 | Dr. John Click, has been the Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church for 27 years now he is the pastor emeritus. He’s a graduate of Baylor University with a BA and Southwestern Seminary with a BD. He received his DMin at Midwestern Seminary. He has served in numerous positions in the Southern Baptist Convention, including: President of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention, Executive Committee of SBC, North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, and Houston Baptist University Board. He has traveled to preach in Europe, Central and South America and the Far East. Dr. Click is the founder and first President of Harvest Communications, which is a TV production company specializing in producing teaching materials for Para- Church organizations. You may contact him for comments or questions by e-mail at: Jcclick99@aol.com. |
Religion
2007-06-01 09:43:00
Can you tell me about the sin of apostasy?
The definition given is right: “A formal renunciation of one’s faith.”
However, it is a shame that one Christian church should define this to mean that one must be a member of that church or else he has renounced his faith. Basic Christianity, is based on the Bible’s teachings, and no one church is named exclusively. True faith is a relationship between a person and God; it is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Church organizations were a much later addition and may be useful, but faith is in Christ, not in an organization. I may feel disappointed if one leaves my church, but I cannot say that the person has “left the faith” unless I have reason to believe that he/she has renounced allegiance to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Once, when one of Jesus’ disciples told Jesus, “Master, we saw a man driving out demons in Your name and we tried to stop him, because he was not one of us.” Jesus answered, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you,” Luke 9:49-50. “It is by the name of Jesus Christ....Whom God raised from the dead...Salvation is found in no one else..... for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4: 9-12. Therefore, I will call no one an apostate unless he has renounced belief in Jesus Christ as the One Savior.
