SOUTHSIDE CHURCH OF CHRIST

''Apostasy'' Sunday, 11 March 2001

Mar 10, 2001

Leland R. Ping

In his letters to Timothy, Paul taught the young preacher many valuable things and warned him of dangerous roadblocks standing in the way of his and the Church's growth. In his first letter, Paul tells Timothy about the danger of what is known as "apostasy." Paul writes, "in latter times some will depart from the faith, diving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons?…" (I Timothy 4:1) Thus, apostasy is not something that plagues those who have never knew God, but those who have obeyed Him and then fallen away.

If Satan were to list his favorite tools, one could guess that apostasy would be near the top. Jesus tells us that the word of God, which is truth, has the power to set men free. (John 17:17; John 8:32) Thus, if Satan can cause the truth to be compromised, he prohibits that freedom from being gained by men.

Apostasy, as Paul continues to explain to Timothy, is a man-made creation, formed from yielding to Satan's temptations, and is not of God. Paul writes that this apostasy, or "depart[ure] from the faith" includes "speaking lies in hypocrisy?… forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." (I Timothy 4:1-3) Apostasy is the result of those who teach these and other lies and make equal to God's law their own opinions. The result of these lies is division and thus a departure from the doctrine taught by God's son and the inspired writers of His word.

It is important for us, like Timothy, to be aware of apostasy and the fact that Satan is hard at work against us in his use of this tool. Let us study the truth, speak the truth and live the truth, and as such depend only on the Wisdom of God as we strive to live as Christians and find heaven as our home for all of eternity.