Why So Many New Converts Fall Away

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9

Why So Many New Converts Fall Away

Many Christians have unfortunately been witness to the all too familiar phenomenon of a new convert falling away from the Lord. Certainly we understand that no one can have peace with God without simultaneously picking a fight with the devil (cf. Eph. 6:10-18), but perhaps we ought to ask whether new Christians are being adequately prepared for such a war. Our enemy is described as a “roaring lion,” constantly in search of prey (1 Pet. 5:8). Since we are assured that the devil will not leave any Christian alone, we would do well to consider some of the tactics our enemy uses against us, especially those among us who are new converts to Christ. Why is it the case that so many new Christians fall away?

Some were never truly converted – Some new Christians fall away because they were never really changed by God’s word in the first place (cf. Rom. 12:1-2). Perhaps they never understood what it means to be “poor in spirit,” or spiritually bankrupt before God (Matt. 5:3; Psalm 51). Maybe they were baptized merely because they saw that it pleased a spouse, a parent, or a friend. Some people turn away from sin (reformation), but never fully turn to follow God and His way (repentance). Whatever their reasons might be, Scripture is clear that many people do practice a form of godliness while denying its power (2 Tim. 3:5; Matt. 7:21-23). True conversion is not just external obedience; rather, it means that we have changed from the inside out: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” (Acts 3:19).

Some lack depth – Jesus spoke about certain people who receive the word of God with gladness, but remain faithful only for a time (Mark 4:16-17). As soon as persecutions or troubles arise, these Christians stumble because they lack depth (Mark 4:17). Theirs is a problem of hearing – they are glad to hear and obey the word of God initially, but they never get around to developing roots (through regular intake of God’s word) that will help sustain them through the dry seasons of life. Just as the most important part of a plant is the root system

beneath the surface, so the most important part of a Christian’s life is that which is often unseen by others. When it comes to spiritual matters, character and integrity (how we think and act when no one except God is watching) still count for something! A man who is regularly and deeply immersing himself in the word of God is like a tree that can weather any storm, flood, or drought the devil sends his way (cf. Psalm 1:1-4). What do your roots look like?

Some are distracted – The Lord also predicted that there would be many Christians who have some degree of depth, yet still eventually fall away. In this case, Jesus said the causes of falling away would be the “deceitfulness of riches,” the “desire for other things,” and “the cares of this world” (Mark 4:19; Matt. 13:22). These converts become so busy with the affairs of this life that the word of God is “choked” out of their lives and they become unfruitful. The apostle Paul once summed up his entire life by focusing on, “one thing I do” (Phil. 3:12-14). In an age when time is measured in milliseconds and life seems to move at breathtaking speed, have we allowed ourselves to become distracted from our main purpose? What, if anything, is the “one thing” you do? (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17).

Some are not encouraged – Some new converts fall away because God’s people are not serious enough about fulfilling the entire Great Commission. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded Christians to be involved in two things: making disciples: “baptizing them,” and also maturing disciples: “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” That means that just as Jesus never intended for the church to sit inside a building and passively wait for new converts, He also never intended for the church to passively leave new converts to find all the answers on their own (Eph. 4:12-16)!

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