An apostate is an individual who has abandoned or renounced their faith, particularly in the context of Christianity. The term is derived from the Greek word "apostasia," which means a defection or revolt. Apostasy is considered a grave sin in Christian theology, as it involves a deliberate turning away from the truth of the Gospel and the rejection of the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

Biblical References:

1. Old Testament Context:
· The concept of apostasy is present in the Old Testament, where the Israelites are repeatedly warned against turning away from God to follow other gods. In Deuteronomy 13:6-10, the Israelites are instructed to deal severely with those who entice others to worship false gods, highlighting the seriousness of apostasy in the covenant community.

2. New Testament Context:
· The New Testament contains several warnings against apostasy. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul warns the church about a coming rebellion: "Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed." This passage suggests a future time of widespread apostasy.
· Hebrews 6:4-6 speaks to the severity of apostasy: "For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame."
· In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul warns Timothy: "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons."

Characteristics of Apostasy:

· Deliberate Rejection: Apostasy involves a conscious decision to reject the core tenets of the Christian faith. It is not merely a lapse in faith or a period of doubt but a willful abandonment.
· False Teachings: Apostates often embrace false doctrines or ideologies that contradict the teachings of Scripture. This can include the denial of Christ's divinity, the rejection of the authority of Scripture, or the acceptance of moral relativism.
· Moral Decline: Apostasy is frequently accompanied by a moral decline, as individuals who turn away from the truth may also abandon the ethical standards upheld by the Christian faith.

Consequences of Apostasy:

· Spiritual Death: Apostasy is seen as leading to spiritual death, as it involves a severing of the relationship with God. Hebrews 10:26-27 warns, "If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries."
· Judgment: Apostates are subject to divine judgment, as they have rejected the only means of salvation. Jude 1:4 describes certain individuals who "have crept in unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."

Response to Apostasy:

· Church Discipline: The New Testament outlines procedures for dealing with apostasy within the church, emphasizing the need for correction and, if necessary, excommunication to maintain the purity of the faith community (Matthew 18:15-17).
· Call to Repentance: While apostasy is a serious offense, the church is called to encourage repentance and restoration for those who have strayed, as long as there is a willingness to return to the truth of the Gospel.

Apostasy remains a significant concern for the Christian church, as it challenges the integrity of the faith and the spiritual well-being of believers. The Bible's warnings serve as a reminder of the importance of steadfastness in faith and adherence to the truth of God's Word.1. (a.) False; against one's faith.

2. (n.) One who, after having received sacred orders, renounces his clerical profession.

3. (a.) Pertaining to, or characterized by, apostasy; faithless to moral allegiance; renegade.

4. (v. i.) To apostatize.

APOSTASY; APOSTATE

a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (he apostasia, "a standing away from"): I.e. a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. Not found in the English Versions of the Bible, but used twice in the New Testament, in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. Paul was falsely accused of teaching the Jews apostasy from Moses (Acts 21:21); he predicted the great apostasy from Christianity, foretold by Jesus (Matthew 24:10-12) which would precede "the day of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 2:2). Apostasy, not in name but in fact, meets scathing rebuke in the Epistle of Jude, e.g. the apostasy of angels (Jude 1:6). Foretold, with warnings, as sure to abound in the latter days (1 Timothy 4:1-3 2 Thessalonians 2:3 2 Peter 3:17). Causes of: persecution (Matthew 24:9, 10); false teachers (Matthew 24:11); temptation (Luke 8:13); worldliness (2 Timothy 4:4); defective knowledge of Christ (1 John 2:19); moral lapse (Hebrews 6:4-6); forsaking worship and spiritual living (Hebrews 10:25-31); unbelief (Hebrews 3:12). Biblical examples: Saul (1 Samuel 15:11); Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:14, 27); many disciples (John 6:66); Hymeneus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1:19, 20); Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). For further illustration see Deuteronomy 13:13; Ze 1:4-6; Galatians 5:4 2 Peter 2:20, 21.

