Bible Reading: Hosea 1-4; Jude 1
Memory Verse: “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” Jude 1:5 KJV.
Apostasy is defined as the act of renouncing or abandoning one’s religion. Specifically, Hebrews 3:12 KJV explains Apostasy when it says “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Departing from the living God through unbelief is the first major source of apostasy. This was the situation with Israelites when they were on their way to the promised land and some of them went to spy the land only for ten of them to come back and said they could not possess the land because of the stature of the occupants. They believed their sight and threw away their faith.
There was a serious consequence for their apostasy as God prevented them from getting to the promised land! Jude 1:5 KJV reminds us “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” Our Bible reading gave us another example of apostasy in relation to the angels that rebelled against God and were cast down from their own habitation to everlasting chains in preparation for judgment of the great day! (Jude 1:6)
It is easy to fall into apostasy as it is often a gradual process till one gets completely out of God’s presence. It starts by giving more of your attention to worldly things. Imagine watching a football match of your club at the time of Bible study, then the following week, you get another engagement during that period and gradually, you have more events to fill the time you used to spend with God. Over time, some sins that looked so abominable to you in the past become fairly tolerable when committed by your friends and associates. Later you feel, it’s okay for you to taste the sins yourself and eventually, you begin to enjoy it and gradually begin to join others to criticize your faith and finally, you are won to the other side.
The sad part of this is that it is easier to halt the process and reverse your steps before you completely fall into apostasy than going back when you have fully fallen. This is why the Bible says in Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
Please examine yourself and see if you are gradually falling off to quickly retrace your steps now and come back to Jesus to save you so that you will not end up in damnation.
Action Point: Please guard your salvation jealously by regularly examining yourself to ensure you are still in the faith.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero