Departing From the Faith: What Paul’s Warning Really Means

Based on the Bible Message Departing From the Faith: The Religious Deception Paul Warned About by Scott Mitchell – Unlock the Bible Now!

“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.”— 1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)

When Paul warned that some would be departing from the faith in the latter times, what exactly did he mean?

We might immediately picture people rejecting Jesus Christ, abandoning Christianity altogether, becoming atheists, or turning openly to other gods. But the context of Paul’s warning suggests something more subtil.

Those departing from the faith are still religious.

They give heed to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” They forbid marriage. They command abstinence from certain meats. These are religious restrictions. They have the appearance of righteousness while placing people under rules and bondage that God did not require for salvation.

This raises an important question: What is “the faith” from which Paul said men would depart?

To answer it, we need to understand the gospel committed to Paul and the battle over grace that was already taking place in the first-century church.

Departing From the Faith Began in Paul’s Day

Shortly before his death, Paul wrote Timothy:

“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”— 2 Timothy 1:13 (KJV)

Paul specifically instructed Timothy to hold fast the sound words he had heard from Paul. He then made a remarkable statement:

“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me...”— 2 Timothy 1:15 (KJV)

The departure had already begun.

Paul had established and strengthened churches throughout Asia, yet before his death, many had turned away from him. Understanding why matters because Paul had been entrusted with a gospel he did not receive from the twelve apostles or learn from another man.

Departing From the Faith Means Understanding What Paul Preached

Paul explains the source of his gospel in Galatians:

“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”— Galatians 1:11–12 (KJV)

Paul had once been exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers. As Saul of Tarsus, he persecuted the church of God. But when Jesus Christ appeared to him, everything changed.

Paul did not immediately travel to Jerusalem to be instructed by the apostles who had walked with Christ. He went into Arabia and returned to Damascus. It was three years before he went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and he remained with him only fifteen days.

Paul’s gospel came directly from Jesus Christ.

He later described his calling before King Agrippa. Christ had sent him to Israel and to the Gentiles:

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God...”— Acts 26:18 (KJV)

The Gentiles were surrounded by paganism and idolatry, but Israel also needed its eyes opened. A person could be intensely religious, claim to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and still be blinded to the truth.

Religion itself was no protection against deception.

Departing From the Faith Through Law and Works

One of the earliest threats to the gospel came from men who attempted to place Gentile believers under the Mosaic law.

Acts 15 records:

“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”— Acts 15:1 (KJV)

This was not a minor disagreement over Christian practice. They were adding a requirement to salvation.

Paul and Barnabas strongly disputed with them, and the matter eventually went to Jerusalem. There, Scripture identifies another group:

“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”— Acts 15:5 (KJV)

Notice that these Pharisees believed. They were not pagan idolaters. They were religious men associated with the believers, yet they sought to impose circumcision and the law upon Gentiles.

This is an important picture of departing from the faith.

It can happen under the appearance of righteousness.

False Brethren Tried to Bring Believers Into Bondage

Paul gives his own account of this conflict in Galatians 2. He calls the men attempting to impose circumcision upon Titus “false brethren”:

“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”— Galatians 2:4 (KJV)

Their objective was bondage.

Paul refused to submit to them because the truth of the gospel was at stake.

The issue was not whether believers should live godly lives. Paul repeatedly instructed believers concerning godliness, good works, charity, holiness, and service to God.

The issue was whether works of the law contributed to justification.

They do not.

The Faith of Christ Versus the Works of the Law

The conflict became so serious that Paul eventually confronted Peter publicly.

When Peter came to Antioch, he initially ate with Gentile believers. But after certain men came from James, Peter withdrew and separated himself because he feared those of the circumcision. Other Jewish believers followed his example, and even Barnabas was carried away.

Paul wrote:

“But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all...”— Galatians 2:14 (KJV)

What truth was at stake?

Paul explains it immediately afterward:

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ...”— Galatians 2:16 (KJV)

Peter knew this truth, yet his actions were inconsistent with it.

