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Reasons for Leaving Christianity: Biblical and Historical Perspectives

The act of "leaving Christianity" can be understood through various biblical and historical lenses, often involving a departure from faith, covenant, or community. The term "exodus" itself, from which the biblical book derives its name, means "going out" or "departure" [2]. Similarly, "sur" signifies "that withdraws or departs" [10]. In a spiritual context, this departure is frequently termed "backsliding," which is characterized as turning from God, leaving one's "first love," or departing from the simplicity of the gospel [3].

Biblically, reasons for such departures are multifaceted. One primary reason identified is the abandonment of God's covenant and the worship of other gods [5]. The Israelites, for instance, were warned that their heart was "not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant" [8]. This unfaithfulness could manifest in various ways, including a proneness to backsliding that is liable to continue and increase [3]. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the consequences of abandoning the covenant, leading to punishment [5, 3].

Another significant factor is the allure of worldly philosophies or personal desires over divine wisdom. The Apostle Paul, when writing to those influenced by Greek and Oriental philosophy, emphasized that renouncing philosophy as a guide in religious matters and receiving the wisdom of God was an "indispensable condition" for becoming Christians [13]. Charles Hodge argues that to depart from the principle of understanding Scriptures in their plain historical sense, and to substitute philosophical teachings for biblical ones, is to "give up the Bible as a rule of faith" [14]. This suggests that intellectual or philosophical disagreements with Christian doctrine can lead to a departure from the faith.

Persecution also serves as a historical and biblical reason for individuals to leave Christianity. Jesus himself suffered persecution [7]. The New Testament indicates that saints should expect persecution, and that "all that live godly in Christ, shall suffer" [7]. This suffering can originate from ignorance of God, hatred towards God and Christ, hatred of the gospel, pride, or mistaken zeal [7]. In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes those who receive the word with joy but "have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended" (Mark 4:17). This illustrates how external pressures can cause a temporary adherence to faith to falter.

Internal strife and divisions within the Christian community have also historically contributed to departures. Tertullian observed that while Christians were initially few and held similar opinions, as their numbers grew, they became "divided and separated, each wishing to have his own individual party" [11]. This internal discord, characterized as a "work of the flesh" and an "evidence of a carnal spirit" by Paul [9], can be excited by hatred, pride, wrath, and contentious dispositions [9]. Such divisions can lead individuals to become disillusioned and leave the faith community.

The concept of "leaving" in a more personal sense is also present in biblical texts. For example, a man is instructed to "leave his father and mother" to cleave to his wife [1]. Jacob, in Genesis, requests to "let me go" after serving Laban for his wives and children [4]. In a negative light, Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his "gods" when Jacob attempts to depart [6]. These instances, while not directly about leaving Christianity, illustrate the biblical understanding of physical or relational departure.

From a theological perspective, the "backsliding" described in Torrey's Topical Textbook is a serious matter, as God is displeased by it, and it brings its own punishment [3]. The book of Hebrews speaks of those who "turn (or fall) away" from Christ, likening them to the wilderness wanderers who turned from obeying God [16]. For such individuals, who have "rejected the Son of God," it is considered "impossible for them to find any other means of repentance" [16]. This highlights the gravity of a conscious and deliberate departure from faith in Christ.

The historical development of Christian thought also reveals instances where theological deviations led to schisms and departures. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, emphasizes the importance of Christ's role as a sacrifice for sin, stating that Christianity is "altogether a different thing if He is only a moral reformer, an example, a teacher, or even a martyr" [12]. Departures from this core understanding of Christ's atoning work could be seen as a fundamental shift away from historical Christianity. The Westminster Confession of Faith asserts that while natural revelation shows God's goodness, wisdom, and power, it is "not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation" [15]. This implies that a rejection of special revelation, as found in Scripture, would constitute a departure from the path to salvation as understood by Reformed theology.

Augustine, in City of God, discusses the "disruption of the kingdom of Israel," which he views as prefiguring the "perpetual division of the spiritual from the carnal Israel" [17]. This historical event serves as a theological precedent for understanding how a people, even those initially chosen, can depart from God's favor due to disobedience. Tertullian also notes the "dispersion of the Jews" and their "desolate condition for rejecting Christ," which he sees as a fulfillment of prophecy [18]. These historical examples underscore the severe consequences associated with rejecting central tenets of faith.

