The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1
“For how are those drawn into the service of demons who were once of the company of Christians and partakers in the mysteries? Is it not by the desire of acquiring great wealth, and of becoming masters of what belongs to others? Upon receiving from godless and impious men promises either of official preferment or of wealth from royal treasuries, they quickly put off their religion as a garment.
And such examples occurring in previous times, memory and tradition have preserved and handed down to us. And there are also instances which belong to our own generation, and are within the range of our experience. For when that emperor [Julian the apostate], who all at once cast aside the character of a Christian, and disclosed the farce he had long been acting, himself shamelessly sacrificed to demons, and offered many gifts to those who were willing to do the same, how many left the church and ran to pagan altars!
How many, taking the bait of emolument, swallowed with it the hook of apostasy, and branded with disgrace are wandering about among the towns, objects of hatred; pointed at as betrayers of Christ, for the sake of a little money; stricken from the list of Christians, as was Judas from the roll of the apostles; known by the name of apostate, as horses are known by the marks branded upon them; who simply allowed themselves to be drawn into the basest of all sins, and promptly followed the teacher of unhallowed and abominable impiety!”
Asterius of Amasea (350-410) in his sermon, “Against Coveteousness.” I am nearly done with this deeply serious and powerful sermon. But, it seems fitting for the challenging times in which we are living.
Throughout church history, people have “put off their religion as a garment.” It’s still happening today. The closer we get to the great Day of the Lord, the more rapidly people will abandon the faith. The deceptive doctrine that lures people away is associated with the love of money in Paul’s first letter to Timothy.
Put simply, God blesses obedient servants, then demons intervene. They tempt stewards to think the money they possess is theirs to spend as they please. They spout lies that stewards need money to sustain us, when God is the One who supplies all we need for enjoyment and sharing. This is just a sampling of the deception.
How does this relate to our generosity? The generous person must abandon “the desire to acquire.” During Lent we set aside our desires to partake of the only One who satisfies. If we don’t abandon “the desire to acquire” it will not only hinder our generosity, it can lead to apostasy.
I think that those who “put off their religion as a garment” (like Judas or Julian) don’t intentionally choose that path, but rather they make small bad choices that lead them way off course over time. Ultimately, they regret it. To avoid apostasy, set aside “the desire to acquire” by giving what you have to God.