Beginning with the early church there have been those who made a profession of belief in Christ and His truth for a time but soon fell by the wayside and apostatized. Even some of those who followed Christ in the early part of His ministry eventually reached the point where they "went back, and walked no more with Him" (See John 6:66). It is still the same today. There are those who are not "of us" who, for one reason or another, join themselves to us, but they are united to us in name only, and with time the Old Church does not prove to be what they want. They find that the Biblical standards it upholds are too restrictive for their tastes, or they discover that it holds to doctrines which are repugnant to their carnal minds, which minds are all too enamored with the things of time and sense. 

    It is noteworthy that even in the apostles' day there were some that came among the true disciples who did not belong with them. Our churches have sometimes taken in people whom they feared were not well enough established to really know what they were doing, but for fear of embarrassing them or driving them away, they were questioned sparingly or not at all when they offered themselves for membership. No doubt with hindsight churches have felt that they should have been more careful in this regard, and doubtless in some cases they should have been more thorough in their examination of some candidates. However, even the apostolic church (or the church during the days of the apostles), was bothered by some that went out from them because they were never of them. To me this shows that those who make up the old church have never been perfect. Their judgment was sometimes faulty, even in the days of the apostles. 

    I have always tried to pray that the Lord would so keep me, protect me and preserve me, that I would never so fall as to lose my place among the precious household of faith. I realize this requires me to "keep my body under and bring it into subjection," but I would never want to think I could do this merely in my own strength without the merciful aid of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord help us to heed the admonition of Heb. 3:12 and II Peter 3:17-18 and to faithfully serve Him until He calls us home.