The Apostate Bible Study

u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eIntroductionu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+2%3A1-12u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 Thessalonians 2:1-12u003c/au003e, we will see where Paul wrote, “Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come (2 Thess. 2:1-2).”  Paul was speaking about the u003cemu003elatter times u003c/emu003e- the u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/what-happens-after-we-die-part-4-the-final-judgment/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00224253u0022u003esecond coming of Christu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/after-we-die-3/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00224135u0022u003ethe rapture of the Churchu003c/au003e (all who genuinely believed in Christ).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eThe Latter Timesu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe latter times became a major topic for discussion when Jesus walked the earth and after His ascension.  On one occasion, after Jesus had spoken about the destruction of the temple, the disciples asked Him, “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+24%3A1-3u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 24:1-3u003c/au003e)?”  Jesus sat down and gave them the signs of the latter times.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:quote u002du002du003enu003cblockquote class=u0022wp-block-quoteu0022u003eu003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003csupu003e4 u003c/supu003eAnd Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. u003csupu003e5 u003c/supu003eFor many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. u003csupu003e6 u003c/supu003eAnd you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all u003cemu003ethese thingsu003c/emu003e must come to pass, but the end is not yet. u003csupu003e7 u003c/supu003eFor nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. u003csupu003e8 u003c/supu003eAll these u003cemu003eareu003c/emu003e the beginning of sorrows.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003csupu003e9 u003c/supu003e“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. u003csupu003e10 u003c/supu003eAnd then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. u003csupu003e11 u003c/supu003eThen many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. u003csupu003e12 u003c/supu003eAnd because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. u003csupu003e13 u003c/supu003eBut he who endures to the end shall be saved. u003csupu003e14 u003c/supu003eAnd this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cciteu003eMatthew 24:4-14 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:quote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe latter times are something that I have certainly taught about before in study – check out my series u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/tag/the-last-days/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e“The Last Days”u003c/au003e.  Many of us think of the latter times as some distant future but we ought not think that way about those days.  Why?  Because Jesus said that no man knows the day nor the hour of His coming and likened His coming to that of a thief — it will be unannounced (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+24%3A36%2C+42-44u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 24:36, 42-44u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, we should certainly focus on the latter times because the future is always the next second, minute, hour, or day; we should not take the guaranteed promise of the future, u003cemu003efrom Christ, u003c/emu003efor granted.  Jesus told us to be on watch for His coming.  If we aren’t on watch for His coming, then we will miss Him.  We don’t want to be like the virgins in Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish virgins that missed the great wedding between the groom and the bridegroom because they weren’t ready (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+25%3A1-13u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 25:1-13u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  Of major importance for our study today are the deceptions and the deceivers that Jesus spoke of as a sign of the latter days.  Jesus said that there would be people claiming to be Him in those days.  Also of note is that Jesus said that u003cemu003efalse teachersu003c/emu003e will rise up in those days and u003cemu003edeceive u003c/emu003emany.  Lawlessness, Jesus said, will abound in those days and love will grow cold.  Most importantly, this is not the end, Jesus had said, but merely u003cemu003esignsu003c/emu003e of the end.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, for Paul, it was incredibly important that he shared the truth to the Thessalonians because there were people trying to deceive them about the end. This is why it is so important for us to be diligent in our studying of the truth so that we can never be deceived by those that aim to deceive.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eTimeline of the endu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennJesus tells us that there are u003cemu003esteps u003c/emu003ethat will lead to u003cemu003ethe endu003c/emu003e; He mentioned the signs and the tribulation that will happen before the end.  In that same chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus even touched on the rapture.  Jesus said, “two u003cemu003emenu003c/emu003e will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.  u003csupu003e u003c/supu003eTwo u003cemu003ewomen will beu003c/emu003e grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+24%3A40-41u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 24:40-41u003c/au003e).”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennTo the Thessaslonians, Paul followed up Jesus’ teachings and wrote, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for u003cemu003e‘that Day’ will not comeu003c/emu003e unless u003cemu003ethe ‘falling away’u003c/emu003e comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition (2 Thess. 2:3).”  Paul was not teaching something brand new to the Thessalonians but we can start putting together the timeline of the end.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote: u003c/strongu003e There are two days Paul mentioned to the Thessalonians — “the day of Christ” and “that Day”.  The “day of Christ” could be seen as the u003cemu003efirst step u003c/emu003ethat leads to the end and “that Day” would be the last step.  The “day of Christ” is the rapture – the u003cemu003egathering together u003c/emu003eof all that believed in Christ.  “That day” is the day of God’s judgment of the wicked.  In between these two days, there will be u003cemu003e‘falling away’ u003c/emu003eand the u003cemu003e‘reveal of the son of perdition’ u003c/emu003e- this is the tribulation that Jesus spoke of.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThis helps us in putting together our timeline of the end, step by step.  On the u003cemu003eground flooru003c/emu003e, there are the signs of the end approaching.  The very first step off the ground floor is the rapture – the gathering of the Church by Christ.  Immediately following the rapture is the next step which will be the u003cemu003efalling awayu003c/emu003e.  After the falling away, the next step is the appearance of the man of sin, the son of perdition.  The final step is the day of God’s judgment.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eDeceivers of the Latter Timesu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhere do you believe we are on this timeline of events?  Answer:  we are currently on the ground floor.  We are living during a time period that John, in his first epistle, called “the last hour”.  Now, this can be a bit confusing between “the latter times” and “the last hour”, but if you were to picture a clock on the wall, “the latter times” would essentially be like the last quarter of an hour.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAgain, some of us like to think of the predicted future as a u003cemu003edistant u003c/emu003efuture but the truth of the matter is that the predicted future could begin in the next second – we simply don’t know when the predicted future will begin.  That being said, because we are living during the time where there are u003cemu003esigns u003c/emu003eof the end, we should take the time we are living in very seriously.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAgain, during this time, there will be those that claim to be Christ and many false teachers, so we must be on watch.  These deceivers are moving in a certain way that I do want to focus on now.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eThe father and son of perditionu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennLet’s start off by taking a look at “the man of sin, the son of perdition”.  Yes, this reveal happens at a later step but this guy is important to our study.  So, who is this guy and what will he do in the latter times?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennLet’s first define what perdition means.  Perdition:  eternal damnation; hell; u003cemu003eutter destructionu003c/emu003e.  So, the son of perdition is one that will bring about damnation and utter destruction in the latter times – this is the tribulation that Jesus spoke of.  To better understand who this guy is, let’s take a look at the u003cemu003efather u003c/emu003eof perdition.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn John’s gospel, Jesus tells us about the father of perdition.  After trying to persuade and encourage the Jews to follow Him and the truth (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A31-36u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 8:31-36u003c/au003e), Jesus said to them, “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, u003cemu003ebut u003c/emu003eyou seek to u003cemu003ekill Meu003c/emu003e, because My word has no place in you (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A37u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 8:37u003c/au003e).”  Abraham u003cemu003eloved u003c/emu003ethe preincarnate Christ and treated Him with great honor (Gen. 18:1-8) but many of the Jews u003cemu003ehated u003c/emu003eHim.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, why did the Jews of Jesus’ day not honor Jesus like their father Abraham did?  Jesus said that it was because they did not understand His speech because they were not able to listen to His word (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A42-43u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 8:42-43u003c/au003e).”  Why weren’t they able to listen and understand Jesus’ word?  Look closely at what Jesus tells them.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:quote u002du002du003enu003cblockquote class=u0022wp-block-quoteu0022u003eu003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003csupu003e44 u003c/supu003eYou are of u003cemu003eyouru003c/emu003e father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own u003cemu003eresources,u003c/emu003e for he is a liar and the father of it. u003csupu003e45 u003c/supu003eBut because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cciteu003eJohn 8:44-45 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:quote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e   They could not comprehend Jesus because their father wasn’t truly Abraham or the Lord; it was the father of sin, the father of perdition – the devil.  The son of perdition will take after the father of perdition; he also goes by another name that John gave to him – u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/the-antichrist/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00223201u0022u003ethe Antichristu003c/au003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennPaul wrote that the son of perdition (or the Antichrist) will u003cemu003eopposeu003c/emu003e God and exalt himself u003cemu003eabove u003c/emu003eall that is called God (2 Thess. 2:4).  Satan did this same thing in heaven u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/the-devil-satans-fall-from-heaven/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00228621u0022u003ewhen he rebelled against Godu003c/au003e which gave birth to sin and led to his downfall (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is.+14%3A12-14u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eIs. 14:12-14u003c/au003e).  Satan is the deceiver of the world today and has deceived many to turn away from God.  Like Satan, the Antichrist will deceive those that remain u003cemu003eafteru003c/emu003e the Rapture with power, signs, and lying wonders and lead them to their destruction (2 Thess. 2:9-12).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eApostasy present todayu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhat does any of this have to do with us today considering, again, that we aren’t on the step where the son of perdition will be revealed?  Let us remember that we are living in a time where the signs of the latter times are present.  