Like with unrepentant sinners, the Bible gives directive to Christians on how to deal with Apostasy, Sects and Antichrists, and tells us how to identify and define them.
In comparison to an unrepentant sinner of whom association should be limited with, we are given much firmer instructions when it comes to dealing with more certain extreme classes of sinners or trouble makers:
- Romans 16:17-18: “Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create factions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them. For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord [the] Anointed, but of their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones“.
- Titus 3:10: “After you’ve reasoned with a factious man once, and then a second time, avoid him“.
- 1 Timothy 6:3-5: “If any man teaches another doctrine and does not assent to [the] healthful words of our Lord Yeshua [the] Anointed, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride, not understanding anything, but having an unhealthy interest over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions, violent disputes about trifles on the part of men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain.“
- 1 John 2:18, 21-22,1 John 4:2: “Young children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, from which fact we know that it is the last hour. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Yeshua is the Anointed? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son… This is how you know that the inspired statement is from God: Every inspired statement that acknowledges Yeshua [the] Anointed as having come in the flesh originates with God. But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Yeshua does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired statement that you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world”.
- 2 John 1:7-11: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those not acknowledging Yeshua [the] Anointed as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look out for yourselves, so that you do not lose the things we have worked to produce, but that you may obtain a full reward. Everyone who goes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Anointed [One] does not have God. The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes or rejoice in him. For the one who welcomes him is a sharer in his wicked works“.
We see that these words are far more stern than what is applied to mere unrepentant sinners. We are told to completely stay away from these kinds of people by all possible means, not even attempting to admonish them once knowing what they really are, and to “not invite them in our homes”.
As mentioned, the kinds of people described can be broke down into; Apostates, Sectarians, and Antichrists.
Defining Apostates and Antichrists
Though heard often, the term “apostate”, is not actually found anywhere in the New Testament, yet has been used throughout Christian tradition for centuries, whereas the term “antichrist” is found throughout the New Testament several times.
“Apostate” is a Greek word for a “deserter”, or in some contexts a “traitor”. Some Christians have used this term to simply refer to a “backslider”, someone who has given up on their faith, and might simply be considered someone with doubts, whilst other Christians have used the term in the more agressive sense, to imply the person to be a intentional traitor and opposer to the faith.
Meanwhile, the word “antichrist” literally either means being an “opposer of the Anointed”, or a “replacement” or “counterfit Anointed”.
“apostasía (from 868 /aphístēmi, “leave, depart,” which is derived from 575 /apó, “away from” and 2476 /histémi, “stand”) – properly, departure (implying desertion); apostasy – literally, ‘a leaving, from a previous standing‘”. – HELPS Word-studies
“antíxristos (from 473 /antí, “opposite to, in place of” and 5547 /Xristós, “Christ”) – properly, opposite to Christ; someone acting in place of (against) Christ; ‘Antichrist‘.” – HELPS Word-studies
Apostates
When it comes to the derogatory use of the term “apostate” as to mean a traitor to the faith, such people are not to be mistaken for those who have merely lost their faith due to doubts or genuine disbelief.
Rather, they are either actively believing Christians or former Christians who ‘purposely’ and ‘wantingly’ deny either; Yeshua’s (Jesus’) existence, coming in the flesh, or authority as Son of God, and have tendency to attack other Christians, and may try to make them doubt faith in the Son of God too, usually out of selfish gain.
They often do not care that a person holds religious beliefs, but only that they do not hold to Christian beliefs, having a faith in Yeshua as their Lord and Saviour. They actively seek to attack Yeshua and those who follow him, be it through means of persecution, lies, or by trying to maliciously discredit the scriptures which attest to him and God.
Antichrists
The case of antichrists are somewhat more complex than mere “apostates” or “traitors” to the faith.
Antichrists more often than not portray themselves as genuine believers, but may preach a “false messiah”, be that a “different messiah” altogether who is not Yeshua, or “fake version” of Yeshua, or in extreme cases, they may even seek to try and replace him and usurp the Messiah’s authority themselves, by claiming to be the next great prophet and saviour, or even to be the Lord Yeshua himself discreetly returned in the flesh on Earth (as opposed to his great Second Advent which is seen by the whole world – Matthew 24:23-27, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 1:7).
Antichrists may also be “Christian” teachers who intentionally preach certain false religious ideas or doctrines, and ‘attribute them’ to Yeshua or God, or claim that such ideas were ‘given to them’ by inspiration, holy spirit, a vision, or alike, but in actuality are typically ‘contradictory’ to the true teachings of the Christian faith as passed down by the Apostles – acting as false prophets.
