FALLING AWAY

There are two schools of thought regarding falling away: one is that there will be no falling away; the other is that there will be falling away.

We believe and teach there is falling away, for it was Jesus Himself Who said that there will be (Matthew 24:10 - "Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.").

Biblical history reveals that there is "falling away" or rebellion against God since the beginning of time. This is exemplified when Lucifer rebelled against God. He was expelled from God's Kingdom. The second "falling away" took place when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The Spirit of God left them; they were expelled from the garden of Eden or paradise. Natural national Israel which once was a "chosen nation" lost their identity as a chosen race because of their rebellious ways.

"Falling away" simply means that people turn away from faith in God and begin trusting other things. These other things become "idols" in their hearts which they depend on to lead them through this life and then into heaven. A believer who fall away is unable to enter into rest and peace because he turns back to sin and once again breaks God's laws.

The following are our biblical bases for believing that there is "falling away":

1. Romans 11: 21-23 "For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you." So consider God's kindness and rigor - on the one hand His rigor applied to those who failed and on the other hand God's kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness; else you too will be cut away.
2. In Timoty 6:34, Paul stated that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of "demons". This is one of the examples of falling away. These doctrines were developed by men who loved selfish ambition. II 2:3 says, "The day of the Lord wil not come unless the apostasy from the faith comes first."
3. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warned, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name and in Your Name cast out demons?' Then I will frankly say to them, 'I never knew You. Get away from Me!'"
4. In Revelation 3:16 Jesus said, "So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. In Romans 8:13, Jesus warned that "If you live in a fleshly way, you will die. But if through the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, then you will live." In Revelations 3:5, Jesus said, "Similarly the victor will be dressed in white robes and I shall not erase his name from the Book of Life; I shall confess his name before My Father and before His angels."