In his first epistle, John stated, “it u003cemu003eis u003c/emu003ethe last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, u003cemu003eeven now u003c/emu003emany ‘antichrists’ have come, by which we know that it is the last hour (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+2%3A18u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 John 2:18u003c/au003e).”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  If the spirit of antichrist was present in John’s day, the spirit of antichrist is still present today because we are still living in the same hour that John lived in.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennHow do we recognize those with the spirit of antichrist?  John wrote that those that move in the spirit of the Antichrist, are those that u003cemu003edo not confessu003c/emu003e that Christ has come in the flesh and is God (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A3u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 John 4:3u003c/au003e).  So, like the Antichrist, those that move with that same kind of spirit will deny everything about Christ.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennConsider how often you hear people say that God isn’t real or that Jesus, who is God in the flesh, was/is not real.  Consider how u003cemu003eafter u003c/emu003edenouncing God and His only begotten Son, those with the spirit of antichrist try to push their u003cemu003e‘truths’u003c/emu003e.  The Antichrist will do the same in the latter times as he will say that u003cemu003ehe u003c/emu003eis the true christ.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo the spirit of antichrist is at work today trying to stir up the world with lies and deceptions in an effort to create a bunch of confusion to lead others away from God.  God, we know, is not the author of such confusion; He does not move to deceive us (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+14%3A33u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 Cor. 14:33u003c/au003e).  God has given us His word and the Spirit of Truth to guide us unto all truth so that we aren’t deceived (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A13u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 16:13u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, who do you suppose would end up being deceived by those with the spirit of antichrist?  Those that deny the word of God and do not abide by the truth, right?  So, all of those that are of no faith in God will be open to the great deception.  I would also point out that those of little faith will also be open to being deceived which is why faith must, again, mature and grow.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eThe apostateu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow we can take a deep look into the tragic case that is the apostate.  When we speak about those that do not believe in God, I want you to understand that this large group is composed of two types of people.  The two groups:  those of unbelief and the apostate.  You may not think that there is a difference because both groups don’t believe in God but there is a great difference.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe one of unbelief u003cemu003enever u003c/emu003ebelieved in God.  The apostate lives in apostasy which, again, is the refusal of continuing to follow (believe in) the Lord.  Let me share with you scripture that brings this definition to life.  In his first epistle, John said this about those with the spirit of antichrist – pay close attention to the wording.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:quote u002du002du003enu003cblockquote class=u0022wp-block-quoteu0022u003eu003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003csupu003e18 u003c/supu003eLittle children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. u003csupu003e19 u003c/supu003eThey went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but u003cemu003ethey went outu003c/emu003e that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cciteu003e1 John 2:18-19 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:quote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  “They went out u003cemu003e‘from us’u003c/emu003e … if they had been of us, ‘they would have continued with us.’”  Yes, John was speaking about those that were moving in the antichrist u003cemu003ebut u003c/emu003esince they were once with those of faith but had fallen out of faith, they were also apostates.  So, understand that part of the crowd of those that move in the spirit of antichrist are also u003cemu003eapostatesu003c/emu003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennJude (also known as Judas or Judah), the half brother of Jesus, spoke about the apostate in his letter and I want to reference it here in our study.  Jude wrote, “For certain men have u003cemu003ecrept in unnoticedu003c/emu003e, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A4u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJude 1:4u003c/au003e).”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  The apostate was once marked u003cemu003eout of u003c/emu003eGod’s condemnation.  Why?  Because they once walked as and u003cemu003ewith u003c/emu003ebelievers.  They are now marked for God’s condemnation because they chose to turn the grace of God into lewdness; they betray God.  The apostate u003cemu003eknowsu003c/emu003e the word of God, and u003cemu003ecorruptsu003c/emu003e the word of God to persuade others u003cemu003eaway u003c/emu003efrom God; the devil did this when he tempted Christ.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennLet’s take a look at the characteristics that Jude gave for the apostate.  Jude wrote, “These are u003cemu003egrumblersu003c/emu003e, complainers, walking according to their own lusts (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A16u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJude 1:16u003c/au003e).”  What are they grumbling and complaining about?  Many grumble and complain when they believe God has not given them what they wanted or when they may be afflicted with no quick resolve.  (Probably a good idea to now slow down on grumbling and complaining about God as it could be a gateway to apostasy).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennJude also wrote that the apostate will speak with great u003cemu003eswelling wordsu003c/emu003e, flattering people to u003cemu003egain advantage u003c/emu003e(Jude 1:16).  Now, who does that sound like that we have already seen in our study?  Satan tempted Jesus by twisting the word of God.  The Antichrist will be what we call a ‘silver tongue devil’ to flatter and to deceive as he leads the falling away.