The danger of departing from the faith was therefore present from the earliest days of the church. It was the temptation to add religious requirements to what Christ had already accomplished.

Departing From the Faith Replaces Grace With Bondage

Paul’s language in Galatians is revealing.

The false brethren wanted to “bring us into bondage.”

This same pattern appears repeatedly in religious systems. Men add requirements that God did not place upon salvation. They establish ordinances, rituals, works, ceremonies, or human traditions as necessary for righteousness before God.

But Paul wrote:

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”— Romans 10:4 (KJV)

That statement leaves no room for human works as a means of justification.

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Religious Zeal Is Not the Same as Faith

Romans 10 contains one of the clearest warnings concerning religious zeal:

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”— Romans 10:1–2 (KJV)

Israel had zeal.

They had religion.

They had the law.

Yet Paul said they needed to be saved.

Why?

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”— Romans 10:3 (KJV)

There is the problem.

Man continually attempts to establish his own righteousness. That principle reaches all the way back to Cain, who brought God the fruit of his own labor rather than approaching God according to what He required.

The way of Cain is the religious way of human works.

The gospel points us in the opposite direction—to the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Departing From the Faith Can Look Righteous

This is why Paul’s warning is so easily misunderstood.

The departure does not necessarily look wicked.

Paul warned of:

“False apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”— 2 Corinthians 11:13 (KJV)

He then explains why their appearance should not surprise us:

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”— 2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)

Deception is effective precisely because it does not always look evil.

False teachers may appear to be “ministers of righteousness.”

They may speak of God, Jesus, morality, holiness, sacrifice, and obedience. But the question remains: What are they teaching concerning salvation?

Are they pointing entirely to the finished work of Christ?

Or are they bringing believers back under bondage?

Christ Took the Law Out of the Way

The answer becomes even clearer in Colossians 2.

Paul tells believers:

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”— Colossians 2:10 (KJV)

Complete means complete.

Nothing needs to be added to the work of Christ to make the believer acceptable before God.

Paul then describes a spiritual circumcision “made without hands” and our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Then he explains what happened to the ordinances that stood against us:

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”— Colossians 2:14 (KJV)

Christ took it out of the way.

This is why requiring circumcision or observance of the Mosaic law for salvation is not a harmless addition to the gospel. It denies the sufficiency of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross.

Departing From the Faith Denies the Sufficiency of Christ

Jesus fulfilled what was written concerning Him in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms.

After His resurrection He told the disciples:

“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”— Luke 24:44 (KJV)

His death, burial, and resurrection accomplished what the law could never accomplish for sinful man.

Our salvation does not depend upon our ability to complete what Christ supposedly left unfinished.

Christ finished the work.

Departing From the Faith Is Still a Danger Today

The warning of 1 Timothy 4 did not disappear with the first-century church.

Paul said this departure would characterize the latter times.

Religious systems continue to add human requirements to salvation. Baptism, circumcision, penance, religious rituals, speaking in tongues, confession, law keeping, or other works may be presented as requirements for receiving or maintaining salvation.

But adding human works to Christ’s finished work does not strengthen the gospel.

It changes it.

This is why the deception can be so difficult to recognize. A religious system may use Christian terminology and speak continually about righteousness while directing people away from complete dependence upon Jesus Christ.

Paul warned that false ministers could appear as ministers of righteousness.

Appearance is not the test.

The gospel is.

Hold Fast and Do Not Be Brought Into Bondage

The answer to departing from the faith is not abandoning good works or living carelessly. The believer should serve the Lord faithfully—but from a heart of gratitude for salvation already provided, not in an attempt to earn righteousness.

Salvation rests upon Jesus Christ.

Paul summarized the gospel plainly:

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (KJV)

Jesus Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again.

His shed blood is sufficient.

His finished work is sufficient.

Our confidence must therefore rest in Him rather than in religious systems, ordinances, traditions, or human works.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...”— Acts 16:31 (KJV)

Do not allow anyone to bring you back into bondage.

Hold fast to the truth of the gospel and walk in the liberty we have in Christ Jesus.