The Great Apostasy


In my page The 2 & a Half Tribes that didn't Cross Over , I discuss those christians who are left behind at the rapture who repent and turn to God. I also discuss those overcomers here: The Latter Rain/Reign
 
In this page I will focus on those in the church left behind who forsake Christ. This is known as the Great Apostasy

There are several texts we will look at but the main one where we get the idea of apostasy comes from here:
 

2 Thess 2:
1: Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2: That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 


This falling away is the apostasy. This apostasy has been at work since near the beginning of the church. satan cannot stop the church in certain areas, but he can in others, and he so desires the church to be divided as well as believers to forsake the truth. I discuss in detail any weakness in the church and any possibility of failure here: 

Has the Church Failed?

Immediately after the rapture satan will seek to deceive the true nature of the rapture and also to cause this apostasy to spin out of control. 


2 Thess 2:
9: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 


Some may point out that this speaks of unbelievers, pointing towards them being kept from salvation. This is quite true. But salvation is on 3 levels; spirit, soul, and body. Many christians accept the 1st, and ignore the 2nd. The 3rd comes at the rapture or the resurrection, of which they (those left behind) will also have missed. Therefore satan keeps these from the 2nd and 3rd form of salvation (the 3rd only for a season). 

But we know from scripture, specifically, that many who are in the faith will leave it.


1 Tim 4:
1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 

2 Tim 4:
3: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
 

But why would satan or the anti-christ have anything to do with any christians? satan has a plan, and he uses as many pawns as he can get, and he has no love for this rebellious church who will turn to Babylon's one world religion. 

Revelation 17 MKJV
3 And he carried me away into a desert by the Spirit. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, filled with names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet. And she was gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
5 And on her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom yet, but will receive authority as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.
16 and the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked. And they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17 For God gave into their hearts to do His mind, and to act with one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God will be fulfilled. 
18 And the woman whom you saw is the great city which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth. 


As you can read above the anti-christ and his kings will turn and destroy spiritual babylon, the one world religion. This not a marvel because Jesus also spoke of this earlier: 

Math 12:
25: And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand 

Mark 3:
24: And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25: And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26: And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 


This work of God in Rev 17:17 reminds me of 2 Thess 2:11 above. God gives us a choice, and those who choose wrongly and have grieved the Holy Spirit will run with their sin, allowing God to use them as examples. 


Rom 9:
13: As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14: What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15: For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17: For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18: Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 


I do not believe these christians who have turned against God will have lost their salvation, if they are those who have not crossed Jordan. See here:
 
Believing vs. Being Born Again
 
I also discuss what requirements of scripture there are for the loss of salvation here: 

The Unforgivable sin and concerning OSAS
 
You see Jesus says He will spit them out:
 

Rev 3:
15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
This spitting out was described more by Jesus before He died and rose again. 

Luke 14: NKJV
34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" 


They are not fit for the land which is the Kingdom, nor are they fit for the dunghill which is Hell or the Lake of Fire, so they are cast out. Out where? I discuss where here: 

The Gospel of the Kingdom vs. The Gospel of Salvation
 
I also discuss their fate here:
 
Does the Bible teach a purgatory for believers?

But I will share this:
 

Math 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
 
Ezek 34 NKJV
17 "And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats.

 
One of the weapons of the apostasy today is the book and movie, "The DaVinci Code". As I understand it this book is published as a fictional piece but folks take it literal. I also have heard that the arguments placed in the book are old and have been refuted before, but this work simply repackages these old arguments in one sweet new package. Sorta like satan's old deception about the Tree of Knowledge "you shall be like God" used in the New Age movement.

I do not know how many of those left behind in the church will repent and how many will join the apostasy. While I do preach a 50% partial rapture, this is based on 2 series of scriptural texts, as I describe here:
 
Are You Prepared for the 2nd Coming?
 
But at this time, I find no percentage of those in the apostasy, accept the scriptures tell us many. I also cannot be dogmatic on the security of their salvation, especially in light of Rom 10:6-7. But I would think that satan's hatred of the religious "one world religion", may point to the fact that these folks are saved. I would also point out that many in spiritual Babylon will also come from other religions such as Muslims and Hindu's, and these have no place in salvation at all, I am referring to those in Babylon who were in the church. It is also possible that those who have repented and risk their lives at that time preaching, gain many conversions from those in spiritual Babylon. This is only a guess.

I do also acknowledge that any who take the mark of the beast will lose their place in the Kingdom of God.
 
I will end with these series of verses:
 

Rev 18:
2: And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird...
4: And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 



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Links of interest:

The 2 1/2 tribes that didn't cross over

What authority and security does the church possess?

Believing vs being Born Again

The Unforgivable Sin and Concerning OSAS

The Gospel of the Kingdom vs The Gospel of Salvation

Does the Bible teach of a Purgatory?


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