Moral Failure and Spiritual Apostasy: Definitions and Biblical History

God has patiently put up with a history of leaders who fail His standards. Although I am more aware of my sins of commission than omission, my every sin denies and defies allegiance to the Lord I love. My failures are spiritual defections. I must return to the One to whom I belong by confession, quickly and regularly, about attitudes and actions not aligned to His standards.

The History of Spiritual Defection

Spiritual defection began in heaven. Lucifer, the best among the best of God’s creation, turned traitor and ran an insurgency against the Highest One. However, God’s Son, to whom all things have been handed by the Father, saw Satan thrown out of heaven. Defection started in heaven and continues on earth.

The first couple yielded to the tempter and locked the rest of humanity in a default stance of rebellion and defection from divine intent. In the Old Testament, Israel is more known for defections than faithfulness to God and His law. Her worship of idols was led by her kings and denounced by her prophets as spiritual adultery and apostasy. Judgment always followed defection while a remnant line preserved the promise of a renewed future.

New Testament characters also fare poorly in spiritual fidelity. Judas, the best-known case and an unbelieving devil, deserted the One he had followed and who had trained him for years. But what about Ananias and Sapphira, the early church’s married couple of corrupt land-donation infamy? Or did they once believe, yet let greed destroy their position in Christ?

The Spiritual Spectrum of Defection

Spiritual defection traverses a spectrum from doubt to denial to desertion. John the Baptizer’s doubt about Jesus’ messiahship or Thomas’ doubt expressed at our Lord’s resurrection are classic cases that Jesus quickly assuaged. Indeed, there is spiritual defection every time we sin. Our spiritual fathers, both Abraham and David, defected morally—a practical apostasy. As Christians we believingly confess our sins, and the faithful and just God forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

Defining Apostasy: Biblical vs. Human Perspectives

Over the history of the Watchtower Society, the use of the word ‘apostasy’ has had two distinct definitions. At times this word has been applied accurately as a deviation from exclusive obedience to Almighty God. And at other times it has been used to describe disobedience to the commands of men, particularly the Watchtower organization and its leadership. This term has a meaning that is derived from Holy Scripture and a meaning that is derived from a human definition.

The following table outlines instances of defection and their historical contexts as provided in the material:

Individual or Group	Nature of Defection	Consequence or Context
Lucifer	Ran an insurgency against the Highest One.	Thrown out of heaven.
Ancient Israel	Worship of idols and spiritual adultery.	Judgment followed defection.
King Uzziah	Presumptuousness in taking over priestly duties.	Died a leper.
King Ahaz	Carried on Baal worship and human sacrifice.	Heart turning away from Jehovah.
Judas	Deserted the One he followed.	An unbelieving devil.
Ananias and Sapphira	Corrupt land-donation.	Greed destroyed their position.

The Personal Tendency Toward Defection

Even when we have experienced spiritual regeneration, a defector tendency runs in us. Left to ourselves to persevere in faith, we defect to prior allegiances and act in propensity toward alternate commitments. But while the Father has not left us to ourselves and has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness, transferring us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, He merely invites us to interact with His Spirit to mature in belief and behavior as citizens of a new kingdom; He does not force us to comply.

Since in Christ we have redemption and forgiveness of sins, we have been rescued from our state of rebellion. That rescue, however, doesn’t keep former rebels from defecting from the ranks and deserting camp by falling into grievous sin. And what happens if a believer intentionally changes sides and turns traitor? Well, those are some of the matters to ponder as we think about where our personal tendency fits in the ongoing history of defection.