33 Bible Verses about Warnings Against Apostasy

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned, and have received the heavenly gifts, communicated by the holy spirit, and have known by experience the truth of the divine promises, and the miracles of the age that was to come; it is impossible, if they shall fall away, to re-instate themselves by repentance: seeing, as far in them lies, they crucify the son of God afresh, and expose him to open shame.read more.
for the earth which drinks up the frequent show'rs that fall upon it, and produces plants fit for the use of him that cultivates it, is stiled heavenly land: but that which bears thorns and briars, is look'd upon as lying under a curse; whose end will be to be burnt.

where other seed fell, denotes the man that heareth the word, and at first receives it with pleasure: but having no root in him he has only an occasional faith: for as soon as any oppression or persecution arises upon account of the gospel, he presently relapses.

in like manner, they who receive seed on stony-ground, are such as upon hearing the word, do immediately receive it with joy. but having no root at the bottom, they are only occasional professors, for if they meet with any trouble or persecution upon account of the word, immediately they revolt.

by the stony ground is understood such persons as receive indeed the doctrines they hear, with joy: but for want of resolution, believe only occasionally, and desert when the trial comes.

Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot by name, went to the chief priests, and said, what will ye give me, and I will deliver him to you? and they promised him thirty pieces of silver. from which time he watched a favourable opportunity to deliver him.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, in order to betray him to them. they were glad to hear him, and promis'd to give him money. upon which he contriv'd the most favourable occasion to betray him.

then shall many relapse, and shall pursue one another with mutual treachery and hatred. many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. and as iniquity becomes more flagrant, the zeal of many will grow cool.

for if we wilfully apostatize, after having received the knowledge of the truth, it is as a sin for which there is no sacrifice appointed. and nothing is to be expected but that dreadful judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour all such adversaries. He that by two or three witnesses was convicted of violating Moses's law, was put to death without mercy.read more.
don't you think then that he deserves a much greater punishment, who hath despised the son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith be was sanctified, to have been justly shed, thereby offering an indignity to the spirit of grace? for we know who it is that has said, "vengeance belongeth unto me, I will repay." and again, "the Lord shall revenge his people." it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

from me, who called you by the grace of Christ; this can be

now satan had inspired Judas surnam'd Iscariot, one of the twelve, what to do. accordingly he went and conferr'd with the chief priests and officers of the temple, about the method of seizing him. they were pleas'd with his proposal, and agreed to give him a certain sum.read more.
Judas accepted the bargain, and sought an opportunity to secure him, without alarming the people.

but whosoever shall renounce me before men, him will I also renounce before my father who is in heaven.

then you will say, we have eat, and drank with you, and you have taught in our streets. but he will answer, I tell you, you are strangers to me: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

don't be led into any mistake, because the previous rebellion does not yet appear, nor the man of sin throw off the disguise, that offspring of perdition:

whosoever therefore shall be asham'd of me, and of my doctrine in this degenerate and corrupted age, of him likewise shall the son of man be asham'd, when he shall come with the glory of his father, accompanied with holy angels.

for the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but get teachers of their own corrupt taste, to sooth their ears that itch for flattery: which, while they are deaf to the truth, attentively listen to fables.

but whoever shall renounce me before men, he shall be renounc'd before the angels of God.

Now the spirit says expresly, that in the latter times some shall abandon the faith, by giving credit to seducing spirits, and the doctrine concerning demons;

if a man abide not in me, he is cast away as withered branches that are gather'd up to be thrown into the fire, where they are burned.

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 it might be manifest, that they were not all of us.

if we suffer, we shall also reign: if we renounce him,

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you such incredulity as to make you desert the living God.

Do you then, my dear brethren, being thus forewarn'd, take care not to be seduc'd by those prophane impostors, and so lose the reward of your constancy.

From that time many of his disciples withdrew, and associated no longer with him.

Now there was a certain man named Ananias who with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought the rest which he laid at the apostles feet. upon which Peter said, Ananias, how could satan inspire thine heart to lye to the holy ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?read more.
was not the estate your own estate? and was not the price for which it was sold, all in your own hands? how came such a design as this in your heart? thou hast not lyed unto men, but unto God. at these words Ananias fell down dead upon the spot: which struck the minds of all that heard of it with great dread. and some young men came and wound him up, then carried him out, and buried him. about the space of three hours after, his wife, not knowing what had happen'd, came in. when Peter addressing himself to her, tell me, said he, have you sold the land for such a price? yes, said she, for so much. then Peter said to her, how comes it that you have conspir'd together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? see there at the door the men that are come from burying thy husband, and they shall carry thee out likewise. in the instant she fell down dead at his feet: and the young men came in, found her dead, carried her out, and buried her by her husband. which affected the whole assembly, and all that heard of it with great dread.

assisted by faith and a good conscience: for some having discarded the one, have entirely lost the other. Hymeneus and Alexander are of that number, whom I have deliver'd to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

they make a profession of knowing God; but in fact they deny him, being execrably incredulous, and utter strangers to all virtue.

for Damas, out of love to this world has abandon'd me, and is gone to Thessalonica: Crescens, to Galatia: and Titus, to Dalmatia.

As there were false prophets among the people of Israel, there will likewise be false doctors among you, who by introducing pernicious sects, and by renouncing the Lord, who bought them, will bring upon themselves swift destruction. many will follow their destructive maxims, and by their means christianity will be traduc'd. By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring.

especially those, who prostitute themselves to sensual infamous passions: who despise magistrates, who being audacious, and insolent, intrepidly calumniate the higher powers; whereas the angels, who are of superiour power and dignity, don't inveigh against one another. But as for these, they have no more reason than brute beasts that are naturally made for hunting, and slaughter: so these who calumniate what they do not understand, shall receive the reward of their iniquity by perishing in their own corruption.read more.
they place their felicity in daily pleasure: they are a vile scandal to religion: when they are present at your love-feasts they indulge their luxury: their eyes are inflam'd with adultery, and unextinguishable vice: they insnare the souls of the inconstant. their minds are practis'd in the arts of avarice: an execrable race, who have deserted the right way, and are gone astray to follow the practices of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity;

As for those who have renounc'd the pollutions of the world, by their owning Jesus Christ for their Lord and saviour, if they are prevail'd upon to be entangled therein again, their last state is worse than the first. for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them. but the proverb is exactly verified in them, "the dog is return'd to his own vomit: the sow that was wash'd, is wallowing in the mire."

For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

yet these visionary debauchees despise princes, and traduce dignitys. whereas Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, did not take the liberty to inveigh against him, but said, "the Lord rebuke thee." As for these, they inveigh against what they do not understand: and abuse those natural instincts which regulate brute animals.read more.
unhappy creatures! they have followed the practices of Cain, they have addicted themselves to the mercenary illusions of Balaam, and perish in their rebellion like Core. they are a disgrace to your love-feasts, they indulge themselves at your festivals without reserve: clouds without water, transported with every wind: trees whose fruit soon withers and is useless, twice dead and rooted up: raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame: wandering lights, to whom is reserv'd the thickest darkness for ever. Of these did Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesy in these words, "see! the Lord is coming with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the impious among them, of all the impious actions they have committed, and of all the injurious expressions, which impious sinners have utter'd against him." These are murmurers, complainers, who pursue their own passions: their language swells with flattery, which they offer to the personages of men from a prospect of gain.

notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel, who stiles herself a prophetess, and teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not. behold, I will confine her to her bed, and those that commit adultery with her I will severely afflict, except they repent of their actions.