The Christian Attrition

The term attrition has 5 usages in the English language. According to Webster’s and the Cambridge dictionary shares the following:

1: sorrow for one’s sins that arises from a motive other than that of the love of God

2: the act of wearing or grinding down by friction

3: the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack

4: a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death

5: the people who leave an educational or training course before it has finished

Now, maybe I am a bit sensitive to the shrinking reality our community faces these days, however – I have notice a trend. Less businesses, a decrease in population, shrinking congregations and church attendance, a lack of interest in going to bible study and Sunday school, a decrease in students enrolling in Christian schools in our area…. the list can go on.

I got to thinking – is it just a sign of the times? Is it that the difference between being nominal or surrendered? Is it that discipleship is just not happening? Is it that Satan seem’s to be winning? Is it a priorities issue? Is it we are so ingrained with the world’s systems that we treat Christianity as a welfare system?

I would venture to say a little of all of this, but it is deeper – it was prophesied by the Apostle Paul that this was going to happen – attrition among Christians. Look at the following verses:

2 Thessalonians 2:3  Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

The Greek term for rebellion here is apostasia. It means defection from the truth, falling away, and forsake. Its root definition means something separative, that is, specifically divorce.

1 Timothy 4:1  The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Here the Greek term for abandon is aphistēmi. It means to remove, that is actively instigate a revolt, to desist, desert, depart, fall away, withdraw self. Its root definition means cessation, separation, departure, reversal from abiding, standing, covenant, continuing.

2 Timothy 3:1-5  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

And this verse contains what the characteristics of those who defect and depart from truth – even to instigate others to do so. Then they follow falsehood, demonic teachings, and become selfish and just plain narcissistic in every facet of life.