One of the key elements of the last days is apostasy.
The definition of the word “apostasy” is when someone knows the truth but turns away from it. Those who have fallen prey to apostasy may have grown up knowing and embracing Jesus and the Bible, but then, at some point, they “de-church,” walking away from the faith. Likely, every Christian reading this article can attest to witnessing this chain of events unfold in someone they know.
There are various levels of apostasy. It can be walking away from the declaration of who Jesus is. It can also be abandoning Biblical truth by jumping on the bandwagon of heresy.
Titus 1:16 speaks of a time in which people will “profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” The book of Jude describes apostate teachers of the last days, likening them to clouds “without water” and hidden reefs that lives become shipwrecked upon.
Apostasy is an important aspect of last days’ events. Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with news of pastors and denominations turning away from the truth and pursuing apostasy.
One such example is Reverend Brent Hawkes in Canada, who believes that the church needs to adapt to become less offensive. In a recent sermon, Hawkes told his congregation that one “problematic” word in their church statement of faith has made him “uncomfortable.”
“When people now come to our church, many of them will first check the website to see what this church is about, what [we] believe,” he began. “Many of the folks who did that would tell me out in the community, ‘I looked up your church, and it sounded reasonable, but when I got to that word, Savior. It was a problem.'”
Hawkes insisted that the word “Savior” presents a problem to those from “another faith tradition,” those who are “interfaith,” those made uneasy by “fundamentalist” definitions of the word, and those who simply don’t accept Jesus as their “personal Lord and Savior.”
He then complained that his past attempts to banish the word “Savior” were met with opposition: “I quickly realized that one crucifixion was enough. I backed off and thought okay, this is not the right time to do that.”
“Then I had to figure out my own definition of the word… I would hope that someday, this church would see the possibility of changing that word because it is a stumbling block for so many who want to be here,” Hawkes asserted. “It is a stumbling block for people who do interfaith work. How do we explain that phrase to Muslims, to Jews, and to Hindus? I think the word guide just as effectively describes the meaning that Jesus is the one who guides us back into a healing relationship with God. It doesn’t say he’s the only guide. If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, join me. It’s okay. But if you want to redefine that word for you, that’s okay too.”
Those are words from the pit of Hell. What does the Bible say about Jesus? In Matthew 2:10-11, the angels announcing Jesus’ birth stated, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Why is it offensive or a stumbling block to refer to Jesus as the Savior? It is because of what it declaresโthat we are sinful, separated from God, and that we need a Savior to deliver us from the wrath of God. Jesus is the Savior of the world by His substitutionary death on the cross to pay for our sins. The apostle Peter in Acts 4:11 states that Jesus is the cornerstone, the rock that was rejected, and how the world will stumble over Him.
This “pastor” is not teaching the Jesus of the Bible. He is redefining the Savior and introducing destructive heresies. 2nd Peter 2:1 reads, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
In my early 20s, I went to an ecumenical gathering of pastors under the pressure of many, including my own church. There was a Methodist Pastor there who wanted to discuss doing something together. I said, “We can’t do that because you and I don’t agree about who Jesus is, what Jesus has done, and how we have a relationship with God.” The man became extremely angry, and one of the pastors said, “Mark, he can define it however he wants, you can define it however you want, and everybody will be happy”โmy answer to that is “everybody but God!”
Pastor Brent Hawkes should be warned that he is bringing the wrath of God upon himself and those who will embrace what he is saying. That is not my warning; that is precisely what the Bible teaches.
The apostle Peter goes on to say, “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber” (2 Peter 2:2-3).
I share all that with you for this one reason: there will be false teachers, there will be great apostasy, and many will follow. Your friends and family may even follow these destructive heresies but hold on to the truth. Jesus is the truth. The Bible is the truth. And the truth shall set us free.
