Apostasy – An abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; a total 

desertion or departure from one’s faith, principles, or party; esp,. the renunciation of a religious faith. 

Throughout the New Testament, we read of individuals apostatizing from the faith, i.e., Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10), Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim. 1:19-20; 2 Tim. 4:14), Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17-18) and Demas (2 Tim. 4:10). These examples of apostasy should cause us to ask the following question: What causes apostasy? 

1) Some leave the faith because of persecution. In one of His parables, Jesus spoke of the superficial person who endures for a while, but, "when tribulation and persucution arise because of the word, straightway he stumbles" (Matt. 13:21). The Christian is charged to be faithful, even if it means the forfeiture of his life (Rev. 2:10). 

2) Others fall away because, not understanding the permissive will of God, i.e., his allowance of hardships as a consequence of humanity's initial rebellion. They blame God for bad circumstances that sometimes invade their lives. As a result, they walk away from Him. One of the great lessons of the book of Job is that God does not shield His people -- even the best -- from life's tragedies. We must learn to trust our Maker -- no matter what happens (Job 13:15). 

3) Many Christian souls have become victims of false teaching. There are those who seem to think that "false teachers" (in the Church) do not exist. But the Savior warned of this danger (Matt. 7:15), and history reveals the devastation of believing error (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:1-4). In our own day, we see many yielding to the influences of denominationalism and Catholicism. Too many people seem to center on fashioning a church after their personal desires. 

4) Then there are those who simply ease away from fidelity, in an ever-so-gradual fashion. The writer of the book of Hebrews spoke of the distinct possibility of neglecting one's salvation, hence, drifting away from the saved state (Heb. 2:1-3). In our present environment of "busy" activities, it is not difficult to allow life's distractions to "choke" out our passion for serving Christ (Matt. 13:22), so that we subordinate the interests of the Lord's kingdom to a multitude of trivial things (contra Matt. 6:33). For many, worldliness has an allurement that has drawn them to destruction, much like the silly fly in Mary Howitt's famous poem, The Spider And The Fly, who, with flattery, was charmed into the spider's deadly web (2 Tim. 4:10). To employ a metaphor more in line with biblical imagery, some members of the church are living in a pigpen (Lk.15:15), and they no longer can even smell the stench! 

Conclusion

The solution to apostasy in the church is found in [1 John 4:1-6. Every Christian needs to return to the measurement "standard" of God's Word in order to correctly measure and test each "spirit's" teaching. Only in this way will we keep the church "pure," "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7-8).