Unbelieving believers, is there such a thing?
What could that even look like?
Well I first want to direct your attention to this chapter and verses right hereš
( John cht.6) but bring your attention to (vs. 60-66)
And, (Matt.24:10-14)
As we see Jesus warns us of ( falling away) and there being offense, betrayal and hatred towards one another. Keep in mind that He was not speaking of those not born again but about those that were.
Okay, so let’s talk about falling away from the faith, which is called “Apostasy”
What is Apostasy? and
What is the biblical definition of it?
What does “Apostasy” mean?
The definition of an Apostate is someone who fully knows the Word of God and turns against it.
Where there was once belief in the Gospel there is no more. This is due to deception.
“Apostasy” is defined as someone who had full knowledge / understanding of the gospel to only turn against it as a final act of rejection.
who does this sound like? Yep! Judas and Demas in the Bible.
We do have those people out here in the world who have heard the Word preached and have nothing but hate for it, as well as those people who are simply not interested in it at all.
I think in either case, whether you’re talking about hatred or hostility against the Word of God it’s still “Apostasy” full rejection of the truth.
Can we talk about Judas for a minuteā¦…
Judas walked with Jesus for all those years, and not even one disciple ever suspected him as being a traderā¦. I believe when Judas heard Jesus say those words ” someone is going to betray Me”
he knew Jesus was on to him. (Matthew 26:21) While they were eating, he said, āI tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.ā
We must remember that our battles are not physical, but
they are always spiritual ā even when people are involved.
Paul makes this clear in (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). Our enemy is not physical.
Judas was under demonic control 100%, but we can overcome these demonic forces by the blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony ( Rev. 12:11).
And, this can only be done one way- by the power of the Spirit and the authority of the Word of Godā¦..
Jesus knew He would be sold out, He knew that Judas would be the one to do it, He knew the time it would be done, and He knew that He’d die as a result of it, but yet He still allowed Judas to do it, (why)because it was part of God’s plan.
Do you recall when Jesus says it would have been better if Judas had never been born ( Mark 14:6) It wasn’t just the shame of the betrayal that fell upon Judas, but it was also the eternal cost of his betrayal.
Just like Demas who worked / walked alongside Paul until he betrayed him and left him to go back to the world
( 2 Tim 4:10 )for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.
We can even speak about Peter when Jesus was being crucified, and he claimed he did not know Jesus or walked with Jesus. That was betrayal also.
How does someone invest so much of their lives hearing the Word, ministering others in the Word, and studying the Word, and seem so positive about it and then turn away from it all?
Judas was alongside Jesus for 3 years, and in those 3 yrs. being apart of a brotherhood to the others everyday, all dayā¦. preaching and participating in the miracles that they were part of and, the entire time it was all being done with a dark heart of betrayal to do Jesus wrong in the end …
People get this, this man, who was being used by the devil, was fully engaged in the ministry of Jesus Christ, fully engaged in daily fellowship with the Lord and then to betray and do Jesus dirty was like nothing to him (Judas) at allā¦ā¦.
But just like Jesus said āOne of you is a devil.ā (John 6:70) Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” Jesus wasn’t a fool guys He knew what was going down from the very beginningā¦..I mean come on, “He is God”…….
Jesus description of Judas was not that he was a believer who lost his way, or a believer who was once saved and then became unsaved and entangled in sinning, NO!! Jesus called him a devilā¦..yeah, Jesus didn’t use his name, but He knew this from the beginningā¦..
And the other thing Jesus said was āI have lost none of you except that son of perdition” ( John.17:1-12)
it was never a shock to Jesus that there was a traitor among the twelve, but the scripture had to be fulfilled …( read Zechariah 11: 12-13)……. even if you read ( Matt. 27) you will see how Judas tried to return the silver and it was rejected, and then he goes and throws the coins into the temple and then hangs himselfā¦ā¦..
Jesus never spoke of him as a believer, but a son of perdition, a devil ( the son of destruction) and nothing was going on – on the inside of Judas but deception and cunning craftiness.
And that’s what needs to be understood about Apostates. It isn’t that ONE is ONCE saved and TURNS
It isn’t that ONE is ONCE saved and TURNS against it, It’s that they never were true believers in the first placeā¦.
And if you ask the question…how could Judas walk with Jesus, as you put it, for three years, 24/7, and with eleven other men living in very intimate conditions day, after, day, after, day, and they don’t know that there’s a devil on the scene. And by nature a son of perdition? They didn’t need to, as long as Jesus did…
So, I don’t think you can (okay,you can’t) draw this conclusion in human ability, only spiritual. And just because somebody functions in ministry, you and I can’t, even at our best human ability, know who is really a Christian without God allowing us to have that Spiritual ability to know. Which is called Spiritual Discernment.
Another part of understanding Apostasy is that it hides very well, and until it comes to fruition and shows itself / discloses itself, we may not really knowā¦
( 1 Peter 5:8)Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour
Read (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Always stay suited in God’s Armour!!
Be Blessedā¦…
Host Of Angels 