HOW APOSTASY WORKS

It would be proper, at the beginning to define our terms, so let's define "apostasy." It means "a falling away."

Therefore when we speak of apostasy in the church we are speaking of the visible church falling away from the essential doctrinal truths. "Essential doctrinal truths" is an important phrase in this case. We're not talking about apostasy's being defined as deciding that sprinkling is the proper method of baptism as opposed to once holding immersion as the right method.

Sprinkling does not an apostate make. We're talking about the crystal clear teachings of the New Testament such as someone's departing from the doctrines of the virgin birth, the substitutionary atonement of Christ, Christ's deity and humanity united in one Person forever, the Trinity, and the bodily resurrection of Christ. Doctrines like that.

Apostasy is a stealth bomber. Tom Harris writes about the marvel that is the stealth bomber: "The B-2 bomber, commonly known as the stealth bomber, was an ambitious project. In the 1970s, the U.S. military wanted a replacement for the aging B-52. They needed a plane that could carry nuclear bombs to the Soviet Union, in only a few hours. And they wanted it to be nearly invisible to enemy sensors.

"Hiding a giant plane is no easy task. Northrop Grumman, the firm that won the contract, spent billions of dollars and nearly 10 years developing the top-secret project. The finished product is a revolutionary machine -- a 172-foot wide flying wing that looks like an insect to radar scanners!"

 Apostasy has much in common with the B-2 bomber: it flies undetected by the naked, unspiritual eye. It wings its way inside the church like an angel of light. When it reaches its target, it drops its fire and brimstone of total destruction on the unwary.

The working of apostasy is a deception used by the leaders, the movers, the shakers, and the scholars of any given denomination. Apostasy is not denomination-specific, it works the same way in all of them.

Let's take a couple of examples.

A problem has arisen in a denomination: should the ordained ministers of the denomination perform same-sex marriages? A corollary to this question is, "Is practicing homosexuality a sin?"

Enter the stealth bomber: The leaders must make a decision, "Yes" or "No," but they don't do so immediately. As they pilot the B-2 bomber, they make a motion: "We need to study this sensitive issue. We will appoint a committee to make such a study and report back to us in 6 months at our bi-annual meeting."

There is it. The B-2 has done its work and it works every time. Doesn't anyone realize that historically, the church has known the answer to that question for over 2,000 years? The church doesn't need "a study." The "study" is only a ploy. The decision of the committee is a foregone conclusion of 'Yes," but the appearance of a "study" is that they will find something new to justify what they, the apostates, want to do anyway.

Another case in point is a denomination under pressure to allow women to be ordained as pastors. Those putting on the pressure will call for the denomination to do a "study" and the stealth bomber goes to work.

After 2,000 years of biblical theology historical theology, and systematic theology, we need a "study?" The question is so obvious, it answers itself. "No."

A study is a way the camel gets its nose inside the tent. If your denomination is doing a study of the above topics, it's time to shake the dust off your sandals. (Acts 13:50-51)