Deconversion is Apostasy

The word “deconversion”, defined simply as the loss of faith in one’s religion, seems to have become popular recently. People have become weirdly comfortable, almost boasting, in the fact that they have deconverted from Christianity. I think part of the comfort with deconversion is that the word is new enough to lack the sober connotations its meaning should convey. We often do this: we soften language to appease our consciences. So I want to say it out loud for those who might be dodging the seriousness of what deconverting from Christianity really means: Deconversion is apostasy.

When someone says, “I’ve deconverted” or “I’m an exvangelical” or “I’ve deconstructed”, I’m convinced that they choose this heady, pseudo-intellectual language because it allows the conscience to miss what they’ve actually done. Those who deconvert are leaving Christ. They are those whom the Spirit says, “will depart from the faith” (1 Tim 4:1). They are the ones who have, “an evil, unbelieving heart, leading [them] to fall away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). This is a serious and dangerous decision.

The Seriousness of Deconversion

Deconversion/Apostasy has terrifying consequences. Consider God’s word:

• “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thess 1:8-9).
• “‘And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.’ Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Rev 14:11-12).
• “It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’ (Matt 9:47-48).

This is serious. “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27), and, “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). Those who deconvert are apostates, and they are in danger of Hell and the righteous judgement of God. We don’t need to sugarcoat this. Those who deconvert should feel no comfort or pleasure in their decision.

Hope for the Deconverting

But there is hope. And I hold out this hope for anyone who has deconverted, who knows someone who has deconverted, or is considering leaving the faith. Listen to what God says He will do for backsliding Israel: “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (Hos 14:4). Here is the hope: You can turn from your apostasy, and God will receive you. He will heal you of your apostasy. “Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever” (Jer 3:12). Our God can and will forgive anyone who turns from their faithlessness and puts their faith in Jesus. Christ died for sinners. His promise is still true that, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:13), even the apostate.

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So what should we do with the seriousness of the situation and the hope of salvation still extended? John Bunyan, when discussing the length of God’s love in his book All Loves Excelling, says it better than I ever could:

Again, is there such a length? such a length in the arm of the Lord, that he can reach those that are gone away, as far as they could? then this should encourage us to pray, and hope for the salvation of any one of our backslidden relations, that God would reach out his arm after them: Saying, “Awake,—O arm of the Lord,—art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?” (Isa. 51:9,10). Awake, O arm of the Lord, and be stretched out as far as to where my poor husband is, where my poor child, or to where my poor backslidden wife or dear relation is, and lay hold, fast hold; they are gone from thee, but, O thou the hope of Israel, fetch them again, and let them stand before thee.

May we be faithful to expose the serious nature of deconversion, and let us be encouraged to pray and love our deconverting neighbors and family members.

Jacob Crouch 2023