A forsaking or renouncing our religion, either by an open declaration in words, or a virtual declaration of it by our actions. The primitive Christian church distinguished several kinds of apostacy; the first, of those who went entirely from Christianity to Judaism; the second, of those who complied so far with the Jews, as to communicate with them in many of their unlawful practices, without making a formal profession of their religion; thirdly, of those who mingled Judaism and Christianity together; and, fourthly, of those who voluntarily relapsed into paganism.
Apostasy may be farther considered as,
1. Original, in which we have all participated, Romans 3:23;
2. National, when a kingdom relinquishes the profession of Christianity;
3. Personal, when an individual backslides from God, Hebrews 10:38;
4. Final, when men are given up the judicial hardness of heart, as Judas.
5. See BACKSLIDING.