There is no doubt that we are at the very brink of that prophetic era which the Holy Bible variously refers to as the Last Days, The Day of the Lord, or The End of the World. See 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 3:1-4, 10; Matthew 24:29-31; Joel 2:30-32; 1 Corinthians 10:11.
This era, according to the scriptures, will begin with a universal departure from the truth of God’s word by mankind. This is what Paul’s epistle termed as the falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3, 4.
After the falling away, or the departure from the truth, comes the day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ to salvage what would be left of the Church, which is the faithful few that held to their faith in Jesus Christ, and also to smite the world and all ungodly sinners with His wrath. Jude 14, 15; Joel 2:1-32; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-6.
“Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound the alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand… And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?… Then will the LORD be jealous for his land and pity his people.” Joel 2:1, 11, 18.
The last event in the prophetic era of the last days would be the destruction of the heavens and the earth and all ungodly persons and their works, so as to usher in everlasting righteousness for the saints in God’s Kingdom, and to condemn all sinners to everlasting shame and eternal torment in the lake of fire at the great white throne judgment. Revelation 20:7-10, 11-15; 21:1-7.
“But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up… Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:10, 13.
Today’s teaching, however, deals with the first event of the last days, and we shall consider it in the following sub topics:
1. BACKSLIDING AND APOSTASY DEFINED.
Backsliding and apostasy are two different stages of one phenomenon which we can define as the cessation of the practice of truth, righteousness and holiness; or, in three words, cessation of godliness .
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death… The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.” Proverbs 14:12, 14.
The first sign of backsliding is self-will, with little or no regard for the word of God. Even where that person’s character is manifestly sinful and opposed to the truth of God’s word, they’d still proclaim their righteousness. See Jeremiah 3:6-11; 8:4-6. But even at this early stage of backsliding there is still hope of reconciliation with God upon genuine repentance.
“…Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 3:12, 13.
Apostasy, on the other hand, is the finished work of backsliding, where the conscience is finally seared and does not feel the guilt of sin or the reproof of God’s Spirit, until grace is eventually denied and judgment looms over the apostate soul. Proverbs 1:23-32; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31.
“He, that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Proverbs 29:1.
To an apostate king of Judah, the LORD declared:
“As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;…” Jeremiah 22:24.
2. BACKSLIDING AND APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH TODAY
Jeremiah 2:1-19; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition… even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9, 10.
The church, today, is filled with both backsliders and apostates who make up the vast number of so-called believers professing faith in Jesus Christ. However, it is easy to identify those who really are the true representatives of Jesus Christ in the world today.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked.” 1 John 2:6.
Every doctrine of a church and the conduct of its ministers and their followers which contradicts the life of Christ, as portrayed in the Gospels and Epistles, is a falling away from the truth delivered to the church by Jesus Christ Himself. This, however, is becoming the normal order of affairs in Christendom today. See Jeremiah 23:9-17; Jude 3-16; Matthew 15:1-9.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto everyone that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:16, 17.
3. GOD’S WARNING FOR BELIEVERS IN THESE LAST DAYS.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
Jude 3.
The symptoms of a backsliding church, or an individual Christian, would be easy to see and to understand if we are sincerely willing to abide by the Word of God given to us in its simplicity. At whatever time we discover in a church, or in any one person, the tendency to wrest scripture in support of what is manifestly un-Christ-like, then backsliding has set in. At such a time it would be wise to abandon self-will and personal interests in favor of God’s will and the interest of the true Christian faith, which we pledged allegiance to defend when we were graciously saved by Jesus Christ.
The following are some signs of backsliding which could lead to apostasy if left unchecked:
- Lukewarmness in our relationship and devotion to God. Revelation 3:14-19.
- Loss of interest in the things of God. 2 Timothy 4:3, 4, 9, 10.
- Assertion of self-will over God’s will. Proverbs 14:14; James 4:13-16; Luke 12:47.
- Worldliness. 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:1-4; James 5:1–6.
- Nonchalant attitude towards the work of God’s Kingdom. Judges 5:23; Jeremiah 23:1-2.
God warns all backsliders to repent and be restored back to Him or risk the doom of apostates; many of whom are prominent leaders of churches and ministries today. If we would be healed, restored, and be made ready as the bride of Christ, awaiting His imminent return, then we must cast aside all interests that conflict with the call of God unto holiness and return unconditionally to Him in repentance. Joel 2:12-17.
“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning… Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach…” Joel 2:12, 17.