I believe, proclaim, and teach: that the Scriptures warn us that the latter times will be marked by spiritual deception, departure from the faith, false teaching, moral corruption, and a growing rejection of sound biblical doctrine. Therefore, as New Testament believers, we are called to remain faithful to the Word of God, to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, and to proclaim the truth of Scripture with love, patience, courage, and faithfulness until the Lord Jesus Christ comes.
We are Bible-believing, New Testament Christians. We hold to the faith once delivered to the saints through the Prophets and Apostles as preserved for us in the Holy Scriptures.
We reject every teaching and practice that contradicts the Word of God. We oppose lying, cheating, stealing, manipulation, violence, partiality, immorality, and every other work of darkness—not because we place our confidence in human righteousness, but because God's Word calls His people to walk in truth, holiness, justice, mercy, and love.
The answer to apostasy is not fear, speculation, or compromise.
The answer is faithfulness to the Word of God.
Paul warned Timothy:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Therefore, by the grace of God, we determine to continue preaching the inspired Scriptures, teaching sound doctrine, calling sinners to repentance, encouraging believers toward holiness, and pointing people to Jesus Christ until He comes.
1 Timothy 4:1–3
Paul gives an explicit warning concerning the latter times:
“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.”
The warning is not merely about people becoming less religious.
It is about people departing from the faith.
The danger comes through false spiritual influences and false teaching. Paul describes people who speak lies hypocritically and whose consciences have become hardened.
This reminds us that apostasy is fundamentally a departure from truth.
The Christian church must therefore continually measure its teaching, traditions, practices, and beliefs against the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:1–5
Paul writes:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
He then describes the character of the people who will fill those times.
They will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemous, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, false accusers, lacking self-control, fierce, and despisers of those who are good.
Then Paul gives one of the most sobering descriptions:
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
Notice that Paul does not describe people who necessarily reject religion altogether.
They have a form of godliness.
The danger is that outward religion can exist without genuine submission to God.
A person may have religious language, religious practices, religious associations, and even religious knowledge while resisting the transforming power of God.
Therefore, the Christian must never confuse religious appearance with spiritual faithfulness.
2 Timothy 3:13
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
False teaching does not merely deceive the people who hear it.
Those who spread deception can themselves become deceived.
This creates a dangerous cycle: error produces more error, deception produces more deception, and people become increasingly separated from biblical truth.
But Paul does not tell Timothy to chase every false teacher.
He tells him something much more important:
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.”
2 Timothy 3:14
The answer to increasing deception is continued faithfulness.
Paul immediately points Timothy back to the Holy Scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:15–17
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Then comes one of the foundational statements concerning Scripture:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
The purpose of Scripture is comprehensive.
It gives us doctrine—what we should believe.
It gives us reproof—what we must recognize as wrong.
It gives us correction—how we should be brought back when we have gone wrong.
It gives us instruction in righteousness—how we should live.
God's Word does not merely tell us what is wrong with the world.
It teaches God's people how to live faithfully in the middle of it.
Paul's answer to coming apostasy becomes even more direct in the next chapter.
2 Timothy 4:1–4
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”
Then comes the command:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Why?
Because:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”
Instead, people will gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear.
Paul says they will have “itching ears.”
They will turn away from truth and turn toward fables.
The church therefore must not change the message simply because the culture changes.
The preacher's responsibility is not to make God's Word acceptable to every generation.
His responsibility is to preach the Word.
Jude 3
Jude writes:
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
Notice the balance.
Jude speaks about “the common salvation.”
The gospel belongs to all believers.
But Jude also says that Christians must earnestly contend for the faith.
Biblical Christianity is not something that each generation is free to reinvent.
The faith has been delivered.
Our responsibility is to receive it, preserve it, teach it, defend it, and pass it faithfully to those who come after us.
Colossians 2:8
Paul gives another warning:
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Not every philosophy is harmless.
Not every tradition is biblical.
Not every spiritual claim is true.
Not every teacher who uses Christian language is teaching Christianity.
The standard is Christ and His Word.
Whenever human philosophy, tradition, cultural pressure, or religious practice contradicts Scripture, the Christian must return to Scripture.
The warning against apostasy must not turn the church into a people who fight over doctrine while forgetting Christlike love.
Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 13.
A person may speak with remarkable spiritual gifts.
A person may possess knowledge.
A person may exercise faith.
A person may give generously.
A person may even make extraordinary sacrifices.
Yet Paul says that without love, these things profit nothing.
“And have not charity, I am nothing.”
Truth and love are not enemies.
The Christian is called to hold firmly to truth while demonstrating the character of Christ.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness.
Paul says:
“Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.”
Biblical love therefore does not require us to compromise truth.
At the same time, biblical truth must not become an excuse for pride, cruelty, hatred, or personal vindictiveness.
The same Scripture that commands us to contend for the faith commands us to love one another.
1 Corinthians 14:26–33
Paul also gives important instruction concerning the gathering of the church.
“Let all things be done unto edifying.”
He then provides specific instructions concerning tongues, interpretation, prophecy, and the evaluation of prophetic speech.
The principle is clear:
Spiritual activity must be governed by God's order.
Paul says:
“Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.”
And:
“And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
Then he gives the governing principle:
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.”
Whatever spiritual gifts or ministries are exercised in the church, they are not above biblical order and accountability.
The Holy Spirit does not lead God's people into confusion that contradicts God's revealed character and Word.
Hebrews 2:1–4
The writer of Hebrews gives another warning:
“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”
The danger is not merely deliberate rejection.
Things can also slip.
Faithfulness requires attention.
We must continue listening to the gospel, studying Scripture, remembering what we have been taught, and walking in obedience.
The writer asks:
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”
The gospel is too precious to neglect.
The biblical warnings concerning apostasy are not given to make God's people hopeless.
They are given to make us watchful and faithful.
Jesus Christ is still Lord.
The gospel is still true.
The Scriptures remain the Word of God.
Salvation is still found through faith in Jesus Christ.
And God's people are still called to holiness, love, truth, perseverance, and faithful witness.
Therefore, when the world becomes increasingly confused, we return to the Word.
When false teaching increases, we return to sound doctrine.
When people reject truth, we continue to preach truth.
When hatred increases, we continue to love.
When compromise becomes popular, we remain faithful to Christ.
When persecution comes, we endure.
And when we do not understand everything concerning the future, we trust the One who does.
Paul's instruction remains our commission:
“Preach the word.”
Our hope is not in the stability of this present age.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ.
He will come again.
Until that day, we will remain faithful to the Scriptures, contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and seek by God's grace to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received.
We will preach the Word until the Lord comes.