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There are many passages in the Bible that warn believers against falling away from the Christian faith, a process known as apostasy.  The Apostle Paul prophesied that there will be apostasy before the end of the age (2 Thess. 2:3).  This is important because our faith is a continual and life-long process of growth whereby we become more and more like Jesus Christ.  It is not a matter of raising hands or coming forward at gospel meetings, or repeating a short prayer after an evangelist, then continuing to live unchanged lives as though nothing has happened.  The Christian life is a continual pressing on and straining forward to the heavenly call of Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14).

Coupled with the warnings against apostasy are equally sharp warnings against false doctrines.  These false doctrines do one of two things.  They teach and demand obedience to rules which God Himself does not require.  Or they have a certain attractiveness that satisfies the desires of people, turning them away from the truth in the process.

These warnings are highly significant in relation to the way Christians live and think in present day Singapore.  There has been one tendency to downplay sound doctrine by pitting obedience against truth (“obedience is more important than doctrine!”) as though one had to choose between the two.  This is erroneous teaching that does not stand up to Biblical scrutiny.  Obedience in the Bible is always obedience to God’s commands (1 Jn. 5:3), to a standard of teaching (Rom. 6:17), to the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8) – in other words, to sound doctrine.  Without sound doctrine, we fall into the danger of obeying sin (Rom 6:16).  We need sound doctrine in order to obey God.  Obedience that is pleasing to God is obedience to sound doctrine.

The other danger is the tendency to seek out teachings which are appealing to our sinful hearts like the Prosperity Gospel.  This teaches that God blesses his people with riches and God’s people have a right to wealth and health.  This false teaching is contrary to the pages of Scripture e.g. Lk. 9:23-25.  Those who subscribe to such teaching will fall into spiritual danger when illness, death, poverty or loss occurs in their lives.  Sure and steadfast Christians heed the warnings in the Bible against falling away and false doctrine.