Meaning of Apostasy

Apostasy and Apostates The Greek word apostasis (in its various conjugated forms) is used several times in the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT). We find it used at 2 Chronicles 28:19, for example, where we’ve rendered it as ‘turned away,’ because that’s what the term really means, since it refers to a turning away from a righteous God-fearing way of life. For the Greek word (which we pronounce as apostasy in English) literally means, ‘turn away from (apo)’ a ‘standing or state (stasis).’ So, it doesn’t refer to a disagreement over doctrine, as the word is misapplied by some modern religious groups. Almost all Bible references to apostasy are speaking of a turning away from the way of IsraElite life that is outlined in the Old Law. Notice that there are only two places where this term (apostasy) is used to indicate someone’s unfaithfulness in the Christian Era Scriptures (NT)… at Acts 21:21 and at 2 Thessalonians 2:3. At Acts 21:21, we read (concerning the Apostle Paul): ‘They have heard the rumor that you’ve been teaching Judeans who live among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to follow the traditions.’ Notice that what was being called an apostasy by the Christian brothers in JeruSalem was his teaching both Jews and gentiles that they didn’t have to follow the traditional Jewish way of life, as outlined by Moses in the Old Law… which was true! Yet Paul submitted to the wishes of these Jewish elders and underwent a needless ceremonial cleansing at the Temple, which led to his arrest and eventual death as a martyr in Rome. As you can see; he wasn’t accused of being an apostate for teaching something contrary to what some Jewish Christians believed. Rather, they had accused him of teaching a ‘turning from’ or an ‘apostasy’ from the Law of Moses. Therefore, notice that his teachings weren’t termed ‘apostate.’ Rather, it was the act of ‘turning from’ the Law of Moses that they were calling ‘an apostasy.’ So, a modern proper use of the term ‘apostasy’ would be where a Christian turns from a Christian way of living, not to some disagreement on doctrine. Actually, the proper word to use when speaking of a person who is teaching something that deviates from established doctrine is heresy. And notice that this is the charge that the Catholic Church used extensively when they were accusing Protestants and others during their ‘Inquisition’ of the 1400s and 1500s. They didn’t accuse anyone of apostasy – turning from a Christian way of life – but of heresy – disagreeing with their established doctrines. So, at least they understood the proper English differences in the meanings of the words. Yet, there was at least one instance where Paul himself seemed to accuse and impose sanctions on certain Christians for heresy. We find this account at 2 Timothy 2:17, 18, where he wrote: ‘That was the problem with Hymenaeus and Philetus; they got away from the truth and started teaching that the resurrection has already happened, which misdirected the faith of some.’ So, deviating from teaching the truth of the Bible was in fact a serious matter among First-Century Christians. However, in view of what Jesus said at Matthew 5:22 and what was said about Jesus at Jude 9; calling anyone an ‘apostate’ or ‘heretic’ (especially when there might be some question as to who is right) would be a very serious sin in the eyes of God. The only other places in the Christian-Era Scriptures (NT) where the Greek word for apostasy is found, is where a ‘certificate of dismissal’ (divorce certificate) is mentioned (see Mark 10:4, for example). The Greek words that are used there are biblion apostasiu, which literally mean, ‘scroll of apostasy (sending away or rejection).’