True Faith (Book I)

By Pastor Bill Taylor

A publication of My Father's House, inc. Volume 9/Issue 15

Prophecy: Where should your faith be? In what is My greatest promise found? My most important requirement, the most awesome gift I’ve given man is for Christ to dwell in your hearts thru faith! That’s the greatest promise and the faith you must have. It’s where your heart must abide. “That every day, in every moment Christ will dwell in my heart, move thru me, guide me, lead me and be with me in all I do. He’ll make me just as He is.” This is the faith of the saints and the true salvation of My people. I tell you, I’m maturing you in this promise, for Christ to dwell in you, to lead you, guide you and live thru you at all times. So take heed and take hold of My faith for I will live in My people, saith the Lord.

                            (assurance)                                       (conviction)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb11:1)

Faith is among the most important yet misunderstood words in Christianity. When miscomprehended it becomes the foundation for much unscriptural doctrine and even cultish religious practices! Particularly in cases where doctrine is purported to be “believed by faith” rather than by evidence! The very statement “believed by faith” illustrates the erroneous concept much of “Christendom” holds concerning faith, for to “believe by faith” is impossible! Yet how often we hear “christians” resort to this ridiculous expression as the explanation for their beliefs! In actuality “faith,” in the Greek “pistis,” simply means “belief!” So to say, “I believe by faith” is to say, “I believe by belief!” True faith, which simply means believing, can only arise from a proper consideration of sound or reliable evidence. The only exception to this is the gift of faith which is supernaturally imparted by God and in which one may not be able to fully express his understanding of the evidence, but surely knows it’s there! Yet apart from this special “gift of faith,” most commonly “Christian Faith” is imparted in the apprehension of knowledge, or godly truth, since “faith comes by hearing!” What kind of hearing? Hearing the evidence of “The Word of God!” Word of God does not always mean the Bible per se, but can include any communication from God, including prophecy, testimony, visions and dreams, the witness of the Spirit, etc., as long as that communication is truly of God and is in agreement with the Holy scriptures when rightly interpreted! God’s Word isn’t “God’s Word” unless it means what God intends. Today there are many sects of “Christianity” claiming to base their faith on the evidence of “God’s Word” but how do they interpret God’s Word? Is what they call “God’s Word” actually saying what God means?  

When satan tempted Jesus he took Him to the temple’s pinnacle, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” (Matt4:6) But coming out of satan’s mouth, this scripture wasn’t God’s Word! It was satan’s word! For spoken by satan it was perverted to mean something very different from what God actually meant! God’s meaning is those who trust and obey Him will find safety in Him. But He never intended a “believer” to expose himself to unnecessary dangers just to see if God would help! This perverted meaning came from satan and constitutes satan’s word of deception! Thus satan wasn’t quoting God’s Word, but pretending to quote God’s Word while actually perverting the scripture to mean one should expose himself to needless danger just to “prove” his “faith” or to test God’s care.  Today many Christians expose themselves presumptuously to temptations they have no business playing with and then wonder why God let them fall! But God’s grace was never intended to be so abused. You do your part in trusting and obeying God and He’ll do His part in keeping you. But those who test God by jumping into dangerous situations or exposing themselves to unnecessary temptations, as in taking on presumptuous debts, pledges or commitments which they’ve no certain means of fulfilling, such people are not listening to God’s Word! They’re listening to the devil’s perversions of scripture and tempting God! Much of the pavement below the pinnacle of the contemporary “church” is littered with casualties, broken and bleeding, their “faith” destroyed and hopes disillusioned because they listened to a devil disguised as a “preacher of faith” and threw themselves into situations they had no business being in!

For if there’s first a willing mind, it’s accepted according to what one has, and not according to what one doesn’t have. (2Cor8:12) When a “preacher” entices you to pledge him something you don’t have in order to prove your “faith” he’s not preaching God’s word! He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, helping satan set you up! He neither cares for you, nor your faith, but he’s interested in your money; the gift he wants from you. If the gift is substantial and you haven’t heard God speak concerning such a “pledge,” this “preacher” is leading you into a situation in which you’ll be tempting God! If you survive and are able to keep your pledge, his ministry may be enriched, but if you fail, he’ll blame it on your “lack of faith” and leave you a casualty of his greed. Either way, he wins and you lose! All the risk is on you! God’s true shepherds never do such things. Jesus recognized instantly satan’s interpretation of scripture didn’t agree with God’s Word and responded to the deception with God’s truth: “It’s written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Matt4:7) Jesus knew “The scripture cannot be broken!” (Jn10:35) Therefore any interpretation of scripture that doesn’t agree with all the Word of God, isn’t the Word of God! The whole Word of God correctly interpreted and properly applied will save you from satan’s snares!