What they both have in Common
Through their approaches are different, both genuine antichrists and apostates share the commonality that they act with selfish, deceitful, or destructive ‘motive’.
They are not mere “atheists”, or those innocently adhering to a different faith, but are made up of militant antitheists, egotists, false prophets, satanists, and liars, who go out of their way to cause trouble. They are true and pure haters of God and his Son, and are usually out for their own gains and ulterior motives, whether or not they actually believe the faith Christians hold to be something genuine.
What they all have in common is that they oppose the Son and his Father Yah (YHWH) for their own selfish or even satanic ends.
Defining a Secterian
Scriptures which are thought to warn of sects are found at Titus 3 and Romans 16, which use the terms; “hairetikos/heresyōṭ/ḥeryān” and “dichostasia/pāalgū” (Greek and Aramaic respectively).
Many Bibles translate these word as “sectarian”, or “a man who promotes a sect”, but the literal definition of these words means “divisive” or “facetious”, someone who purposefully misleads, or with the aim of dividing people.
“Hairetikos
Definition: causing division
Usage: disposed to form sects, sectarian, heretical, factious”. – Strong’s Concordance
“hairetikós (an adjective, derived from 138 /hairéomai, “to choose, have a distinctive opinion”) – a factious person, specializing in half-truths and misimpressions “to win others over” to their personal opinion (misguided zeal) – while creating harmful divisions (used only in Tit 3:10).
dixostasía (from dixa, “separately” and 4714/stásis, “a standing, stance”) – properly, separate-standings (“standing apart”), used of divisions which wrongly separate people into pointless (groundless) factions“. – HELPS Word-studies
“Pāalgū
half , part, portion, discord , factions
Heryān
controversy, contention”. – The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon
It is important to remember that the scriptures do not suggest that it is wrong to voice one’s own honest opinion or interpretations of the scriptures (1 Corinthians 11:19, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Acts 17:11). Paul even tells us that “absolute uniformity” at the cost of truth and open expression is actually unchristian, that “factions” and disagreements are to be expected, and are even “necessary” as it would reveal who was truly approved by God:
- “And indeed, there must be factions/contention (hairetikós/ḥeryān) among you to show which of you are approved”. – 1 Corinthians 11:19
The terms “hairetikos” and “dichostasia”, though can refer to groups or everyday divisions amongst people (as seen above in Paul’s use of the term), are usually used in very specific context to a person who attempts to purposefully mislead, or cause petty and toxic divisions and disagreements. It is malicious in nature.
Paul in his letters (1 Timothy 6:4-5) tells us that they are defined by having the qualities of:
- Pride
- Envy
- Strife
- Selfishness
- Greed
- Abusive speech
- Phyiscally violent behaviour
- Obsession with pointless debates
- Wicked or accusatory suspicions about the innocent
Sectarians, as opposed to apostates and antichirsts, are believing Christian individuals who go beyond the mere subjective interpretation of matters pertaining to the holy scriptures. They are people who either:
- Draw others “after themselves”
- Draw attention away from Yeshua or God
- Purposefully cause fallouts between Christians
- Speak out or rebel directly against inspired statements scripture
All forms of Sectarianism typically are highly focused on the worship and idolatry of men, in other words, a cult following.
False Claim to Authority
Some secterians will make a claim to authority they do not actually have to keep the rest of their congregation in line.
For example, in the 1st century, some Christians were writing forged letters in the names of the Apostles, or were claiming to be Apostles themselves (2 Thessalonians 2:2, Revelation 2:2).
Some may go as far as to claim special “divine titles” for themselves which make them unquestionable or places them above the scrutiny of their brothers, perhaps even claiming to speak on God’s or Yeshua’s behalf, or declaring themselves as “prophets” or “chosen ones” without divine proof. For instance, in the late 2nd-3rd century, a group known as the “Montanists” arose led by a man named Monatanus, claiming they were the “elite prophets” of God who could superseed Christian scripture, and supposedly had a “prophetic Christian lineage” they could trace back through heritage.
They may also pose themselves to be the sole saviours of mankind, demanding that they and their subjective Biblical interpretations and man-made laws beyond the inspired scriptures must be obeyed to attain salvation, or that salvation comes only from being a part of their specific congregation or church, no matter what they believe in.
In this they follow the path akin to antichrists, placing themselves on the same level or seeing themselves as replacements of Yeshua or God.
Promoters of False Worship & Unscriptural Doctrine
Some may blatantly promote false worship, or pagan teachings not found in the Bible, or they may be those who twist scripture to their own ends through purposeful miscontexualising and mistranslation. Such ones are described in Revelation 22 to be “accursed”.
