Apostasy From The Gospel

Had occasion on Saturday to attend a 'Truth of the Gospel' Conference at St John's Park Baptist Church. Keynote speakers were Iain Murray, Editorial Director, Banner of Truth Trust, and Mike Trollope, Sovereign Grace Baptist Church. Much to encourage the soul, not the least being the hymn singing in resounding voice.

I thought I would share headline points and a few anecdotes of Iain Murray's talk on Apostasy:

Signs of Apostasy

Self Confidence of a Wrong Kind

Widespread Worldiness in the Church

* Satan seeks to blur the distinction between the world and the church

* Luther said the Flood came not so much because of world corruption but because of compromise of Seth's righteous line with ungodly line of Cain

Poor Church Attendance

* If morning service is excellent people will desire to return for evening or other service

* Horatius Bonar said "Old Rome died mad with music"

The Church Forgets the God of its Fathers


Causes of Apostasy

In Every Body of Christians there are those Unrenewed

The appeal for Success

Unbelief is Present in Every Christian

* The distinction is that a Christian is aware of the danger of unbelief and opposes it.

Conscience

* Conscience is God's watchman

* Apostasy arises when conscience is abused

When Satan Seduces

* Try the Spirits

Judgement of God

* Without the Holy Spirit Orthodoxy Dies

Our Duty in Times of Apostasy

Be Aware of Erroneous Teaching

Need to Emphasize Progress in a Christian's Holiness and Godliness

Uphold Brotherly Love Toward Those With Whom We Disagree


I hope I have done justice to the recording of Iain Murray's discourse.

The last point is one requiring more attention on this blogspot and I seek to bring myself under that injunction. Readers will see signs of Apostasy in faux Evangelicals of the present age. Certainly, one or two of the signs mentioned have been observed by this writer in the Episcopalian Diocese of Sydney.

Sam Drucker