Just What Do You Mean Apostasy?

by
by Robert E. Tigue (Des Plains, Illinois)
An apostasy is not people leaving an organization…. but it is the organization leaving…. turning aside from…or abandoning Truth.
 
Apostasy (from Greek, meaning a defection or revolt, from, apo, “away, apart”, stasis, “standing”) is a term generally employed to describe the formal abandonment or renunciation of one’s religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to one’s former religion. One who commits apostasy is an apostate, or one who apostatizes. Apostasy is generally not a self-definition: very few former believers call themselves apostates and they generally consider this term to be a pejorative. One of the possible reasons for this renunciation is loss of faith, another is the failure of alleged religious indoctrination or brainwashing.

pejorative – adj. vilifying, disrespectful, scornful; declining, depreciatory; changing for the worse, calumniatory

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
 
There is much symbolism here…. here it is talking about a spiritual virgin…. now just what is a spiritual virgin? It is one who would not in any way at all associate themselves with any of the churches of this World…and the organization they had been with, if it was doing away with God’s Laws and Holy Days…and becoming a Worldly Church.

Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
 

Let’s look at the symbolism of a lamp
Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
 
reproof n. admonition, reproach; censure, condemnation; expression of blame, accusation – (this is the way any dictionary describes reproof….and it is the human way.) Reproof from GOD is this way – a kindly intent to correct a fault…. remember King David said “I would rather fall into the hands of GOD rather than the hands of men…. King David knew GOD’S correction would be firm but gentle.
 
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

These spiritual virgins were told that the Law (Commandments) are no more…forget them…they have been done away with. Also, they were told the Sabbath was no longer a sign of GOD’s people. So, these spiritual virgins left with the Commandments…they were not going to give them up…they knew God’s Laws and Holy Days were not done away with!

Exo 20:1 And God spoke all these words, (the Ten Commandments) saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
Exo 20:6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.
 
Lev 23:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s Passover.
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Lev 23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Lev 23:9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf a he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savor: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first fruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.
Lev 23:19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
Lev 23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
Lev 23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be a holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
Lev 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 23:23 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:26 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
Lev 23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
Lev 23:33 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
Lev 23:35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Lev 23:36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

(solemn – adj. grave, somber, serious; ceremonial, formal, dignified; sincere, earnest)

Lev 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything upon his day:
Lev 23:38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
Lev 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Lev 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
Lev 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
 
Don’t see anything done away with here!
 
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
 
They all slumbered and slept…. they were not studying to show themselves approved….they were not searching the scriptures to see if these things be…not redeeming the time….perhaps not enough prayer time…or fasting…or maybe very little time on any of these things.
 
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
 
It is easy to think that the oil is symbolic here of the Holy Spirit…but not in this case.
 
Let’s look at what GOD has to say about this matter
Act 8:18 And when Simon (Simon Magnus) saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, (he wanted to buy this Gift!)
Act 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
 
Joh 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken;
 
So, we see that the Holy Spirit cannot be bought!
 
So just what was it that they were told to buy? And when something is purchased, one has to use something to pay for whatever is purchased….so what does GOD’S Word tell us we are to buy?
 
Pro 23:23 Buy the truth and sell it not; also (buy – implied) wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
 
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. – (The Holy Bible)
 
sanctify – v. consecrate, make holy; make free from sin, purify; become holy
 
How does one get wisdom, instruction and understanding? By personal Bible study, prayer and fasting…redeeming the time…the time that each one of us has left on this Earth. Asking GOD for more Faith…more of His Holy Spirit.
 
Were the unwise virgins doing this? Remember what GOD calls them…unwise!
 
What is the symbolism of a vessel…it is one’s Mind!
 
The Apostle Paul was a chosen vessel…highly educated!
 
Act 22:2 And hearing that he spoke in the Hebrew dialect to them, they showed more quietness. And he said:
Act 22:3 Indeed I am a man, a Jew having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been trained according to the exactness of the ancestral law, being a zealous one of God, even as you all are today.
Act 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straightest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Act 9:15 And the Lord said to him, Go, for this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel.
Act 9:16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name.
 
Gamaliel
Gamaliel the Elder (gYm’lYl), or Rabbi Gamaliel, was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the mid first century and the teacher of Paul the Apostle. He was the grandson of the great Jewish teacher Hillel the Elder. He died twenty years before the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem. Gamaliel was a guardian of the early Nazarene Christian church (Acts 5), and it is noteworthy that James the Just was martyred (62 AD) soon after Gamaliel’s death.
 
All Paul needed was to have the Law magnified to him by Jesus Christ…and then Paul understood that GOD’S Law was a Law of LOVE.
 
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
 
(Why… What was it they lacked…can one suppose they were just sitting around waiting for Christ to appear?)
 
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
 
John the tenth chapter also talks about what to do when an apostacy occurs.

Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
 
Three key statements here – (1) leadeth them out and (2) He goeth before them, (3) and the sheep follow him

Question… Who left first? It should be very plain that Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd left first and those who were around in “90-95” saw how the attitudes changed once Christ left.
 
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (good spiritual meat)
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one-fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
 
Many apostasies have occurred down through the centuries…and perhaps the biggest one occurred in the 1st century.

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
 
GOD’S Laws will continue to be watered down and even cast aside….so watch and listen…search the Scriptures to see if these things be…study to show yourself approved…pray…fast…redeem the time!!
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