Apostasy is the turning away from something or the rejection of something previously believed. In the Christian sense it is the rejection of God’s Word, the Bible, by those claiming to be Christians and we see this increasingly happening as many churches and religious establishments move more and more towards secular, liberal, humanist, ‘modernist’ attitudes, rejecting and discarding Biblical Doctrine.
A YouGov poll in 2014 found:
- 17% of clergy do not believe in a personal God.
- Only 28% agree that Christianity is the only path to God.
- Only 12% rely on the Bible for guidance.
Currently within the UK churches;
- Many Christians reject the Biblical account of Creation in six days, choosing to accept Evolution in some form.
- The church has abandoned the Biblical doctrines of marriage and family – 39% of clergy believe same sex marriages are right.
- 22% of clergy believe the law banning assisted suicide should be changed in contrast to the Bible’s teaching regarding the sanctity of life.
The Church of England:
- Has sounded its support for transgender men and women to marry in church.[1]
- Has allowed leaders of other faiths to preach at its services.
- ‘In the space of four days, the General Synod of the Church of England has, in effect, rejected the doctrines of creation, the fall, the incarnation, and our need for conversion and sanctification,’ is how Susie Leafe, Director of Reform, and a conservative member of Synod summed up.[2]
- Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester,claims the C of E should stop calling God ‘He’.
The church has abandoned its own foundational teachings amidst falling attendances;
Globally:
- The World Council of Churches was formally constituted at Amsterdam, Holland, on August 23, 1948. The goal of the WCC is to unite all the religions of the world into one ecumenical package–or a one world church.[3](The WCC works closely with the UN and the Roman Catholic Church).
- Ohio, USA– Clergy to Hold Interfaith Gathering to ‘Bless’ Planned Parenthood Abortion Facility.
- Washington, USA– An ordained Minister of Spiritual Consciousness claims Christians can also be witches
- Rome, Italy —Jorge Bergoglio, also known as “Pope Francis,” claimed to a young boy on Sunday that his atheist father is in Heaven because he was a “good man” and God will not “abandon His children when they are good.”
- New York, USA —A megachurch minister recently told his congregation that he thinks it’s “insanity” to believe that men will go to Hell for rejecting Christ.
A study “Being a Christian in Western Europe” conducted across 15 European countries, by Pew Research found;
- Most self-identified Christians in Western Europe do not practice their profession.
- Only 18% of the population are church-attending Christians.
- 46% describe themselves as Christians, but do not believe in the God of the Bible.
- Legal abortion is favoured by 52% of church-going “Christians”.
- When asked about same-sex marriage, 58% of church-going “Christians” approve it.
- One in four Western Europeans say they are atheists, agnostics or have no particular religion.
Many Christians do not believe in the Rapture (The Rapture is an eschatological term, referring to the end of this age event when all Christian believers – living and dead – will rise and join Christ). Of the estimated 2.42 billion Christians in the world, all these denominations reject it to a greater or lesser extent:
- Catholic Church – 1.285 billion
- Anglicanism – 85 million
- Eastern Orthodox Church – 270 million
- Oriental Orthodoxy – 86 million
- Many in other protestant churches reject it too, including Lutheran, Calvinist / Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.
What does this mean?
Over 2,000 years ago the writers of the New Testament gave many warnings of the Apostasy that would affect the church in the future, the future we live in today:
1 Timothy 4: 1– The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Matthew 24: 10– At that time many will turn away from the faith.
2 Timothy 3: 8– Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
Jude 4– They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3: 3 – 4 – Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
What else does the Bible tell us?– The Future
What does that mean for you?– Good News
[1]Steve Doughty for the Daily Mail – 23rdOctober 2018
[2]Virtue Online – 20thJuly 2017
[3]Let There Be Light Ministries