"Forsaking Yahweh" was the characteristic and oft-recurring sin of the chosen people, especially in their contact with idolatrous nations. It constituted their supreme national peril. The tendency appeared in their earliest history, as abundantly seen in the warnings and prohibitions of the laws of Moses (Exodus 20:3, 4, 23 Deuteronomy 6:14; Deuteronomy 11:16). The fearful consequences of religious and moral apostasy appear in the curses pronounced against this sin, on Mount Ebal, by the representatives of six of the tribes of Israel, elected by Moses (Deuteronomy 27:13-26; Deuteronomy 28:15-68). So wayward was the heart of Israel, even in the years immediately following the national emancipation, in the wilderness, that Joshua found it necessary to re-pledge the entire nation to a new fidelity to Yahweh and to their original covenant before they were permitted to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 24:1-28). Infidelity to this covenant blighted the nation's prospects and growth during the time of the Judges (Judges 2:11-15; Judges 10:6, 10, 13 1 Samuel 12:10). It was the cause of prolific and ever-increasing evil, civic and moral, from Solomon's day to the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. Many of the kings of the divided kingdom apostatized, leading the people, as in the case of Rehoboam, into the grossest forms of idolatry and immorality (1 Kings 14:22-24 2 Chronicles 12:1). Conspicuous examples of such royal apostasy are Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:28-32); Ahab (1 Kings 16:30-33); Ahaziah (1 Kings 22:51-53); Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:6, 10, 12-15); Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:1-4); Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-9); Amen (2 Chronicles 33:22). See IDOLATRY.

Prophecy originated as a Divine and imperative protest against this historic tendency to defection from the religion of Yahweh. In classical Greek, apostasy signified revolt from a military commander. In the roman catholic church it denotes abandonment of religious orders; renunciation of ecclesiastical authority; defection from the faith. The persecutions of the early Christian centuries forced many to deny Christian discipleship and to signify their apostasy by offering incense to a heathen deity or blaspheming the name of Christ. The emperor Julian, who probably never vitally embraced the Christian faith, is known in history as "the Apostate," having renounced Christianity for paganism soon after his accession to the throne. An apostate's defection from the faith may be intellectual, as in the case of Ernst Haeckel, who, because of his materialistic philosophy, publicly and formally renounced Christianity and the church; or it may be moral and spiritual, as with Judas, who for filthy lucre's sake basely betrayed his Lord. See exhaustive articles on "Apostasy" in the Jewish Encyclopedia.

Dwight M. Pratt

2061. Hermogenes -- "born of Hermes," Hermogenes, one who deserted ...
... Hermogenes. From Hermes and ginomai; born of Hermes; Hermogenes, an apostate
Christian -- Hermogenes. see GREEK Hermes. see GREEK ginomai. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2061.htm - 6k

288. ampelos -- vine
... 288 -- a ; (figuratively) Jesus Christ, "the true " (Jn 15:1). 288 ("vine") is also
used symbolically of Christless Judaism and apostate Christianity (Rev 14:18 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/288.htm - 7k

5436. Phugelos -- Phygelus, one who deserted Paul
... Phygelus. Probably from pheugo; fugitive; Phygellus, an apostate Christian -- Phygellus.
see GREEK pheugo. (phugelos) -- 1 Occurrence. 5435, 5436. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5436.htm - 6k

3432. moichos -- an adulterer
... adulterer. Perhaps a primary word; a (male) paramour; figuratively, apostate --
adulterer. (moichoi) -- 2 Occurrences. (moichous) -- 1 Occurrence. 3431, 3432 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3432.htm - 6k

7728. shobeb -- turning back, apostate
... 7727, 7728. shobeb. 7729 . turning back, apostate. Transliteration: shobeb
Phonetic Spelling: (sho-babe') Short Definition: apostate. ...
/hebrew/7728.htm - 6k

7726. shobab -- turning back, recusant, apostate
... 7725, 7726. shobab. 7727 . turning back, recusant, apostate. Transliteration:
shobab Phonetic Spelling: (sho-bawb') Short Definition: faithless. ...
/hebrew/7726.htm - 6k

Julian the Apostate.
... COLLECTION OF TESTIMONIES OF UNBELIEVERS. JULIAN THE APOSTATE. From CYRILLUS
ALEX. Contra Julian., lib. vi. p.191. Julian the Apostate ...
//christianbookshelf.org/schaff/the person of christ/julian the apostate.htm

Quintus the Apostate.
... Chapter IV."Quintus the apostate. Now one named Quintus, a Phrygian, who was but
lately come from Phrygia, when he saw the wild beasts, became afraid. ...
/.../smyrna/the martyrdom of the holy polycarp/chapter iv quintus the apostate.htm

