APOSTASY: A REAL CONCERN FOR THE CHRISTIAN

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Heb. 3:12).

The book of Hebrews is a magnificent book. Found on almost every page is an encouraging word addressed to Christians in general and Jewish Christians in particular. Hebrews is a book of exhortations put forth in poetic eloquence. The melting heart of concern of the Holy Spirit bursts forth through the language of the writer of Hebrews. The general theme is “Go on unto perfection . . .” (Heb. 6:1). The book exhorts the child of God to grow unto spiritual maturity. There is a danger, however, in failing to heed the exhortations of the Holy Spirit: apostasy.

The threat of apostasy was real. In the book of Hebrews, the Holy Spirit went to great lengths to warn Christians of the seriousness of falling away. Observe, “Therefore we should give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast and every transgress and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation . . .?” (Heb. 2:1-3). The Hebrew writer was telling his audience that they could be neglectful of the great salvation that is in Christ. For this very reason Paul exhorts the brethren in Philippi to “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phi. 2:12). Paul, in other words, was telling those brethren to see their salvation through to completion. He goes on to say, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phi. 2:13). When a child of God no longer works out his salvation, God’s work is hindered. This puts the Christian in jeopardy of falling. This is negligence of the worse kind because it makes it hard for the child of God to escape condemnation (Heb. 2:3).

In the context of Hebrews chapter 3, there is a contrast made between Moses and Christ. Concerning the house of Christ (v. 6), the writer says, “Whose house we are IF we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing steadfast until the end.” As long as the child of God “holds fast” he will be a part of the household of Christ. The writer exemplifies the danger of letting go of the confidence and the rejoicing by referring to Israel in the day of temptation in the wilderness (Heb. 3:8). God said, “Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest” (Heb. 3:10-11). After this, the writer of Hebrews exhorts “Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1), by saying, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Heb. 3:12). The exhortation in the book of Hebrews is to Christians. The exhortation is real because the danger is real.

Some people believe that once a person is saved, that person can never be lost. Why would a biblical writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit, write with such eloquence, passion, and conviction, with no uncertain terms and ambiguity, that apostasy was a real possibility? The fact is that apostasy was a real possibility and concern. For this very reason the Holy Spirit further warns, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the son of God and put Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6). For the faithful child of God, there is great expectation and hope (Heb. 6:9). Once saved there are things that the child of God must do to keep and maintain his salvation. As had previously been mentioned, one thing he must do is heed the things that he has heard or he will drift away.

Let us all be concerned enough about the real threat of apostasy that we exercise diligence in keeping our spiritual heads about us.