What is Apostasy, and is it Possible?

          Regarding salvation, there are some important questions we need to ask ourselves, since salvation is a topic of eternal consequence. Why do the scriptures admonish us to test or examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith? (II Corinthians 13:5) Why are we told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? (Philippians 2:12) Why do the scriptures speak of an apostasy? What does that word mean? Why is it even in the Bible if there is no such thing? In fact, II Thess. 2:3 says that there will be an apostasy before the Day of the Lord comes. The original Greek word used in this verse is apostasia, which means defection or revolt. My bible tells me that apostasy means a falling away from the faith. If the OSAS doctrine is correct, then apostasy is impossible.

          Some people who believe the OSAS doctrine say that people who walk away from the Lord were never saved in the first place. This may be true in some cases, but that does not explain the situation that is described in Hebrews 6:4-8. “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” This sounds like a person who has definitely shown signs of being saved. They have obviously, at one time, repented since it says it is impossible to renew them to repentance again. They have also been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, which can only happen when a person has been born again. Read I Corinthians, chapter 10, where the Gentiles to whom Peter was preaching received the Holy Spirit, so Peter knew that these people had believed and been saved.

          There are a couple of other scriptures that are very hard to reconcile with the OSAS doctrine.  In Hebrews 10:26-31 we have a very stern warning, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot 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? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” This is speaking of someone who has known the truth, has been sanctified by the blood of Christ, and received the grace of God, but has chosen to go on sinning willfully.

          Another scripture that speaks very clearly of someone who has turned away from God is II Peter 2:20-22, “For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A dog returns to its own vomit,’ and, ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” These people spoken of here have known the Lord and have turned away from Him. Once one has the knowledge of Jesus Christ and chooses to turn away from Him, what more can He do that will ever bring that person back again. Jesus has already done it all. He has paid the price. If someone decides that this is not sufficient, then there is nothing more that God can do for them. It is as Hebrews 6:6 says; it is impossible to bring such a person to repentance again, since they have crucified Jesus all over again. They have put him back up on the cross.

 

         These are some of the scriptures that convince me that it is possible for someone to walk away from God and lose their salvation. In my next post, I will share some other scriptures that teach that salvation is conditionally based on our continuing in the faith.