What exactly makes you an apostate? I remember reading but I cant find it again.. a passage about taking one in who had strayed from the faith and build them up. If anyone can find this scripture for me or one like it it will be greatly appreciated.
Apostasy is written of in Hebrews 6:4-8, and while some would argue that it was exclusively written to Jews..
There's too many other Scriptures that speak of falling away from the faith.
'3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.'
(Jude 1:3-5)
In speaking of apostates, the book of Jude uses very strong language.
'8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds;
fruitless trees in late autumn,
twice dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.'
(Jude 1:8-13)
Notice in vs. 12 of Jude it speaks of these apostates as being 'twice dead'.. so if the 'fruitless trees' are taken to mean apostates (which they are, going by the context) then these apostates must have been alive and fruitful at 1 point.
Again in the book of Peter, scripture speaks to this spiritual condition of having a saving knowledge of the truth at one point.. yet returning to wallow in the mire of the former life.
'20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.'
(2 Peter 2:20-22)
This is what God's Word says.. so clearly apostasy is real. Even the Lord Jesus Himself spoke of it.
Christ said before His return there would be a great falling away from the Christian faith.
'4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.'
(Matthew 24:4-14)
So there is no doubt about it.
Apostasy is real. The Bible speaks about apostates.
The Lord Jesus speaks of many being deceived.. He even speaks of false christ's and false prophets.
(Matthew 24:24).
From what I can gather in scripture, an apostate is someone who renounces the faith after coming to the knowledge of the truth.. and they never come back to repentance.
However, as long as someone is still alive on this earth they are able to come to repentance.
Just look at the thief on the cross. In his dying moments he repented, and found redemption in Christ for the Lord Jesus granted Him salvation.
'39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.'
(Luke 23:39-43)
So while we're still here on this earth.. it's never too late for anyone friend.
Christ speaks of this in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
(Luke 15:11-31)
Hope this helps.