Whenever scripture is interpreted to please the selfish nature of men, rather than to please God by discerning His intents and purposes, God’s true meaning in speaking that word, then such an interpretation isn’t God’s Word! If I were to translate a scripture into another language and make it mean something different from the original, it wouldn’t be a true translation for it’s not true unless the meaning remains the same! If I translate a verse into a different language but accurately maintain the original meaning, even though the words themselves may be as different as English from Greek, if the meaning remains the same, then the translation is true. It’s the meaning conveyed, not the words themselves that determines whether the translation is the true Word of God! If this weren’t so, we wouldn’t have an English Bible that could be considered as God’s Word! If I change the meaning of a scripture in a way that God didn’t intend, even though the words don’t change, the change in meaning discredits that scripture from being the Word of God! Translate from Greek to English or even to Japanese and you must retain the original meaning if the translation is to be true.  Translate from English to English, say it in the same or different English words, yet if you don’t maintain the original meaning then it’s not the Word of God! It’s only God’s Word when it says what God means. The Holy Spirit is the author and the interpreter of God’s Word! He alone reveals the meaning of God’s Word! For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God! (1Cor2:10) Without the Holy Spirit you’ll never understand God’s actual meaning. If you study the scriptures without the Spirit they won’t be God’s Word to you! To read the scriptures by any other spirit than the Holy Spirit will pervert the meaning of the scriptures. Any “church” or “Christian” who doesn’t seek the help of and recognize the necessity of the Holy Spirit in the interpretation of scripture will be deceived.

To be holy is to be pure, clean, free from corruption, perfect in love which is not self seeking, unbiased, unselfish, equitable, honest, righteous and just; seeking the well being of all parties concerned. In other words, holiness is godliness, the character of Christ! If you approach the scriptures in any spirit but the Holy Spirit your deceptions will be proportionate to your impurities! The scriptures won’t be the Word of God to you. They’ll be perverted and become the word of man, the word of flesh or the word of satan. All “Christians” who don’t receive, recognize and continue in the Holy Spirit are inevitably deceived! But how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? (Lk11:13) Rightly interpreted in the light of the Holy Spirit, only then is the Bible the Word of God! God can’t lie, so any “Word of God” or communication from God, when properly interpreted and accurately applied becomes a sure foundation for faith! To base faith upon faith itself is utter foolishness, totally unscriptural, and certain to result in presumption, superstition, and strong delusion; not true faith at all! An incorrect understanding and even mistranslation of faith as expressed in Hebrews 11:1 OKJV, has contributed substantially to this serious error! God never intends faith to be without foundation! That which has no foundations, apart from God Himself, can’t become the foundation for itself! To build your faith on faith alone is worse than building your house on sand! It’s as though you’re building on air, on nothingness! It’s the realm of dreams and unrealities; superstitions, presumptions and delusions! True faith must have sure foundations! And God has amply provided and expects us to utilize certain infallible and undeniable evidences as a foundation for our faith in this salvation He’s given us thru Christ Jesus! Who presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs. (Acts1:3) So what is the Holy Spirit actually saying in giving us His definition of true faith?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…(Heb11:1) Is faith a substance? Only if an idea can be called substance or if spirit can be called substance; for faith is a Spirit: We having the same Spirit of faith according as it is written, “I believe therefore have I spoken,” we also believe and therefore speak! (2Cor4:13) Faith can never be thought of as a substance in the sense of something material or solid. Yet we know faith has existence, so it can be regarded as a spiritual “substance.” However, the Spirit certainly didn’t intend such a mystical interpretation, for the entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews is an exposition of true faith in its most practical applications! It’s faith in action! It’s obvious faith, visible faith, the easily seen and clearest manifestations of faith! So the Holy Spirit isn’t expounding on some mysterious property of faith such as the metaphysical, positive thinking, or faith cults intend! On the contrary, He’s making the clearest and most easily understood explanation possible! Moreover the word, which is erroneously translated as “substance” in the OKJV of the Bible, has never been translated as “substance” in any other place in the scriptures! The Greek word is “hupostasis.” It’s the same word translated as confidence in “For we’ve become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence (hupostasis) steadfast to the end.” (Heb3:14) In every place except “Heb11:1” and “Heb1:3” where it’s translated as “person” hupostasis carries the meaning “assurance” or “confidence!” The Greek dictionary also shows this agrees with the root derivation, which may be translated as “assurance.” So the translation “person” is also wrong: “the express image of His “person” (hupostasis)…(Heb1:3)