An early example in the 1st century were the Gnostics, of whom some theorise were who Apostle John was partly referring to in his letters regarding the antichrist and the ones denying that Yeshua came in the flesh.
The Gnostics were elitist Christians who claimed that independent knowledge outside the scriptures mixed with Pagan Mysticism, Platonism (Greek philosophy), Hermeticism (Egyptian-Greek magic) and possibly Greco-Buddhism, was the key to salvation, and that whilst the New Testament was true, the Tanakh (Old Testament), the very book that prophesied the coming of Yeshua as our saviour, was a lie of Satan, and that ‘he’ created the physical universe, not God. The Gnostics held very similar views to Buddhists, and could be seen to be a “Christianised” variant of Buddhism, claiming Yeshua did not die for our sins, but that he taught inner enlightenment was the key to everlasting life, as opposed to faith in his ransom sacrifice.
Another example which is directly cited in scripture are Judaizer-Christians, a group of Jewish Christians who claimed Christians still had to be circumcised and follow the full Mosaic Law (Acts 15), some even claiming that Gentiles (non-Jews) could not be saved, but only true fleshly Israelites who were descendants of Abraham were to be saved, a belief even held by some extremist race-based or lineage-based sects today.
Pride & Elitism
Secterians, as they focus on idolatry of men and their ideas, typically promote an egotistic or elitist mentality amongst their followers and congregations.
Usually, sects will see their group as “better” than all other groups, churches, or congregations, and have an immature and unhealthy competive attitude with those around them, rather than genuine love, concern and mutual respect for all believers in the faith.
Sects also may be “seperatist” in their behaviour, cutting themselves off from the rest of the Christian Body, not for purity’s sake, but out of an egotistic motivation, forming what could be said to be a “fraternity”, exclusive club, or clique.
Secterian leaders, may also draw undue attention or devotion to themselves from the rest of the Congregation. Some secterian groups may even name their congregations after the men or women they follow, and make celebrities or idols of them.
As an historical example, there were groups in the 1st century who began to form factions after their devotions to specific Apostles at the exclusion of others, which Apostle Paul condemened. Again, others such as the Judaizers arose who claimed Jewish Christians were inherently better than Gentile Christians. And by the 2nd-3rd centuries, groups such as aforementioned Montanists and Gnostics, also had an elitist mentality, believing themselves superior to other “less enlightened” or “less spiritual people”.
Identifying & Dealing With
How do we identify Apostates, Secterians and Antichrists? And when we do, how do the writings of the Apostles tell us do deal with them?
Putting Secterians to the Test
Scriptures such as Hebrews 13:7,17, Philippians 3:17-19, Galatians 1:8-11 & Revelation 2:2 tell us to be cautious when following Christians who take the lead in teaching others.
We must observe and test if they are being true Christians by only teaching scripturally based doctrines, and are not enforcing their own man-made doctrines.
As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians, we are not “baptised in the name of men”, but we are all unified in Yeshua alone. Thus, no Christian’s opinion is above the opinion of another’s, no uninspired man can claim authority to declare what is official doctrine or interpretation, neither can they command absolute submission from the flock of God.
“Unification” and being of the “same line of thought” in Yeshua (Philippians 2:2) is not to be confused with “enforced uniformity”, nor does it mean following along with a crowd and giving into popular opinion (Exodus 23:2), but it is a harmony of willing agreement amongst Christians (Psalm 133:1).
A sect is the opposite of unity, it seeks to enforce a leader’s own personal ideas upon the subjects of the Congregation, which in turn is what creates strife, divisions, factions, enslavement, and loyalty to men amongst brothers over loyalty to Yeshua and God alone.
(More can be found on the subject of Elders, Christian leadership and Unity in my other articles):
Rejoicing & Welcoming
Of these specifically selfish, egotistical, lying, or viciously opposing individuals, once we have identified them for what they truly are, we are instructed to “avoid” them, and to neither “rejoice” in them, nor invite them into our homes, or entertain their teachings.
The word used to not “rejoice” or “welcome” by John in this case is the Greek term; “chairó”, which means to “be glad in”, in Aramaic this word is “ḥḏā“.
“5463 xaírō (from the root xar-, “favorably disposed, leaning towards” and cognate with 5485 /xáris, “grace”) – properly, to delight in God’s grace (“rejoice”) – literally, to experience God’s grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace.
