walking Christ-like. The Cross Is Enough For Victory. That’s just Bible... It is right and so simple and practical! Years ago in the 1990's I was involved with a ministry called "The Holy of Holies". I taught on the 7 Biblical Feasts and the Holiness of the Tabernacle. In my early years as a new believer I had been taught the conventional Christian wisdom that all of us are sinners and Christ came to forgive us and save us in order to bring us to Heaven. This teaching told me that we could not keep the commandments in the New Testament because of our sinful nature. The commandments were written to show us our need of a Savior. We are saved by grace and not by works. This is the difference between the new covenant and preceding covenants. This was all true when I was lost. But after salvation I was taught that as long as we are in this world we have to sin and there was nothing we could do about it. But upon searching the New Testament to see what it actually stated, I was amazed to find that the New Testament did not teach this. I had been taught very little about imputed righteousness and righteous behavior. God would not have commanded me in the New Testament to "Be ye holy" if it were not possible. Then in teaching the 7 Feasts I found out some things about the Day of Atonement. The two goats of the Day of Atonement came to my attention. The one goat was slain and its blood sprinkled in the Holy of Holies, typifying the blood atonement made by the Lord Jesus on the cross, the forgiveness of sin. The second goat, also a goat of atonement, was left alive and led away into the wilderness, typifying the removal of sin. Once I realized the truth about the 2 goats, Romans chapter 6 made more sense. Now I am preaching more about our spiritual position called the “state of grace.” We can live each day without being bound by the law of sin. I am no longer a slave to sin, therefore I no longer serve sin. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
March 2021
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