One word “hupostasis,” is translated as confident, confidence, person and substance! An unusual range of definitions for the same word! Obviously the translators had difficulty expressing this word in English! Of course the English should make sense, but we must be careful not to distort the true meaning. If for example we cross substitute various translations some don’t work: “for if we hold the beginning of our person (instead of confidence for hupostasis) steadfast to the end?” (Heb3:14) However, if we try the alternate substitution “the express image of His confidence (in place of person for hupostasis)! (Heb1:3) This is acceptable that the author of Hebrews saw Jesus by revelation to be the image of God’s own confidence (hupostasis).

But what of “substance:” “For if we hold the beginning of our substance (instead of confidence for hupostasis) steadfast to the end?” This is unsatisfactory, being unclear. But if we try it the other way: “Now faith is the confidence (in place of substance for hupostasis) of things hoped for…” it makes sense. It’s even clearer if we go to the root definition of hupostasis, which is assurance: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” This is what the Spirit is actually saying, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…” Faith is the conviction, the knowledge, the confidence, the trust, and the realization that the things you are hoping for are actual, real, and available. There’s nothing metaphysical about this! Nothing mysterious! Faith is the conclusion you come to after you’ve judged the evidence, heard the witnesses and examined the alternatives. You know for certain the things which you’re hoping for are available to you!

Now faith is the “assurance” of things hoped for,

Unfortunately there’s another translation problem in the latter portion of the verse concerning the word “evidence:” “the evidence of things not seen!” That faith can’t be evidence is obvious to anyone with the slightest understanding of the words involved! As we’ve said, faith (pistis in the Greek) simply means “belief” and a “belief” must be based on evidence! You don’t believe because you believe, but you believe something you’ve seen, heard, considered, imagined, thought, or been told when it’s satisfied your sensibilities of truth! In actuality you may not be believing in something that is truth but if you claim to believe it you must consider it to be truth, else you wouldn’t believe it! So we know regarding anything you claim to believe, you’ve made a judgment that satisfies you based on the evidence you’ve chosen to consider, that what you’ve heard or perceived or thought or been taught etc., is true, at least as far as you’re willing to consider!

If faith is “evidence,” rather than faith being the assurance that arises from judging evidence, then the universe is chaos! Everything is true! Nothing is false! The very fact you choose to believe something would confirm what you believe is true if faith can be its own evidence! We don’t disagree one man’s faith can be an indication though not a proof of a truth to another person, but for that first man’s faith to be sound it must be based upon something other than his own belief: it must be founded in a witness of some sort; a witness of reason, conscience, knowledge, the Spirit, experience, the Word of God, a godly testimony, prophecy, history; something other than belief itself has to give foundation to his belief! All faith, all believing has to be based upon a “proof” that gives credence to that which is believed, and whatever that basis of credibility is, whether faulty or sound, it’s an evidence. And it must be separate from the faith, for it, in fact, is out of the credibility of the evidence that the faith arises! It’s in this fundamental misperception of faith that most faith cults fall into their greatest errors. For if faith itself is the evidence for faith, there can be no such thing as believing the lie. (2Thes2:11) The very fact that you believe something, would be the proof that it’s true! But this is obviously impossible. For it’s the very nature of delusion to believe something is true just because you believe it! And it’s on this point that Christianity separates from all false religions for true Christianity is based on “infallible proofs” founded in truth and reason!

