One of the loudest voices that the world can hear today is that “There is no God!” This voice influences many people in this world. Unfortunately, this voice even affects those who claim to believe in God but then along the way, they will just suddenly proclaim that they no longer have that faith. This is what happened to one famous lead singer of a Christian band. Please follow the link and you can read the story. https://churchleaders.com/news/376315-hawk-nelson-singer-lost-faith.html
Hawk Nelson’s Lead Singer Shares He Has Lost His Faith in God
By Jessica Mouser May 26, 2020
“After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastor’s kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word ‘Christian’ in front of most of the things in my life—I am now finding that I no longer believe in God,” said Steingard.
Here are his reasons for his unbelief in God;
The singer started asking more difficult questions about Christianity after he joined Hawk Nelson at age 20. These questions included, why would a good God allow evil in the world? How can a loving God send people to hell? Why does God seem harsh in the Old Testament, but kind in the New Testament?
Steingard also began to doubt that the Bible was God’s word, seeing many contradictions in it. He said, “Suffice it to say that when I began to believe that the Bible was simply a book written by people as flawed and imperfect as I am—that was when my belief in God began to truly unravel.” Realizing he believed that God might not exist was a terrifying experience. Said Steingard, “The implications of that idea were absolutely massive.”
A question that came into my mind is, “Can a person who claims to believe in God, accepted Jesus Christ as savior and serving God in a praise and worship band come to a point that he will declare that he is no longer a believer of God-even in the existence of God? Or in the theological term, “Can a true Christian fall away from grace?” (Apostasy). What do you think?
Now I would like to point something here from the epistle of John. See 1 John 2:18-19
18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
Let’s dissect verse 19
“They went out from us” – Tells us that there were times that they joined the church/Christian group.
But –the conjunction of contrast
they were not really of us – Tells us that in a real sense, they were not true followers of Jesus
for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us – Tells us that if they were true Christians and believers of God, they would remain, they will continue, they will stay with the church. They will not abandon the faith.
but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. – Tells us that the act of going out proves they are not part of the Christian faith at all.
So, from this verse, we can draw some conclusions
- First, it is possible that a church, Christian group, or Christian band, can be composed of both true believers and unbelievers. Because in verse 18, it says that in the last hour – the church age, many “antichrists” (not the “Antichrist-in Revelations”) have appeared.
- Second, a true Christian who believed the Lord Jesus Christ would remain in the faith no matter what the challenges are, or the situation is.
- Third, it’s possible that a person can be convinced (intellectually) about Christianity but never been converted in his/her heart. There is no assurance of salvation.
Now, my answer to the question posted above based on the verse that we studied, is NO. A true believer will never abandon his/her faith.
Concerning Jon Stiengard, I don’t have to prove it because it was his declaration. The questions he has while in the Christian band seemingly indicates that he is not solved with God and His sovereignty, Christianity, and the Bible. It’s a sad story, and yet Jon Stiengard might be one of the many (probably) people in many churches who are in the same boat.
Related passages on apostasy: Hebrews 6: 4-8; and 10: 26-31
