What does the Bible say about counterfeit Christians?
In Acts 11:26 those who are called Christians are the Disciples of Christ. A disciple is a learner and a follower. In other words, only those who learn and hold fast to the follower of Christ are true Christians. All others who calling themselves “Christians” are counterfeits at heart.
There was a man that only carry cash. But on this day, He used a crisp $100 bill to pay for some new shoes. He handed the bill to the cashier, she grabbed a pen. Then, she ran the pen across the bill. Now he was puzzled. He asked her the purpose of marking up the crisp bills. Come to find out, this is a standard procedure for $100 bills. The marker is designed to spot counterfeit bills.
Counterfeit money has no value. Maybe it can pose as genuine for a period of time, but eventually someone is going to have one of those markers and expose the lie.
And whether you intentionally use a counterfeit bill is irrelevant. If the marker reveals that you tried to pay with fake money, you will lose a $100, and lose a day of freedom in jail, or worst. Be killed!
Jesus encountered fake Christian. What the marker does to money, Jesus does to counterfeit followers. He exposes them.
Whether it was the Pharisees, who posed as righteous men of God or large crowds, who posed as committed followers, Jesus constantly exposed counterfeits.
What is a counterfeit Christian? This question is important. Much like fake money, fake Christians have no value. They flaunt a self-righteous attitude or selfless behavior. But, if you exposed their heart, you would find something different. Most importantly, as Jesus says in Matthew 7:24, eventually counterfeit Christians will be exposed.
To be fair, most Christians intentionally don’t believe they pose as fakes. They have either been handed a counterfeit Jesus or drifted away from the complete life Jesus calls his followers to imitate. To be true Christians we must put off all confidence in human merit and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
True Christianity relies totally on the person and work of Christ; counterfeit Christianity adds to this by reliance on human worth or works. Concerning counterfeit Christianity, Paul warns,
Beware of counterfeit Christianity which adds human standard to the person and work of Christ!
Paul’s warning is by his threefold repetition: “Beware … beware … beware …!” Counterfeit Christianity is a strong danger for all of us because we’re all prone to pride and self-reliance. Some people want to take for themselves at least some of the credit for their salvation. We must be generous and grant that all of the credit goes to the Lord, but some still want to reserve a bit of the honor for themselves. Some will say, “I was saved by my own free will,” which implies, “I was smart enough or good enough to make the right choice.” But the Bible knocks our pride out from under us by clearly stating that our salvation does not depend on our will, but on God’s sovereign mercy (Rom. 9:16). Or, people will say, “Christ died for me because I was worthy.” But Scripture is clear that He died for us when we were unworthy sinners (Rom. 5:8).
Counterfeit Christianity glories in the flesh, which means, human worth or standard. The names Paul calls these false teachers reveal three common forms such human standard takes: COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY TAKES PRIDE; TAKES PRIDE IN HUMAN WORKS & PRIDE IN RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
Scripture is clear that while God chose the nation of Israel as His people and still has a special purpose for the Jews, He is no respecter of persons when it comes to granting salvation through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:34-47). As Paul writes in Romans 10:12, 13, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for ‘Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
The Bible is clear that while we are saved by grace through faith apart from any works, genuine saving faith always results in a life of good works. But the order of faith and works is essential! No human efforts can commend us to God. A true Christian never glories in his good works, but glories in Christ alone. True Christianity is Rejoice in the Lord!!
Understand rejoicing in the Lord is a true Christianity, while these three phrases say’s, “worship in the Spirit of God,” “glory in Christ Jesus,” and “put no confidence in the flesh” are simply other ways of saying the same thing. Test yourself by this measure: True Christians rejoice in the Lord.
What does this mean? It means that the Lord Jesus Christ is everything to a true Christian. Christ, and Christ alone, is our salvation. Without Him, we would be lost and without hope. In Him we are saved and have hope! As Paul puts it (1 Cor. 1:30-31), “By His doing we are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. Amen!!
WHOSOEVER WILL WORSHIP MINISTRIES
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Assoc: Pastor Wesley Fulton
429 Bayou Rd, La Marque, Tx.77568
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