Deconstruction Christianity. Apostasy!   

³ Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4 ESV)

In examining the topic of faith deconstruction, the answers as to the who, how, when, where and why of this spiritual condition must come from Scripture. Not everyone will agree with what Scripture says, but it remains the Lord’s inerrant revelation of Himself (Psalm 19; Psalm 119; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Bible is the preeminent source for answers to this situation.

Related to Christian deconstruction is the subject of apostasy. The Epistle of Jude is the only New Testament (NT) book exclusively and extensively addressing apostasy. Apostasy is a defection from true, biblical faith (Jude 3-4). Apostates are those individuals who defect from biblical truth (2 Thess. 2:10; Heb. 10:29; 2 Peter 2:1-22; I John 2:18-23).

Jude wrote this epistle to not only condemn apostates and apostasy but also to urge true believers in Christ to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). Jude called for a vigorous and rigorous defense of biblical truth.

In today’s postmodern age of tolerance of anything and everything, even by many in the church, the Epistle of Jude is certainly counter-cultural. Where some individuals reject biblical fellowship and embrace anti-authoritarianism, Jude places stresses the importance of propositional truth as the foundation for true, biblical fellowship.

Granted, not all churches are biblically sound and healthy. Not all pastors are biblically grounded in God’s Word. Spiritual abuse has, and does, occur in the name of Christ. My wife and I have been the recipients of such abuse, as have many others. However, deconstruction from Christianity and God’s Word was never an option.

Jude is not alone in his condemnation of apostasy and apostates. Others who parallel Jude’s warnings include the Lord Jesus (Matt. 7:15; 16:6-12; 24:11; Rev. 2-3), the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:29-30; I Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:1-4), the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:1-2; 3:1-4), and the Apostle John (I John 4:1-6; 2 John 6-11).  

Jude also vividly described the apostates in terms of their character and unconscionable activities (vv. 4, 8, 10, 16, 18–19). Additionally, he borrowed from nature to illustrate the futility of their teaching (vv. 12–13). While Jude never commented on the specific content of their false teaching, it was enough to demonstrate that their degenerate personal lives and fruitless ministries betrayed their attempts to teach error as though it were truth. This emphasis on character repeats the constant theme regarding false teachers—their personal corruption. While their teaching is clever, subtle, deceptive, enticing, and delivered in myriads of forms, the common way to recognize them is to look behind their false spiritual fronts and see their wicked lives (2 Pet. 2:10, 12, 18–19),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

What is the spiritual condition of deconstructionists? Are the wayward brothers and sisters in Christ? Have they lost their salvation because of their spiritual deconstruction? We will seek to answer these questions next time. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

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