All Things have Been Created for the Service of Man the Deceits ...
... Against Heresies: Book V Chapter XXIX."All things have been created for the service
of man The deceits, wickedness, and apostate power of Antichrist. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxix all things have been.htm

Few Saved; Or, the Almost Christian, the Hypocrite, and Apostate.
... Hymns, Book II HYMN 158 Few saved; or, The almost Christian, the hypocrite, and
apostate. LM Few saved; or, The almost Christian, the hypocrite, and apostate. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 158 few saved or.htm

Death of the Tyrants Magnentius and Silvanus the Apostate. ...
... Book IV. Chapter VII."Death of the Tyrants Magnentius and Silvanus the
Apostate. Sedition of the Jews in Palestine. Gallus C??sar ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter vii death of the tyrants.htm

Few Saved; Or, the Almost Christian, the Hypocrite, and Apostate.
... third lines of the stanza. Hymn 2:158. Few saved; or, The almost Christian,
the hypocrite, and apostate. 1 Broad is the road that ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 193055556 few saved or.htm

Whether Apostasy Pertains to Unbelief?
... in some outward deed or utterance, or even in some inward act of the will, for it
is written (Prov.6:12-14): "A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether apostasy pertains to unbelief.htm

Of the Constant Falsehood of the Devil, and of the Powers and ...
... The devil, however, as he is the apostate angel, can only go to this length, as
he did at the beginning, [namely] to deceive and lead astray the mind of man ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxiv of the constant falsehood.htm

Whether a Prince Forfeits his Dominion Over his Subjects, on ...
... Augustine, Super Ps.124:3] says that the Emperor Julian, though an apostate,
nevertheless had under him Christian soldiers, who when he said to them, "Fall ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether a prince forfeits his.htm

He Inveighs against Him Because Though He Has Forsaken the ...
... What if a heretic or an apostate does the same? ... We see then two men in you: a Catholic
and an apostate: first a Catholic, afterwards an apostate. ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter x he inveighs against.htm

Apostate (5 Occurrences)
... APOSTASY; APOSTATE. a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (he apostasia, "a standing away from"):
Ie a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. ...Apostate (5 Occurrences). ...
/a/apostate.htm - 14k

Apostasy (6 Occurrences)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. APOSTASY; APOSTATE. a-pos'-ta-si, a-pos'-tat (he apostasia,
"a standing away from"): Ie a falling away, a withdrawal, a defection. ...
/a/apostasy.htm - 14k

Backslide
... 11:7; Hosea 14:4 and often in Hosea and Jeremiah, shobhabh; shobhebh, in Jeremiah,
4 times: all meaning "turning back or away," "apostate," "rebellious." carar ...
/b/backslide.htm - 88k

Astrology
... these with divination and enchantments, is brought out very clearly in the judgment
which the writer of the Book of Ki pronounces upon the apostate ten tribes ...
/a/astrology.htm - 38k

Jonathan (109 Occurrences)
... The Rabbins changed this name into Manasseh "to screen the memory of the great lawgiver
from the stain of having so unworthy an apostate among his near ...
/j/jonathan.htm - 59k

Galilean (5 Occurrences)
... Julian the Apostate, as he is called, not only used the epithet himself when referring
to Christ and his apostles, but he made it a law that no one should ever ...
/g/galilean.htm - 9k

Runagate
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A fugitive; a vagabond; an apostate; a renegade.
See Renegade. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. RUNAGATE. ...
/r/runagate.htm - 6k

Dositheus
... (3) A Jew, son of Drimylus (3 Maccabees 1:3) who rescued Ptolemy Philopator from
a plot of Theodotus. He afterward proved an apostate from Judaism. ...
/d/dositheus.htm - 7k

Cornelius (10 Occurrences)
... Thus he was probably an Italian of Roman blood. Julian the Apostate reckons him
as one of the few persons of distinction who became a Christian. ...
/c/cornelius.htm - 16k

Antiochians
... The indignant priest not only "had no ear for the temptations of an abhorred Hellenism,"
but in his fury instantly slew the apostate priest who attempted to ...
/a/antiochians.htm - 10k

What is apostasy and how can I recognize it? | GotQuestions.org

What should be our response when a Christian leader renounces the faith and falls away? | GotQuestions.org

Does Hebrews 10:26 mean that a believer can lose salvation? | GotQuestions.org

Apostate: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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