What Is Apostasy, and Where Does It Start?

The warning passage of Hebrews 6 has long been one of the most sobering passages in all of Scripture because of its straightforward warning: if you fall away from the faith, you cannot be saved and there is nothing left for you but hell. What does it mean to fall away, and how do I know if I am a candidate? Thankfully, the Word of God is not silent about this, but has given several points by which to examine ourselves to see if we are, in fact, in the faith.