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI recently preached a sermon – Live by the Truth – where I referenced Peter’s second letter in which he also spoke about apostasy.  When speaking about the falling away of today (the last hour), Peter spoke of false teachers.  Peter wrote, “there willu003cemu003e be false teachersu003c/emu003e among you, who will secretly bring in u003cemu003edestructive u003c/emu003eheresies, even denying the Lord (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Pet.+2%3A1u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 Pet. 2:1u003c/au003e).”  This sounds a lot like what Jude said about those that u003cemu003ecrept inu003c/emu003e, right?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennLike Jude, Peter wrote that the false teacher speaks with “great swelling words” and will “allure through the lusts of the flesh” (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Pet.+2%3A16u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 Pet. 2:16u003c/au003e).  Peter said that these false teachers will be u003cemu003escoffers u003c/emu003ethat mockingly ask and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as u003cemu003ethey wereu003c/emu003e from the beginning of creation (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Pet.+3%3A4u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 Pet. 3:4u003c/au003e).”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  Yes, today, u003cemu003ea lot of peopleu003c/emu003e mockingly say this but during Peter’s day, there was a specific kind of person that would say this.  Only those that had once followed Jesus or had been in the presence of one ministering the gospel would know the promise of His return.  Apostates are the u003cemu003emain ones u003c/emu003ebehind such messaging that others today scoff and mock at.  The apostate is more dangerous than the one of unbelief that u003cemu003enever u003c/emu003ebelieved in God.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003ePunishment of the apostateu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe betrayal of the apostate is not one that is going to go unpunished.  You see, the sin – the blasphemy – of the apostate is truly great.  Let’s take a look at what the writer of Hebrews said about the apostate and the punishment that awaits them.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:quote u002du002du003enu003cblockquote class=u0022wp-block-quoteu0022u003eu003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003csupu003e4 u003c/supu003eFor u003cemu003eit isu003c/emu003e impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, u003csupu003e5 u003c/supu003eand have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, u003csupu003e6 u003c/supu003eif they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put u003cemu003eHimu003c/emu003e to an open shame.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cciteu003eHebrews 6:4-6 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:quote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennu003cstrongu003eNote:u003c/strongu003e  When one of genuine faith falls down by committing a sin, we cannot lose our salvation (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Pet.+1%3A4-5u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 Pet. 1:4-5u003c/au003e).  Now, through David, we know that we can lose the u003cemu003ejoy u003c/emu003eof our salvation but by God’s forgiveness that joy can be renewed (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.+51%3A12u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003ePs. 51:12u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, what the writer Hebrews is speaking about is dealing with those who were once of faith – they “tasted the heavenly gift” and had “become u003cemu003epartakers u003c/emu003eof the Holy Spirit”.  Though they were once living by the word of God and had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, they managed to fall away from God by falling back into and living in sin.  So, to be clear, the writer of Hebrews was talking about those that become an apostate and fall into apostasy.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAbout the apostate, the writer of Hebrews said it is u003cemu003eimpossible u003c/emu003efor them to be renewed.  In their betrayal, the apostate crosses the unpardonable line by blaspheming the work of God.  What makes their blasphemy so much more worse than the blasphemy of the one that never believed in God is that their blasphemy began in the presence of the Holy Spirit!  The apostate’s sin of blasphemy is one that is done knowingly and u003cemu003eblatantlyu003c/emu003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAccording to the law, in the book of Deuteronomy, the false teacher (the apostate) was supposed to be put to death by the people.  The scripture states, “that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn u003cemu003eyouu003c/emu003e away from the Lord your God (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.+13%3A5u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eDeut. 13:5u003c/au003e).”  In that day, the apostate, whether they were family or friends, was to be stoned to death (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.+13%3A6-11u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eDeut. 13:6-11u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, apostasy eventually went unchecked in the land of Israel and the northern kingdom was utterly destroyed.  The southern kingdom was conquered due to apostasy but not utterly destroyed as God remained faithful to His everlasting covenant.  Even in the church today, we hardly talk about apostates and apostasy.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennFrankly, it is a real shame that we don’t talk about apostasy as often as we should.  Apostasy is growing in the world as the world is falling further and further away from God and you don’t have to take a guess at what it leads to.  When the church is called out of the world by Christ, the world will essentially be defenseless to the falling away; it will happen u003cemu003eeasilyu003c/emu003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, while we may not address apostasy today, it will u003cemu003eneveru003c/emu003e escape God.  The apostate will be judged and punished along with those that choose to live their lives fully convicted in the way of sin.  The apostate will be judged at the Great White Throne and cast away from God for all of eternity.  What is going to be so hard on them is the fact that in eternity, they will remember the u003cemu003esweetu003c/emu003e taste of what they chose to give up.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e