What is Apostasy and How Can I Recognize It?

Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “a total desertion of, or departure from, one’s faith, principles, or party”; in theology, “a total abandonment of the Christian faith” (The Century Dictionary, vol. I, p. 265). It is a turning away from God, a rejection of core doctrine, and a separation from the people of God. The apostles addressed apostasy in the early church, and the battle against apostasy has continued through the years. Today, sadly, some still choose to totally abandon their Christian faith. Christians should understand how to recognize apostasy and apostate teachers, and they should consider apostate teaching to be spiritually dangerous.

The Two Forms of Apostasy

In practice, apostasy comes in two forms. One is a falling away from key biblical doctrines into heretical teachings that claim to be the “real” Christian doctrine. The second is a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ. It is important to note that the second form of apostasy often begins with the first. A heretical belief takes root and grows until it pollutes all aspects of a person’s faith, and that can lead to a complete abandonment of Christianity.

Biblical Warnings and Historical Examples

Apostasy often shows up in the Old Testament. Every time Israel fell into idolatry, it was an example of apostasy (see Judges 2:11–13). In the New Testament, onetime followers of Jesus turned their backs on Him (John 6:66). Demas, “because he loved this world,” deserted Paul (2 Timothy 4:10). Consequently, the Bible often warns against apostasy (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:12; 10:35–38; and 2 Peter 2:15).

Regarding modern instances, in 2010, Daniel Dennett and Linda LaScola published a study called “Preachers Who Are Not Believers.” Dennett and LaScola’s work chronicled five different preachers who over time were presented with and accepted heretical teachings and now have completely departed from the faith (Evolutionary Psychology, Vol. 8(1), 2010). These pastors ended up being either pantheists or clandestine atheists. One of the most disturbing findings of the study is that these preachers maintained their pastoral positions. They led their churches, but their congregations were unaware of the true spiritual state of the preacher in the pulpit.

How to Recognize Apostate Teaching

A. W. Tozer wrote, “So skilled is error at imitating truth, that the two are constantly being mistaken for each another. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel” (That Incredible Christian, Bailey, A., ed., Moody, 2008, ch. 14, p. 53). The discerning believer—and we all must be discerning—can spot doctrines that depart from the truth.

The Litmus Tests of Faith

• The Person of Christ: A crucial doctrine that cannot be compromised concerns the person and work of Jesus Christ: “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). Anyone who denies Jesus’ deity or humanity or who downplays Jesus’ sacrificial death is teaching falsehood.
• The Teachings of Christ: Apostasy can be recognized as a departure from Jesus’ clear teaching in the Gospels: “Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9, NASB).
• The Gospel Message: The elements of the gospel are another litmus test in identifying apostasy. Paul defines the gospel as the good news concerning Jesus’ death for our sins and His bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). Paul warns against those who “pervert the gospel of Christ” through the addition of law-keeping as a requirement (Galatians 1:7).

Contending for the Faith

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church. In his New Testament letter, he outlines how to recognize apostasy and strongly urges those in the body of Christ to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 1:3, NKJV). The Greek verb translated “contend earnestly” is the source of our word agonize. It is in the present infinitive form, which means that the struggle will be continuous. So, we should expect that false teachers will put up a constant fight against the truth, and we should take it seriously. Every Christian is called to this fight, not just church leaders, so all believers should sharpen their discernment skills to recognize and combat apostasy in their midst.