Falling Away
The scriptures teach us clearly that in the last days Christians would fall away from the faith and fall into Apostasy, even betraying one another and hating one another.
I Timothy 4:1-2
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
II Thessalonians 2:1-3
1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
Matthew 24:9-10
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
Jesus made it clear that we must abide in him and that we are to bear fruit. He desires that Christians grow in him and he prunes us so that we may bear more fruit. Sometimes these pruning’s are painful and challenging, but he does this because he loves us.
Jesus makes it clear that apart from him we can do nothing and if “anyone does not abide in him he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”
The word Abide is translated from the Greek word Menō.
John 15:1-6
1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
In Romans Paul reveals a similar picture to that of the Vine with that of the Olive Tree. The Jews who were the original or natural Olive Tree, but their branches were broken off because of the rejection of Jesus and their unbelief. The Gentile Christians or wild Olive were grafted onto the Olive Tree because of the Faith. He makes it clear that Christians are not to be conceited, but to fear and that “if you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cutoff”.
The word Continue in verse 22 is translated from the Greek word Epimenō.
Romans 11:17-24
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
In Hebrews 10 we see another warning what will happen if Christians go on sinning. It is clear that this is Christians for we see “For if we go on sinning willfully” and “He was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of Grace.”
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
We can also see as Paul was warning the Galatians that by seeking out righteousness through the law they were subjecting themselves again to the yoke of slavery, and he makes if clear “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
Galatians 5:1-4
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
The point here is the truth, for if we deceive people and tell them that they can never fall away no matter what they do, we are setting them up for potential failure, for if they do not abide, and do not continue, and\or go on sinning willfully they will be punished accordingly.
If someone is back sliding and falling away they are not to despair and believe they are not one of the “Elect”, and so give up hope, but instead we are to reach out to them in love and teach them repentance and to turn back from their ways.
James 5:19-20
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Jude 1:20-23
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
As Christians we are called to endure to the end and Jesus is able to keep us from stumbling if we abide and continue in him. We are to have faith that he who began a good work in you is able to complete it.
Matthew 24:13
13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Mark 13:13
13 You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Jude 1:24-25
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Philippians 1:6
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.