To understand the relationship between these phenomena, apostasy and discipleship, let take a look at social networks such as Twitter. If a user wants to see and be well abreast with the Tweets of another user, he would have to click on the follow button to be a follower of that account. Upon following, he has the freedom to unfollow that account at any time he deems convenient. It is the same in Christianity; to follow Jesus is called discipleship and to unfollow Jesus is apostasy. Jesus is the pivot between apostasy and discipleship; the two phenomena happen on account of Jesus Christ.
Similarity between apostasy and discipleship
These two phenomena, discipleship and apostasy, have one thing in common – Jesus Christ. They happen because of Jesus; following Jesus is discipleship and unfollowing Jesus is apostasy.
Differences between apostasy and discipleship
- Discipleship happens in only one way, but apostasy happens in many ways.
- The end of discipleship is salvation, but that of apostasy is damnation.
- Discipleship happens when one exercises faith in Jesus; that is to say when one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior and lives in obedience to the word of God. Whereas apostasy happens in many ways, making it a lot complicated than discipleship. Examples: Apostasy will happen in the life of a Christian who is living in sin, apostasy will happen in the life of a Christian who believes and practices false doctrines, apostasy will happen when a Christian renounces his faith, apostasy will happen in the life of a Christian who has other objects of worship, apostasy will happen in the life of a Christian who does not believe in Jesus anymore, apostasy will happen when a Christian loves himself and or loves other people and things more than Jesus, etc.
How discipleship can turn into apostasy
- In the course of following Jesus, if you happen to embrace any opinion or belief or doctrine that contradicts the central believes or teachings of the Bible, it is apostasy. E.g. A school mate of mine, way back at school, stumbled on a book called Unveiling the Da Vinci Code. Having read it, he embraced some strange, baseless opinions or beliefs that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had children by her. He also told me that even at the last supper, when Jesus said, “… this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins …”, He did not mean his sacrificial death on the cross; rather, He was referring to the children He had with Mary Magdalene. If a Christian embraces these false opinions of men, he will become apostate, since by doing so he turns to repudiate the core doctrines on which Christianity and salvation were built.
- In the course of following Jesus, you undergo quite a transformation; your sins are forgiven, you are purified by the blood of Jesus, sanctified, justified, redeemed, and regenerated – you receive the Holy Spirit. Among other good things, the Holy Spirit will give you self-control. The effects of all these spiritual blessings consolidate to make you a new person, well-position to do good works. However if after all these spiritual endowments, you still live in sin, just like the unbeliever, you have denied Christ, and you have apostatized.
- In the course of following Jesus, if you corrupt yourself in the way of practicing rituals, and or bowing down to images, and or enlist in cults and practicing occult, and or consulting spiritualists, shamans, witches, magic, etc., you shall no more be a disciple of Jesus but an apostate.
- In the course of following Jesus, if you love yourself or other people or other things more than Jesus, you cannot be Jesus’ disciple.
What must I do to avoid drifting from discipleship into apostasy?
- Your discipleship was built on faith in Jesus; now continue in this faith. It is written that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Enrich your faith with daily Bible study. Commit your heart to believe in its teachings and practice them faithfully. By so doing, you would never skid off the path of discipleship.
- When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were taken through the spiritual phenomenon of regeneration. Regeneration is simply the receipt of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is assigned to you as your guide and helper who is supposed to see you through the lifelong course of discipleship. If you would humble yourself and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, the assurance is that you would never fall away from being a disciple of Jesus.
- A humble and repentant heart. In the course of your discipleship, you would sin; you would even commit either one or many of the deeds that lead to apostasy. When that happens, the Holy Spirit who lives in you would convict you of sin or would call your attention to the wrong thing you have done. Humbly accept your fault and repent of your sins, praying for forgiveness.
- If you are willing to obey the word of God without compromise, assurances are that you would complete your discipleship race.
Conclusion
Discipleship and apostasy are opposing phenomena; whereas discipleship means following Jesus, apostasy means unfollowing Jesus.
Food for thought
- Examine yourself, are you in the course of following Jesus or you have skid of the course?
- How has faith helped you to stand in the faith?
- Have you ever met a situation that made you feel like you should abandon the faith?
- How long have you been a Christian and what has prevented you from apostatizing?