Sources

  1. Mark “Mark 10:7 (NASB) — "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER,”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Exodus — going out, departure”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Backsliding — Is turning from God -- 1Ki 11:9. Is leaving the first love -- Re 2:4. Is departing form the simplicity of the gospel -- 2Co 11:3; Ga 3:1-3; 5:4,7. God is displeased at -- Ps 78:57,59. Warnings against -- Ps 85:8; 1Co 10:12. Guilt and consequences of -- Nu 14:43; Ps 125:5; Isa 59:2,9-11; Jer 5:6; 8:5,13; 15:6; Lu 9:62. Brings its own punishment -- Pr 14:14; Jer 2:19. A haughty spirit leads to -- Pr 16:18. Proneness to -- Pr 24:16; Ho 11:7. Liable to continue and increase -- Jer 8:5; 14:7. Exhortations to return from -- 2Ch 30:6; Isa 31:6; Jer 3:12,14,22;”
  4. Genesis “Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you.” -- Genesis 30:26”
  5. Jeremiah “Then they shall answer, Because they abandoned the covenant of Yahweh their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them. -- Jeremiah 22:9”
  6. Genesis “Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?” -- Genesis 31:30”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Persecution — Christ suffered -- Ps 69:26; Joh 5:16. Christ voluntarily submitted to -- Isa 50:6. Christ was patient under -- Isa 53:7. Saints may expect -- Mr 10:30; Lu 21:12; Joh 15:20. Saints suffer, for the sake of God -- Jer 15:15. Of saints, is a persecution of Christ -- Zec 2:8; Ac 9:4,5. All that live godly in Christ, shall suffer -- 2Ti 3:12. Originates Ignorance of God and Christ. -- Joh 16:3. Hated to God and Christ. -- Joh 15:20,24. Hatred to the gospel. -- Mt 13:21. Pride. -- Ps 10:2. Mistaken zeal. -- Ac 13:50; 26:9-11. Is inconsistent with the spirit o”
  8. Psalms “For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant. -- Psalms 78:37”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Strife — Christ, an example of avoiding -- Isa 42:2; Mt 12:15-19; Lu 9:52-56; 1Pe 2:23. Forbidden -- Pr 3:30; 25:8. A work of the flesh -- Ga 5:20. An evidence of a carnal spirit -- 1Co 3:3. Existed in the church -- 1Co 1:11. Excited by Hatred. -- Pr 10:12. Pride. -- Pr 13:10; 28:25. Wrath. -- Pr 15:18; 30:33. Frowardness. -- Pr 16:28. A contentious disposition. -- Pr 26:21. Tale-bearing. -- Pr 26:20. Drunkenness. -- Pr 23:29,30. Lusts. -- Jas 4:1. Curious questions. -- 1Ti 6:4; 2Ti 2:23. Scorning. -- Pr 22:10. Difficulty of stopping, a reason for avoiding it -- Pr 1”
  10. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Sur — that withdraws or departs; rebellion”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. X.: But observe what he alleges as a proof of his statement: "Christians at first were few in number, and held the same opinions; but when they grew to be a great multitude, they were divided and separated, each wishing to have his own individual party:[4] for this was their object from the beginning." That Christians at first were few in number, in comparison with the multitudes who subsequently became Christian, is undoubted; and yet, all things considered, they were not so very few.[5] For what stirred up the envy of the Je”
  12. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 111: God; and consequently it changes the nature of religion. Christianity is one thing if Christ is a sacrifice for sin; and altogether a different thing if He is only a moral reformer, an example, a teacher, or even a martyr. We need a divine Saviour if He is to bear our iniquities, and to make satisfaction for the sins of the world; but a human saviour is all that is needed if the moral theory of the atonement is to be adopted. Gieseler says, what every Christian knows must be true without being told, that 573 the fathers in treating of th”
  13. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 19: reason or wisdom, in order to receive the wisdom of God. Our Lord told his disciples that unless they were converted and became as little children, they could not enter into the kingdom of God. And the Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, and in those addressed to the Ephesians and Colossians, that is, when writing to those imbued with the Greek and with the oriental philosophy, made it the indispensable condition of their becoming Christians, that they should renounce philosophy as a guide in matters of religion, and receive ”
  14. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 114: as the object of faith. We are bound to understand the Scriptures in their plain historical sense; and to admit no philosophy to explain or modify that sense, except the philosophy of the Bible itself; that is, those facts and principles concerning the nature of God, the nature of man, of the world, and of the relation between God and the world, which are either asserted or plainly assumed in the Scriptures. To depart from this principle is to give up the Bible as a rule of faith; and to substitute for it the teachings of philosophy. Tha”
  15. Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 1 (part 1): CHAPTER 1 Of the Holy Scripture 1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more ”
  16. Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 6:6: 6:6 then turn (or fall) away: The image is reminiscent of the wilderness wanderers who turned away from obeying God and fell in the desert (3:17; 4:11; Num 14:1-4, 29-30). • to bring such people back to repentance: They had repented before, but had no fruit from their repentance (Heb 6:7-8). When people turn their back on Christ and his superior sacrifice, it is impossible for them to find any other means of repentance. • Rejecting the Son of God constitutes nailing him to the cross once again. Crucifixion was the ultimate instrument of rejection and humiliation i”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 7.-- OF THE DISRUPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, BY WHICH THE PERPETUAL DIVISION OF THE SPIRITUAL FROM THE CARNAL ISRAEL WAS PREFIGURED. (part 1): Again Saul sinned through disobedience, and again Samuel says to him in the word of the Lord, "Because thou hast despised the word of the Lord, the Lord hath despised thee, that thou mayest not be king over Israel."(6) And again for the same sin, when Saul confessed it, and prayed for pardon, and besought Samuel to return with him to appease the Lord, he said, "I will not return with t”
  18. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXIII.--THE DISPERSION OF THE JEWS, AND THEIR DESOLATE CONDITION FOR REJECTING CHRIST, FORETOLD. (part 1): Now, since you join the Jews in denying that their Christ has come, recollect also what is that end which they were predicted as about to bring on themselves after the time of Christ, for the impiety wherewith they both rejected and slew Him. For it began to come to pass from that day, when, according to Isaiah, "a man threw away his idols of gold and of silver, which they made into useless and hurtful objects of worship;"(6) in other words, from the time whe”
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