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Elder Robert Willis (dec)

The word “Apostasy” means “falling away”. As for as the church is concerned,

there are two types or kinds of falling away. One can fall away in godly practice or
behavior, and one can fall away in truth or doctrine. Usually, when a child of God
begins ungodly behavior it is due to not holding firmly to the truths of God’s word.
Likewise, a person can be morally upright and still be guilty of Apostasy when it

comes to adhering to the gospel of Christ.

Preachers should not be afraid to warn their flocks just as the church was warned by
Peter and other apostles in the first century, “...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 them-
selves swift destruction.” This apostasy is happening even today in the Lord’s church.
It was even predicted to happen by the Apostle Paul in I Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the

Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron;...”

Ministers of the gospel have a responsibility to cry aloud when “Apostasy” shows it’s

ugly head; in their own congregation or among their fellow ministers if the need be.
Paul went on to tell Timothy, “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things,

thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good
doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

What is the result of Apostasy? If one of God’s children does something which brings
reproach upon themselves, the church, and the Faith, where they need to be removed
from the membership so as to not cause gainsayers to profane the truth of Christ. If a

minister continues in apostasy after being duly counseled with according to Matthew
18, then they need to be removed from the church and their credentials made null and
void. Please understand, these measures should be done only after all attempts to save

them from their apostasy has been exercised. Should they turn from their wicked
ways, the church should be willing to forgive and receive them back when scriptur-
ally possible.