Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/75

Contributor - W. V. Wybenga

Title - Apostasy

Topic - Meditation

FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RESTORE AGAIN TO REPENTANCE THOSE WHO HAVE ONCE BEEN ENLIGHTENED .... HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAVE TASTED THE GOODNESS OF THE WORD OF GOD .... IF THEN THEY COMMIT APOSTASY. Heb. 6 : 4-6

Apostasy! A harsh word. Even the sound of it is disturbing. Apostasy - the falling away we call that the apostasy. Where does that falling away take place? That takes place in the Christian Church! And how is it that the failing away can happen in the Christian church?

It happens when there is a reluctance to grow up, to take the solid food of God's word a refusal to go on to spiritual maturity, remain with the elementary doctrine of Christ, try to live on baby food which is so easy to digest.

The writer to the Hebrews is very disturbed about the lack of spiritual growth among the people he addresses himself to. They wish to remain with the elementary truth of Christ died for you, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved; but they never went on to maturity. They probably assumed that to be partakers of the Holy Spirit they needed some internal, psychological experience of excitement instead of being able to handle the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and to bring forth fruits of the Spirit. That's where the Hebrew Christians were and that's where they wanted to remain - spiritual babies - not realizing that they were actively bringing about the apostasy - a popular religion based on the popular demand of the majority.

This had been the weakness of the Hebrews all along, even way back in the past under their religious leaders Moses and Aaron. The leadership of Moses was grounded in conversing with God and meditating upon his holy will. Consequently, Moses made unyielding demands upon the people. Aaron was much more the practical type, complying to the popular wish for a more practical but less demanding faith. For such a faith the people were willing to offer their gold and silver. A man-centred religion, functioning on the inner experiences and the popular consent is so much easier to live with.

Here too lies the great apostasy of our age. Perhaps, you can blame it partly on us ministers. Are we ministers giving today God-inspired leadership, based on mountaintop meditation upon the holy will of God? Or do you find us compromising to the popular demand?

There is nothing praise worthy in the desire to be fed with milk. We have in scripture the assertion of the duty of the church to be more than a baby-care centre. Woe to the preacher who keeps on feeding baby formula. The desire for the elementary doctrines is simply an evidence of no spiritual growth and if there is no growth that means we are in the process of dying, failing away, apostasy. We ought to desire not to be just branches upon the vine Jesus Christ, but fruit bearing branches. Unless we are fruit bearing branches, we will be cut off. Remember, if we are to have fruits we must have roots.

It is hard work to produce fruit. It is much easier to Shout Hallelujah or to utter strange words than to think deeply and thoroughly about the implications of being partakers of the Holy Spirit on this down to earth level of daily living. It takes mature Christians equipped with the full armour of God, to proclaim the lordship of Christ in all areas of life, such as education, politics, labour. It takes mature followers of Christ to repeat after him: Thy name be honoured, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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