What is apostasy? Will there be revival or apostasy in the last days?

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I hear so many people saying that the last days will come a revival. They pray for revival, they expect a revival, they promise a revival. Of course, no one is denying that revival is good. The more people that come to the Lord before they die, the better.

But the bible doesn't even hint at any such thing happening in the last days. Just the opposite is going to happen, and is happening. People will not be coming to the Lord in droves, they will be fleeing from the Lord in droves.

Dr. Andy Woods wrote a terrific essay on this topic titled The Last Days Apostasy of the Church (Part 1)

I am excerpting two paragraphs of it here, and I encourage you to go to the link and read it in full. The second paragraph, below, gives the reason why it is sooo important to completely understand why apostasy, and not revival, is God's end time program.
Apostasy refers to a departure from known or previously embraced truth. The subject of apostasy has little to do with the condition of the unsaved world, which has always rejected divine truth and therefore has nothing from which to depart. Rather, apostasy pertains to the spiritual temperature within God’s church. While some might think that apostasy relates to some external factor such as whether the economy is up or down, the subject of biblical apostasy relates to internal church conditions.

Because comprehension of what Scripture reveals concerning apostasy is critical toward completely understanding God’s end-time program, this series will develop several general characteristics of apostasy. They include the following: apostasy is a sign of the last days, is warned against repeatedly in the New Testament, impacts every major doctrine, is internal, knows no limits in terms of who becomes involved in it, can happen quickly, is satanically energized, is destructive, makes life difficult for the man of God, and can be guarded against.

more at link

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 30, 2013 at 7:40 PM

    I agree with you Elizabeth, many think that there will be this great revival. But how can that be, when it clearly states that in The End Times, there will be scoffers following their own desires. It would be lovely if there was a revival..sigh, it is sadly not to be. But we can still do our bit and warn those ditherers to make their mind up now!
    Rebecca Bonnell x

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  2. hartdawgApril 30, 2013 at 9:21 PM

    I agree with you to a point. the Bible predicts both......but the outpouring of the Holy spirit occurs AFTER the rapture. before the rapture is lukewarm, apathetic and apostasy, after the rapture with the two witnesses, 144,000 and such we see a number which no man can number. between the rapture and the mid point of the tribulation is when Joels prophecy (partially fullfilled at pentecost) comes to pass. before the rapture however, no revival

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    1. Elizabeth PrataApril 30, 2013 at 9:25 PM

      I agree completely. I should have been clearer. I meant revival in the church age. You're right about the Tribulation salvation. After the rapture, He seals the 144,000 as you said, and many believers are martyred. And of course His Jewish remnant hiding in Petra converts and cries out to the Lord and He gives them salvation. (Zech 12)

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  3. AnonymousMay 1, 2013 at 6:52 AM

    I used to think that an apostate was one who BELIEVES and then denies the Truth but then I realized that once you truly believe you are sealed with the Holy Spirit so that couldn't be right. Then I realized that apostates were the professors not the possessors. They never really believed to begin with. They just looked like they did. That's why God has to separate them, the wheat and the tares, at the Second Coming.
    Maybe all of this false teaching about the great revival that is coming is part of the apostasy.
    We must study the Scriptures, exegetically and in context, so that we can keep fighting with the Truth. The deception seems so high but the Lord Jesus said that during the Tribulation it would be so bad that if the time were not short, even the elect, if it were possible(a hypothetical), could be deceived. It will be really hard to discern since the Holy Spirit won't be indwelling believer's at that time.
    I think that Paul gives warning to us about the importance of doctrine and how it will be before the Rapture, and what to beware of as the Church, Body of Christ.
    Matthew 24 seems to describe the events, specifically of Daniel's 70th week, so that the Jewish believers at that time will know what to be looking for.
    Just my thoughts. Yours?

    Pam

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    1. LindaMay 1, 2013 at 8:19 PM

      "Then I realized that apostates were the professors not the possessors. They never really believed to begin with. They just looked like they did."-

      Nicely put Pam

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    2. toughernMay 17, 2013 at 3:52 AM

      Think again on the word "Apostasy" and be clear of the meaning before forming an opinion!

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    3. Elizabeth PrataMay 17, 2013 at 5:48 AM

      Toughern, learning is a process. We connect the new the known, deepen our understanding, and then make new connections, thus refining our conceptions. It isn't like we simply learn one concept in isolation and then are set with an opinion. We all are conversing and hashing out what the meaning of apostasy is, in a constructive way. I ask you to also be constructive also.

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  4. CraigMay 1, 2013 at 10:03 AM

    Thanks again Elizabeth for following the Spirits lead. 10 years ago in our Christian book store most customers were looking for and expecting a big end-time revival except for one very wise pastor who spoke plainly that scripture says just the opposite. Sadly his congregation would have none of his teaching and forced him out. 2 Tim 4:3

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  5. aliMay 1, 2013 at 7:29 PM

    In total agreement with all. The falling away, the apostacy has begun. If Andy Wood saw in in 2009, how much more clear is it in 2013.??.

    Heard a pastor say the 144,000 of Rev. 7 are the total number of everyone who will be saved.?????. Said that all numbers in Revelation are symbolic.???. I don't think he has a clear grasp of Revelation - a good picture of today' church and pastors.

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  6. AnonymousJuly 28, 2013 at 7:55 PM

    Well, your teacher was right because the book of Revelation is a symbolic book acccording this one of many online scholarly commentaries at (http://web.archive.org/web/20110527164410/http://www.apocalipsis.org/symbology.htm)

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    1. Elizabeth PrataJuly 29, 2013 at 1:47 PM

      The web page you linked to can only be gotten to by the web archive, the site itself no longer seems active.

      The numbers are literal. It refers to a literal number of Jews who will be sealed in the Tribulation and further the verses go on to describe exactly how many from each tribe. Where the plain meaning within context is evident, take the plain meaning. (E.G, the number of days in Genesis creation record are 6).

      However there *are* a great many symbols in the book of Revelation. It takes skill, study, and discernment to detect which are literal and which are symbols. Since scripture interprets scripture, we can find this out. John was attempting to describe things that were to happen several thousand years in the future, things which he saw with his eyes but had no vocabulary for. Symbols are always useful because pictures are understood by all, even if vocabulary comes and goes or different languages are used.

      More reading: "Who are the 144,000?"
      http://www.gotquestions.org/144000.html

      How can I recognize and understand biblical symbolism?
      http://www.gotquestions.org/biblical-symbolism.html

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