5463 /xaírō (“glad for grace“) has a direct “etymological connection with xaris (grace)” (DNTT, 2, 356). S. Zodhiates (Dict, 1467) likewise comments that 5479 /xará (“joy”) and 5485 /xáris (“grace”) are cognate with 5463 /xaírō (“to rejoice”), i.e. all share the same root and therefore the same core (fundamental) meaning“. – HELPS Word-Studies
“A primary verb; to be “cheer”ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well — farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy(- fully), rejoice”. – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
“ḥdy vb. a(i)/e to rejoice
to rejoice, and infin: greetings!
fig. : to flourish verdantly
imv. + ܐܡܪ : to say goodbye to, discard [Greek calque]
to make rejoice, to please
to congratulate
to grant victory to
to enjoy oneself
to be made happy” – The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon
Thus, John is not referring to a casual every day greeting, such as the word “aspazomai” (the word Yeshua used to say “hello” for example at Matthew 5:47 when he said “if you only greet your brothers, how are you better”) but rather, “chairó” refers to a refusal to “approve of” these ones.
In other words, we are admonished to avoid giving them “warm greetings” or a “welcoming” into our fold, as if to hug and kiss them on the cheek and go on to cook them a meal and offer them a bed to sleep in, acting as if there’s nothing wrong with their behaviour or character, but rather implying to those observing that everything is okay and that you approve of them and regard them as family kin.
Avoidance
Comparatively, the words for “reject” from Titus 3:10 and Romans 16:17, in relation to Secterians and those intentionally contradicting Yeshua’s teachings, are “paraiteomai” and “ekklinó”, meaning to “refuse”, “avoid”, “shun”, or “turn away from”.
“Paraiteomai: I beg off, make excuse, deprecate, refuse, reject, decline, shun, avoid“. – Strong’s Concordance
“1578 ekklínō (from 1537 /ek, “out from and to” and 2827 /klínō, “bend”) – properly, to bow out (turn away), with its inevitable outcome (out-come); exclude; fully avoid by deliberate, decisive rejection (turning away from)“. – HELPS Word-studies
The manner in which this phrase is commonly used in the Bible, is in reference to an “excusal” or to “decline”, which is usually in relation to things such as an invitation or a request to partake in something, but doesn’t imply ‘extreme’ forms of deliberate avoidance.
Shunning as to refer to giving someone the silent treatment, refusing to look at or talk to someone, exiling them from society, etc, as the modern understanding of the phrase “shun” does, would rather be expressed by the more agressive Greek phrases such as; “apopheúgō”, “apopheuktikós” or “pophygḗ, meaning to “shun via staying away from”, “to seperate”, or to “flee from”:
“668 apopheúgō (from 575 /apó, “away from” and 5343 /pheúgō, “flee”) – properly, flee from (escape). 668 (apopheúgō) underlines the previous (undesirable) connection – hence, also the need to move on (“escaping by flight,” K. Wuest). 668 (apopheúgō) then emphasizes separation – a full breaking away from the previous situation”. – HELPS Word-studies
“Pheugó: I flee, escape, shun“. – Strong’s Concordance
Hence, Paul’s instructions clearly imply that a person should not be seeking such people out, but rather, declining their company if possible, and refusing to partake in their teaching or behaviours, though not necessarily trying to “run away” from them at all costs.
This is not to say of course that we go out of our way to treat them with malice or hatred, or give them the cold shoulder, especially if they were in genuine need (such as a medical emergency, or if they were truly desperate to speak to us) for that would not be the conduct of a loving Christian (Matthew 5:44). Neither does it necessarily mean that we cannot respond to them in a “formal” conversation if they attempted to speak to us, but only that we don’t abide their intimiate company or teachings, or give off the impression that we’re best buddies.
Hence, whilst there may be certain times we may have engagements with such people in some rare contexts, we should not be actively “seeking them out” or “welcoming them” to us, when all they usually desire is to cause damage to people’s relationships, create secterian cult followings, competing factions in the Congregation, or to merely agressively oppose believers in Yeshua.
Contact is minimised with them, in the same way we might try to avoid spending too much time with people in our everyday lives that we find offensive or dangerous, like a bully, criminal, or someone who comes to take advantage of us, and is not to be misunderstood out of context to be some kind of emotionally manipulative behaviour toward those who might not agree with our faith, or who are former believers, or simply has a different but honest interpretation of scripture.
Not inviting them into our homes
Likewise we are told “not to invite them into our homes”. Again, as aforementioned in the Part I of this article series on disfellowshipping, the context of “homes” here, likely refers to the “houses of worship”, as Christians would congregate in private abodes during the 1st Century, as opposed to church buildings.
