The Falling Away

1 Timothy 4:1-5

Introduction

1.      My experiences at Purdue – there are those who begin and there are those who finish – only those who finish get a diploma

2.      My experiences with people – there are those who begin to follow Jesus and there are those who finish – only those who finish receive the “prize” (1 Cor 9:24)  

Discussion

1.      Scriptural warnings concerning “falling away”

a.       Some individual examples – Judas, Demas (2 Tim 4:10), Diotrephes (3 John 9-10), Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), those who want to get rich (1 Tim 6:9-10  

b.      Warnings from the parables of Jesus – The parable of the sower (Matt 13), the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15)  

c.       Warnings from Hebrews – Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31  

d.      Warnings from Peter – 2 Pet 2:20-22  

2.      There is Paul’s warning about the apostasy

a.       2 Thess 2:3-4  

b.      This apostasy involves men usurping the position of God  

c.       The history of the church from the second century onward  

d.      Men still claim to speak for God  

3.      Falling away and apostasy bring forth the need for restoration

a.       For an individual – there is a need for repentance – for example, there is the declaration of the prodigal son (Lk 15:18-19)  

b.      For a group – there is a need to return to New Testament authority – consider Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia (Gal 4:16)  

Conclusion

1.       It is not enough to have been baptized into Christ – one must continue to follow Christ until death

2.      It is not enough that a church was established on Biblical principles – it must continue to follow New Testament principles

3.      Our only goal is to be a church that belongs to Christ – your only goal ought to be faithfulness to Jesus Christ

4.      “Where He leads me, I will follow”