Some are family. Some are friends. Some are people in whom we have invested our lives. And although they were attracted to the Gospel, they quit on Jesus. Although they sincerely appreciated His claims, they walk away from the faith.
How does that happen? Why would someone who “tasted of the heavenly gift” (Hebrews 6:4) abandon the perfections of Christ?
When Jesus was on earth, many of the people who followed Him for a time ultimately abandoned Him (John 6:66). Perhaps His claims were too radical. Perhaps the road was too difficult. Perhaps the repentance He required was too severe. Perhaps the cost was simply too high.
Paul gives us some insight and warning when he wrote to Timothy,
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars, seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron—1 Timothy 4:1-2.
Here’s what we know about people who quit on Jesus:
Quitters are everywhere.
When Paul used the term “in later times” he was using a literary device implying the future is now. It was then and there is now the threat of apostasy that modern believers should never discount.
Quitters are non-specific.
Paul used the phrase “the faith” to describe what the people were leaving. Jesus was very clear about who He is and how He provided forgiveness, justification, redemption, and final glorification for those who trust in Him. He called it a “narrow way.” Any attempt to widen it surely fails (Matthew 7:13-14).
Quitters are open-minded.
The enemy and his demons actively deceive unbelievers, but that does not remove a person’s culpability for “paying attention” to these efforts. In order to stay open-minded, many people fatally feed their minds and nurture their hearts with misleading influences.
Quitters are deceived.
While people are responsible, the enemy is powerful and persistent. These deceitful spirits are agents of Satan himself. They are people whose conscience has been branded with the lies of the enemy, and they are effective in promoting their doctrines.
Paul understood the real threat of his day. From prison and in his final attempts to disciple his friend, he reminded Timothy the danger of apostasy was imminent and encouraged him to give himself to “sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:6). And his warning is just as relevant today.
What can we do about quitters?
- We personally embrace and saturate ourselves with God’s Word.
- We advance the trustworthiness of the Bible.
- We nourish others with Bible doctrine.
- We depend on the light of God’s Word to push back darkness.
I’d love your feedback. Click the comment button below.
Do you think “quitters” will go to heaven? And how do you think we are to treat quitters as ones who have not quit? Do we continue to try and talk about the gospel? Or just show them love as much as we can?
Thanks for your feedback. There’s no reason to think these “quitters” were ever in Christ at all. So we speak the truth in love to them, and we trust God to turn their hearts to Him.
I work with several individuals who could be described as “quitters” and who are really bitter at the whole idea of God, Church, and Protestant Christianity in general. Attempting to witness to them and gently encourage them I find that most of their bitterness stems from the way they view the normal, everyday Christians sitting in the pew on any given Sunday morning. Their opinion of Christianity is that its just a waste of time. Life for Christians is the same as it is for everyone else. There is no advantage to being or not being a Christian. You don’t know how this breaks my heart. I pray every morning that God would allow me to be a help and not a hindrance to His Gospel message. Thank you for writing this article. It was an encouragement for me to continue “running the race”, to keep on keeping on for God. I pray that these “quitters” will see Christ living in and through my life and the lives of other true believers and their hearts will be softened by the Holy Spirit to the point where they will either turn back to God or develop a relationship with Christ that is real and life changing.
My father is also a quitter, and I was just thinking the other day of how I didn’t know anyone who has ever been in the situation I am in right now and I dont know who to talk to and ask advice about this. It’s very hard and heartbreaking for me as well. But I am thankful that I came upon this blog on a friends facebook page. Thank you very much.
David, What an encouragement to hear how you are running the race. Your prayer, efforts, and witness are not wasted. God is at work in you. Press on.
Bjeannes14, You are not alone. Many of us have family and friends who have walked away from the faith. I’m praying for you and your dad today. Feel free to subscribe to the blog. I hope the posts will encourage you in your walk with Jesus.