228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

Lukewarm & Apostasy

Two Dangerous Conditions for Christians

Many modern christians are very casual about their relationship with God. They take no personal effort to actually learn more
about Him, His will for their lives or explore what the Scriptures
teach about His character and dealings with mankind over the
ages. Somehow we have changed our perception of God from
that of our fore-fathers and biblical nations, and replaced it with a
type of christian-humanism which places God almost on par with
us. This is evident in our lack of personal bible study, prayer and
obedience.
In modern society, with all its amazing accomplishments, such
as television, computers, skyscrapers, airplanes, and cruise ships,
we have lost touch with the reality of an ancient, great and powerful God. Therefore, in this spiritual climate, it is very easy to become lukewarm or to completely apostasize from the faith.
In this session we will discuss what the Bible teaches about
these two christian conditions and discuss ways to avoid them.
1 Timothy 4:1-3 (KJV)
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a
hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which
believe and know the truth.
Notes:
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Prepared by Diana Johnson

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228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

Lukewarm

The Poem

There are three types of people on earth:

I knelt to pray but not for long,

I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
Theyd laugh at me Id fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book,
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
Your name I cannot find,
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time.

Hotthose excited and full of zeal and passion

for the things of God and right living.
Coldthose with no interest in God or right.

Lukewarm-those who are in-between,

sometimey or a mixture of hot and
cold. This unstable behaviour.
Rev 3: 14-22
.... I know your works, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then,
because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say,
I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothingand do not know that you are wretched,
miserable, poor, blind, and nakedI counsel you to
buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be
rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you
may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at
the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with
him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will
grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.

Prepared by Diana Johnson

~author unknown~

It is important to note that the state of being lukewarm is tied with worksnot faith, belief,
feeling or convictions. It is tied to what what you
are doing with what you believe.
Also note that pride seems to be the stumbling block of the Lacodean church. In essence,
they feel they have arrived and do not need
anything.

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228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

How do we become
lukewarm?

2) Weak faithwhen faith is weak or not present

we tend to depend on other things, such as self,
(doubt).

1) Pride-becoming more dependent on and glorying in personal wealth and accomplishments;

(While there is some pride that is good-like selfesteem and self-worth, sometimes these can
get out of hand and we feel invincible and better
than others. )

James 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,......
1 Kings 18:21
.....How long will you falter between two opinions? If
the LORD is God, follow Him.....

Philippians 2:2-4 (NKJ)

...Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or
conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.....

3) Willful sin
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin wilfully after that
we have received the knowledge of the truth,

Luke 12:16-22 (NKJ)

...... I will pull down my barns and build greater,...So
is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God.
Notes:
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Prepared by Diana Johnson

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228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

Apostasy

The State of Hopelessness

Apostasy is the total desertion of, or departure from the teachings and
principles of Christ.
It is not the same as heresy, where someone gets the truth mixed up with lies, but rather, someone
who understands the truth, has experienced the benefits of Christ, and still decides to desert it.
Hebrews 6:1-8
......4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have
become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God,
and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears
herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated,
blessing
from God;
if it bears thorns and briers, it
Finishingreceives
is more
important
than but
starting
is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Dangerous Habit #4
Saved but not Changing

should
be aabout
b_______
and b______
they will person
heap up for
Proof You
that Paul
Is talking
former strong
as time goes by.
themselves teachchristians:
ers; and they will
1) once enlightened
You and others should see some visible changes in your
turn their ears away
2) tasted
Heavenly gifts
personality all the time. You should not straighten up a few
thedangerous.
truth, and
3) partakers
the Holy
Spirit
areas inofyour
life then
leave the rest. This from
is very
It is the
called
will-ful
sin or backsliding.
be turned aside to
4) tasted
word
of God
fables.....
5) tasted the powers of the age to come
Heb 10:26-31 _____________________________________

Heb 10:26-29
Group Question: Is is the possible for
refers to person
it as being
lukewarm.
you
For find
if wethat
sin willa trulyJohn
born-again
to turn
away If you
have
stopped
progressing
and
making
adjustments
in
your
fully after we have personality, habits, motives and daily
completely?
activities, then its time to take personal inventory.
received the knowledge of the truth....and insultOther scriptures of christians mis-behaving: ed the Spirit of grace?
Rev 3:16________________________________________________________________________
I Tim 4:1-5 Now the Spirit expressly says that in
Phil 3:14
Romans 1:18-32 ... 21 because, although they
latter times
some________________________________________________________________________
will depart from the faith,....
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor
II Cor 3:18 _______________________________________________________________________
were thankful,...
II Tim 4:1-9 ...For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine, but according to Note specific mention of former christians
their own desires, because they have itching ears, becoming homosexuals.

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228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

Phil 3:18 For many walk, of whom I have

told you often, and now tell you even
weeping, that they are the enemies of the
cross of Christ:

angry with God and other christians

when life doesnt go your way as
you might be setting yourself on the
wrong pathway.
Many persons in a lukewarm or
Causes of Lukewarmness
apostasy state still remain in fore& Apostasy
front ministry which makes for a bad
Discouragement, trials, death of a
representation of the true church.
loved one, tribulations, temptations,
This is a big problem and persons
failures, etc, if not managed, can set a like these can become stumbling
strong christian on a pathway to beblocks to non-believers and new
coming lukewarm or to completely turn converts who are looking for good
away. Be careful you do not become
examples of the believers.

Can a person eventually loose their salvation

or is it that they were never truly converted?
Theologians have debated this for years
because the Bible seems to not answer it completely. However, there is NO VERSE that specifically says that you can sin all you want and
still go to heaven. All verses on this subject urge
us to repent or pay some type of consequences.

Romans 8:29-30; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians

1:5,13,14; Ephesians 4:30; Colossians 3:3-4;
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 9:12,15; Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 12:28; 1
Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:19,25; 1 John 5:4,11-13,20;
Jude 24-25.

Let us examine some verses for and against

Con Eternal Security Verses

Matthew 7:21-22, Luke 8:1-15, Hebrews 6:1-8
Hebrews 10:26-31, Rom 8:12-14, Heb 10:38
Gal 6:7-8, Gal 5:19-21, Col 1:21-23,
2 Pet 2:20-22, Jam 5:19-20, Rom 8:12-13

Pro Eternal Security Verses

John 3:16; John 3:36; John 6:47; John 10:27-30;
John 17:11,12,15; Romans 5:8-10; Romans 8:1;

Prepared by Diana Johnson

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228 Generation Bible Study & Think Night

Notes:

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Prepared by Diana Johnson

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