Why do some fall away? This may be an emotionally loaded question for some. The question is not, “What leads people astray?” If that were the question, any particular sin issue could be brought to the forefront as the answer. Many people have a love of money. The Bible makes it clear that it is impossible to serve two masters. One cannot both pledge his allegiance to his bank account and God at the same time. This is not to say that money is inherently evil. Rather, God warns man that he must not fall in love with money.
The question still remains, “Why do some people fall away?” This phenomenon is not new to the modern era but has been an issue that has plagued the church since its onset. John provides a warning to his readers when he says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…” (1 John 2:15). He goes on to talk about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life as the three avenues in which temptation and sin flow. Paul also tells us about a man named Demas who was his close associate. In Paul’s last letter (2 Timothy), Demas was said to have deserted Paul due to his love for the present world. Here is a picture of the age-old problem. People who are seemingly in the faith fall away.
But John has more to say on the topic as to why people fall away. The example of Demas ultimately does not answer the “why” question. The “why” question is rooted deeper than the “what” question. What caused Demas to fall away? It was his love for the present world. But at the end of the day, why did he do it?
John says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19).
Why do people stay?
At the outset, it may be important to answer the question, “Why do people stay?” This is vitally important. The answer to this question will reveal a man-centered theology or a God-centered theology. Some might venture to say that after they are born again, they need to somehow keep their salvation. Those that would say such a thing mean no harm. There are many Christians who are very concerned about doing what the Bible says and yet believe that they are responsible for keeping their salvation. However, the force of Scripture goes in the opposite direction.
Christians do not “keep” their faith any more than they can keep from sinning. Christians sin, as do unbelievers. This is not to say that Christians are the same as unbelievers. Christians are progressively being sanctified. They are being made into that which they are already declared to be. God has said the Christian is holy. Positionally, this is already the case for the Christian, but progressively, he is becoming that which he is already declared to be.
But some logical questions follow: How many sins are too many? How many sins must the Christian commit before he has actually “fallen away”? If what is at stake in order for the Christian to “fall away” is committing habitual sin, then would this mean that the Christian can be “unborn again”? At the outset, when a Christian is saved, the Christian is born again and made to be a new creation. Someone’s losing his salvation (“falling away”) does not make much sense considering the biblical language of the new birth – and many other biblical words for that matter (e.g., propitiation, justification, redemption, etc.).
The Bible makes it clear that the Christian stays in the faith become God keeps him there. Scripture says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). God starts the work, and He finishes the work. This is an important dynamic that the Christian must grasp.
It is at this point that many turn and say, “Well, does that mean that I can continue in sin?” Paul addressed this same question when he said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein” (Rom. 6:1-2). It is a gross misunderstanding of the Scriptures to assume that since the Christian is eternally secure, he can then continue in sin. Paul says that it is illogical to do so. It is a contradiction in terms. In other words, those that do “continue in sin” must have never died to it in the first place.
Jesus also gives some comforting words to the Christian in John chapter 10. In this portion of Scripture, Jesus tells us that He is the Shepherd of the sheep. What greater confirmation can the Christian have that he is secured than to have Jesus as his Shepherd? However, if that was not enough, toward the end of Jesus’ long account, He goes on tell of the way that nobody will snatch His sheep out of His hand. Then, if even that was not enough, He tells of how nobody will snatch His sheep out of the Father’s hand either. (John 10:28-29). Scripture has made it clear that the Christian will dwell with God throughout eternity not because he was able to be better than the rest. Rather, the Christian will dwell with God because God come to earth, died for the sinner, and will also bring him home. Man cannot ascend into heaven. Jesus must take him there.
Even the great prophet Elijah was unable, with all his gifts and abilities and holiness, to ascend into the clouds as Jesus did. What we read is that God sent down a chariot of fire and brought Elijah to Himself. This brings us to the question of, “Why do people fall away?”
Why do people fall away?
Since it is God who keeps and secures the Christian, the logical conclusion is that there have been many people who have not truly been in the faith and who have, in a sense, fallen away from the church. John makes it obvious that there will be people within the visible church who are not a part of the invisible church. The visible church is external, and in this external manifestation of the church, many will say “Lord, Lord,” but Jesus warned that “many” of these people will not actually be known by God. Jesus warned of the narrow path that few find. Jesus was not telling a fun story to listen to. Maybe better yet, Jesus was not telling a story that the modern Christian should seek to explain away or avoid. The Bible means what it says.
The greatest of all the examples in Scripture of a man who “fell away” was that of Judas Iscariot. He was a man who had the disciples fooled. They thought he was in the faith, but in the end, he betrayed Jesus with a kiss. He was never of the faith, although he appeared as though he was. Christians should not jump to conclusions and make claims as to various people’s eternal state. Rather, Scripture gives the Christian good reasons to examine himself.
Judas was a man who was a branch that was attached to the vine. So are many people who attend church regularly. But they are not attached internally, merely externally. A branch bears fruit when it is being supplied internally with the nourishment it needs. This was not the case for Judas, nor is it the case for many people in the church today. Jesus gave us the parable found in John 15 so we can examine ourselves.
Ultimately, people “fall away” because they were never truly of the faith.
Are you merely attached to Christ externally? Or is your heart being changed by truly abiding in the vine? Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He died for the sins of many, and He desires that all men everywhere would repent. Turn to Christ this day and be forgiven of your great debt. Believe on Him and be washed in the precious blood of Christ.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the many ways that You help me to examine myself. There is too much on the line for me not to examine myself. This world is passing away, and I pray that You would draw me close to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.