7 Warning Signs of Apostasy
June 26, 2011 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: There are warning signs to indicate if you are falling away from the Lord.
Focus Passage: Luke 8:4-15
Supplemental Passage: And He said to him, " ’YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, ’YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)
Introduction: AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY has saved thousands of lives by educating the public about 7 WARNING SIGNALS OF CANCER. a. They are:1) Change in bowel or bladder habits 2) A sore that does not heal 3) Unusual bleeding or discharge 4) Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere 5) Indigestion or difficulty swallowing 6) Obvious change in the size, color, shape, or thickness of a wart, mole, or mouth sore, & 7) Nagging cough or hoarseness. They recommend, "If your signal lasts longer than two weeks, go to your doctor to learn if it means cancer." Many lives have been spared due to diligence and sensitivity toward recognizing and doing something the warning signals.
I. Loss of Appetite for God’s Word
a. like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word… 1Pe 2:2
b. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Rom 10:17
c. No PERSONAL Bible study, only spoon feed by SS teacher or Preacher.
i. You are NOT going to grow spiritually by ONLY being fed by others
ii. Bothered by Biblical challenges to live according to the Word
iii. Feel you know all you need to know
II. Loss of Desire for Prayer
a. Pray without ceasing 1Th 5:17
i. Doesn’t mean “24/7” but to have attitude of prayer
b. Prayer is more than cries in time of distress and “thank you’s” before meals
c. In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Mark 1:35
d. Real Prayer Life Is Hard Work! “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Jas 5:16
III. Loss of Desire to Assemble with the Saints
a. “Going to church because I have to”
b. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, (Acts 2:46 NASB)
c. One of the most visible signs (to others) of falling away
IV. Lack of Love or Concern for Others (but an obsession with self)
a. "The second is like it, ’YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ (Matthew 22:39 NASB)
b. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34 NASB)
c. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (Philippians 2:3 NASB)
V. Lack of Involvement with Kingdom Work
a. Most churches struggle to get its members involved.
b. One of the loudest complaints of Christians “I don’t feel a part of church, I don’t feel involved.”
i. It’s hard to feel involved when you only come on Sunday mornings or only once in a while
c. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8 NASB)
d. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10 NASB)
VI. Lack of Regard for the Truth (out-of-control Pride)
a. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17 NASB)
b. Are we willing to allow God’s Word to tell us we’re wrong? If not, we have a lack of regard for the truth.
VII. A Critical, Bitter Spirit
a. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, ’Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 NASB)
b. But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:15 NASB)
Invitation: An isolated, short-term manifestation of one of these symptoms does not mean you have fallen away from Christ. Persistence of the problem over a period of time, however, is serious!
(Largely based on work by Rubel Shelly and Roddy Chestnut)