Hence, we are commanded to not welcome or invite them into our intimate company or places of worship, lest we be regarded as “sharers” or “encouragers of their wicked works”, which makes sense if the “home” is a place of spiritual feasting and a place where Christians share and voice their teachings to others.
Thus, another way of putting this also could be; “anyone who invites him into his church and rejoices in him, is a sharer in his wicked works”.
Cannot be admonished
We are told by Apostle Paul, the likes of these people should be warned no more than twice, and are then to be totally avoided if they don’t change their ways (Titus 3:10). Which is a different approach to the three-stage one prescribed by Yeshua to deal with unrepentant sinners in general at Matthew 18:15-17:
- “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin (against you?), (1) go and reveal his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (2) But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. (3) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.”
- “After you’ve reasoned with a factious man (1) once, and then (2) a second time, avoid him“.
As aforementioned, these people are not merely those voicing disagreements or theological opinions, but are people seeking to either harm or control the Congregation to their own ends.
Unlike fallen Christians who succumb to a life of sin, these ones cannot be reasoned with nor admonished, for they are not just guilty of unrepentance or worldliness, but desire to harm, control or manipulate others, have chosen outright war with God and are dangerous, hence, this is why we avoid their company entirely.
The statement from Yeshua at Matthew 7:6: “Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw your pearls before swine, so that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open”, echoes this sentiment.
Do Not be Too Quick to (Mis)Judge
It is important to bear in mind, these individuals are ones with purposeful and evil intent, as the scriptures describe them as “violent”, “slanderous”, “puffed up”, “deceivers” and “seducers”.
We must all try to remember that we live in an era where Christians no longer typically receive the miraculous gifts of the holy spirt (such as healing, resurrecting, angelic visits, prophecy, etc) to prove they are speaking on behalf of God or his Anointed Son.
Those who denied the teachings of the Apostles of the 1st century and went out of their way to spread doctrines and interpretations contrary to those directly appointed by Yeshua were easily labelled as apostates and antichrists for going against the clear manifestation of holy spirit; a sign of God’s approval, just as the Jews did so with Yeshua himself.
Though not all, many 1st century Christians had direct experiences of things such as healing, speaking in tongues, prophesying, raising of the dead, and so on (Acts 2:1-4, 1 Corinthians 12:28).
But such is not the circumstance we are in today.
Therefore, determining if one is rejecting Yeshua, or is twisting scripture to suit their own ends and those of Satan’s, or if an individual is genuine of heart and non-malicious in their works, is a much more delicate subject today, which should be addressed with serious thought and consideration, based upon the principles found in the scriptures.
We should be careful not to judge an honest hearted God-loving Christian who merely has a different subjective interpretation of scripture to ourselves or others, as an apostate, sectarian, or antichrist. A true Christian is a truth seeker, acting in accord of the spirit of the Bereans, of whom Paul commended (Acts 17:10-11). Therefore we shouldn’t confuse this with secterianism or apostasy.
If it can be detirmined that they are not being deceptive, nor attempting to make their name for themselves greater than their fellow Christians, or Yeshua, then we are to treat them as a brother or sister.
Likewise, one who becomes weak in faith, or one who no longer believes due to genuine disbelief (e.g; one who has become an atheist or has been persuaded the Bible is not of God) is not to be automatically assumed or labelled to be apostate or antichrist either.
Such people most of the time have merely become a victim of the world, robbed of their faith and belief due to doubt or the persuasions of others. Thus mercy, understanding and admonishment must be extended to them, not condemnation (John 9:41, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Luke 17:5, Acts 9:1-19, 1 Peter 3:15, Jude 1:22-23).
Conclusion
Coming to a conclusion.
It is overall, a practice of common sense, often seen even in secular groups and everyday friendship circles, where people would make the effort to try and stay away from someone who is creating an extremly toxic environment for the party.
We are to understand that genuine apostates, antichrists and sectarians are those who are knowingly deceptive and malicious in their mission to twist the scriptures to their own end, to destroy the faith of Christians, attempting to split the Congregation, poisoning the loving relationships between bretheren, and seek to draw people away from being disciples of the Anointed and worshippers of his Father Yah, and after themselves as their own disciples (1 Corinthians 1:12-13).
They are like Satan and his demons, the biggest antichrists of all, who reject or warp the truth for their own purpose (John 8:44, James 2:19).
Thus, only once evidence has become abundant in proving a person is a purposeful apostate or antichrist according to the true scriptural definitions, should such ones be avoided at all possibility after they have opposed any given warning, and not given voice to teach in the Congregation.
Proselyte of Yah 