The Church & Apostasy BIG IDEAS: 1. What is apostasy 2. What is legalism 3. Does legalism lead to or away from God 4. Do we abide with false teaching 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 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. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Apostasy: Apostasy is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. It can also be defined within the broader context of embracing an opinion that is contrary to one's previous religious beliefs. One who undertakes apostasy is known as an apostate. Undertaking apostasy is called apostatizing. Legalism: Legalism is often defined as any rule created by humans apart from God’s Word and made binding on others. These extra rules and teachings threaten to hamper the gospel itself, less by outright denial than by distraction and weakening. Romans 2:25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Matthew 3:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” Matthew 12:9 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” Matthew 15:1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” Luke 7:36 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” Luke 11:37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Luke 13:14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 1 Timothy 4:3 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. 1 Timothy 1:3-5 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. of false prophets—that is, of teachers coming as authorized expounders of the mind of God and guides to heaven. (See Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Peter 2:1, 2). which come to you in sheep’s clothing—with a bland, gentle, plausible exterior; persuading you that the gate is not strait nor the way narrow, and that to teach so is illiberal and bigoted—precisely what the old prophets did (Ezekiel 13:1–10, 22). but inwardly they are ravening wolves—bent on devouring the flock for their own ends (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3, 13–15). Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. dogs—Greek, “the dogs,” namely, those impure persons “of whom I have told you often” (Philippians 3:18, 19); “the abominable” (compare Revelation 21:8, with Revelation 22:15; Matthew 7:6; Titus 1:15, 16): “dogs” in filthiness, unchastity, and snarling (Deuteronomy 23:18; Psalm 59:6, 14, 15; 2 Peter 2:22): especially “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18; Psalm 22:16, 20). The Jews regarded the Gentiles as “dogs” (Matthew 15:26); but by their own unbelief they have ceased to be the true Israel, and are become “dogs” (compare Isaiah 56:10, 11). evil workers—(2 Corinthians 11:13), “deceitful workers.” Not simply “evildoers”, but men who “worked,” indeed, supposedly for the Gospel, but worked for evil: “serving not our Lord, but their own belly” (Philippians 3:19; compare Romans 16:18). Translated, “The evil workmen,” that is, bad teachers (compare 2 Titus 2:15). concision—Circumcision had now lost its spiritual significance, and was now become to those who rested on it as any ground of justification, a senseless mutilation. Christians have the only true circumcision, namely, that of the heart; legalists have only “concision,” that is, the cutting off of the flesh. To make “cuttings in the flesh” was expressly prohibited by the law (Leveticus 21:5): it was a Gentile-heathenish practice (1 Kings 18:28); yet this, writes Paul indignantly, is what these legalists are virtually doing in violation of the law. We saw earlier the definition of Apostasy: APOSTASY (ἀπόστασις, apostasis, ἀποστασία, apostasia). A public denial of a previously held religious belief and a distancing from the community that holds to it. The term almost always carries connotations of rebellion, betrayal, treachery, or faithlessness. 1. rebellion in the sense of disobedience to a king or superior 2. defection during a conflict Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Gnosticism The primary form of Christian heresy in the very Early Church was Gnosticism. The term comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge. Montanism-The New Prophecy Movement Montanus emphasized continued widespread prophetic revelation and spontaneity of spiritual gifts. Montanus identified himself as the Paraclete (Holy Spirit). Judaizers Some early Jewish Christians believed that, in addition to the teachings of Jesus Christ, circumcision and the observance of the Mosaic Law were necessary for salvation and for Gentile converts. Marcionism Marcionists believed that the wrathful Hebrew God was a separate and lower entity than the all-forgiving God of the New Testament. Docetism Docetic, which comes from the Greek word meaning "to appear or to seem”. Sabellianism (Modalism) Sabellius taught that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three different modes or aspects of God and not three distinct persons. Arianism Arius taught that Christ was the Son of God but not co-eternal with the Father and distinct (therefore subordinate) to the Father. Pelagianism Pelagius taught that original sin did not taint human nature and that humans can achieve human perfection without divine grace. Nestorianism Nestorius denied Mary bore Christ in His divinity and only bore Christ’s human nature in her womb which fractured Christ into two separate persons, one human and one divine. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. TAKE AWAYS: • Be transformed by the Spirit not conformed to man’s dictates • Know the Word of God so as not to be blown by the winds of unsound doctrine