Stand Fast in the Face of Apostasy

The Bible instructs believers that:

“We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14).

And elsewhere Christians are similarly encouraged to “stand fast in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13) as well as to “stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

If these exhortations to faithfulness were not enough, the Bible also warns believers in no uncertain words about abandoning the faith, explaining that:

It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, 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 (Hebrews 6:4-6).

Recently, however, leading evangelical leaders have been openly leaving the faith and renouncing Christianity. Joshua Harris, pastor and author of the best-selling book I Kissed Dating Goodbye (which advocated sexual purity in the pursuit of marriage) divorced his wife of many years and then declared:

“By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian…I regret standing against marriage equality…and for any ways that my writing and speaking contributed to a culture of exclusion and bigotry.”[1]

Additionally, Marty Sampson, one of the leading song writers and musicians for the massively famous and influential Hillsong worship group, recently made a similar confession. Taking to Instagram for “some real talk,” the author of songs to which millions of Christians have worshiped proudly wrote:

“I’m genuinely losing my faith, and it doesn’t bother me. Like, what bothers me now is nothing. I am so happy now… it’s not for me… I’ve never been about living my life for others.”[2]

To be “happy” about losing one’s faith and belief in God obviously contradicts the commands of the Scripture. Let believers in the Church never forget “the first principles of the oracles of God” (Hebrews 5:12), and always, “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard…in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).

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[1] Josh Harris, “Post from July 26, 2019,” Instagram (July 26, 2019), here

[2] Leah Klett, “Hillsong Writer: ‘I’m Genuinely Losing My Faith,’” The Christian Post (August 12, 2019), here.