Authentic Christian Faith
The late Christian theologian and writer A.W. Tozer once remarked:
“It is my opinion that tens of thousands, if not millions have been brought into some kind of religious experience...and they have never been saved.”
Jesus warned that counterfeit Christians, with inauthentic faith, would embed themselves with true believers:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away” (Matthew 13:24-25).
Jesus gave the following indictment (quoting Isaiah) in Matthew 15:8:
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
Titus 1:16 says:
“They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
We’re in a powerful series that focuses us toward “Being on Mission.” As the early church exploded with growth, Satan unleashed his hatred by stirring up persecution from without and creating problems from within.
Persecution broke out in Acts 4. The enemy filled the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira with hypocrisy, leading them to lie to the Holy Spirit. In Acts 6, The Devil stirred up dissension among church members, which threatened to tear the church apart. In Acts 7, Stephen was martyred and in Acts 8:1 we read:
“And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.”
In preparation for Sabbath, please read Acts 8:9-25 and prayerfully contemplate what we can learn about the characteristics of a “false faith” and the essence of authentic Christian faith.
An outline is:
Acts 8:9-11: An egotistical view of self.
Acts 8:12-17: An external view of salvation.
Acts 8:18-20: An economics-oriented view of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:21-24: An evasive view of sin.
Ephesians 2:8-9: The false doctrine of good works.
I added the last one because I see this false doctrine of an inauthentic Gospel message that emphasizes how our good works and obedience saves us, as saturating churches today.
In 2020 the American Worldview Inventory discovered that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christians (52%) accept a “works-oriented” means to God’s acceptance.
It’s easy to look at religion as a series of lists made up of “do this” and “don’t do that.”
Authentic Christianity is not spelled D-O, it’s spelled D-O-N-E! Jesus has already done what you and I cannot do. That’s very good news—“Jesus has already done that needs to be done.”
Life is short. Eternity is long.
Let us repent and receive Him by faith, now!
Please join our church family at the 11 a.m., Saturday service and learn how to build your faith to defeat Satan in your life!
See you and your family on Sabbath,
Duff and family
