1 Timothy 4: Apostasy of Christendom (part one)

The Apostasy of Christendom

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; [1 Timothy 4]

 

 

As the Pauline team expressed it above, it was sensed through the Spirit that there was a time coming of departure from the faith; a time of apostasy; a future time of seduction from faithfulness to Jesus’ spirit. The ‘antichrist spirit’ is, of course, always present.  Too easily we are tempted to call fire down from heaven ‘even as Elijah did’ not knowing what manner of spirit we are of. John noted in his first letter that there are many antichrists even now present. Seeing antichrist at work was a common experience of first century ‘primitive’ Christians.  But, there was also a sense among early believers that the developing future trend line for the faith was toward a narrowing, partisan, controlling spirit to come over the friends of Jesus.

The examples of apostasy that are recorded immediately following the 1 Timothy verse quoted above are those of a false spirituality: one that seeks to impose outward rules on someone else’s eating (the details of living) or in restricting marriage (becoming a judge of what kinds of persons we allow to be married). The essence of apostasy is to be found in the need to assert one’s own status and hierarchy through controlling others.  The spirit of apostasy is the need to exclude others from the pale.

By the writing of the third letter of John, the problem of apostasy was continuing to develop. Note this verse:

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

 

Diotrephes was unwilling to recognize the full fellowship of the Johanine team of believers.  The motivation was his own preeminence: status, hierarchy, self importance.

After several decades of being involved in evangelical, charismatic, Anabaptist, and Quaker streams of the catholic (universal) church, I have felt some openings of insight into the problem of apostasy within Christendom.