But (Paul) said, “I’m not crazy most noble Festus, but I speak the words of truth and reason!” (Acts26:25) God often speaks of persuading men! Many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (Acts13:43) And (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. (Acts18:4) And (Paul) went into the synagogue and spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God! (Acts19:8) For do I now persuade men, or God? (Gal 1:10) Persuade is used by Paul in speaking of the faith of Abraham who: was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded what God had promised He was able to perform! (Rom4:20-21) And by Jesus in the parable of the “Rich man and Lazarus” where Father Abraham answers the rich man’s plea to send one from the dead to save his brothers, “If they don’t hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead!” (Lk16:31)

It’s obvious from these and many other scriptures that true faith has much to do with reasoning and persuading! The word often translated reasoning in the Greek is “dailegomai” which means to “discuss by presenting arguments, evidences or reasons.” And the Greek word for persuading is “peitho” which means to “endeavor to convince or persuade and which is regarded as a base to the Greek word “pistis” which is most often translated in English as “faith,” and is defined as a “conviction or firm persuasion.” Considering this, it’s plain true faith can arise only after truth has been presented to the believer in such a way as to persuade his mental faculties of the accuracy and trustworthiness of that truth. The supernatural efficiencies of the Holy Spirit may be deeply involved in this process but that doesn’t mean the mind and reason aren’t! The Holy Spirit most commonly is the provider of light by which the arguments, evidences, and reasons may be clearly apprehended by the mind, heart and intellect of the believer. This supernatural influence of the Spirit doesn’t do away with mind and reason but rather, enlightens the mind and reasoning faculties that they may function more efficiently under His influences, so the evidences may be clearly seen and understood!

God won’t force anyone to believe, but the person must himself be willing! If he’s not willing, it may be he hasn’t seen enough evidence to be convinced. Or if the evidences seem sufficient, it may be there isn’t enough light to apprehend the evidences! In such a case patience and prayer may improve the situation. However, if someone is disposed toward evil and doesn’t wish to believe, no amount of light, evidence or reason is likely to move him toward faith. This kind of unbelief is actually a stubborn resistance to truth and a damnable sin; for to resist truth is to resist God Himself, for God is truth! (Jn14:6) For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they’ve closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so I should heal them! (Matt13:15)

They’ve eyes but they don’t want to see, for they prefer the wages of unrighteousness. This is sinful unbelief. But to be willing to believe yet be unconvinced is not necessarily a sin but may only mean one hasn’t yet received sufficient evidences or reasons to be convicted of the truth. Of course, if one hasn’t been actively seeking for the evidences that could constitute a sin of omission. For Christ has commanded us to Ask, Seek, and Knock (Matt7:7) If we disobey yet still expect God to guide us into His truth, we tempt God! For if we don’t obey God by making use of every available means which He’s offered to guard our souls and maintain a true saving faith in Christ, then how can we expect Him to keep us? This is the worst kind of presumption, to disobey God, yet expect to be blessed as if we’d obeyed! Jesus says, “I’ll give to each of you according to your works!” (Rev2:23) But if one has been praying and seeking the truth yet the evidences are still insufficient, in such a case it would be a sin to believe, for God commands us to: Test ALL things; hold fast to that which is good (found true)! (1Thes5:21) And He’s also commanded to: Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life! (Pr4:23) To keep your heart is to allow nothing in that isn’t truth. And you do that by refusing to agree with anything until you’re convinced it is truth! What you agree with is what you allow in to your heart and that which you truly believe is that which has entered your heart! Your agreement is your reason and will saying, “Come into my heart! You’re welcome here! I recognize you as truth. You’re important to me and I want to be aware of you in every applicable consideration that affects my decisions and activities!” Once you let something into your heart, it will affect your thoughts and behavior! For out of the heart spring forth the issues of life! So it’s God’s command that we be careful what we let in. If our hearts are filled with lies and delusion then our behavior will reflect those lies and delusions. But if our hearts are filled with godly truth and goodness then our thoughts, words and actions will be filled with the fruits of truth and goodness! For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things! (Matt12:34b-35)

What do you believe? It’s just as much a sin to believe that for which you have no sound evidences as to refuse to believe that for which the evidences are ample and incontrovertible! In the first case you’re allowing a possible lie or delusion to enter your heart. In the second you’re refusing to allow truth to have its proper place in your life! God condemns both. Faith that isn’t founded upon the mind and reason being convicted or firmly persuaded by many infallible proofs (Acts1:3) is at least the sin of presumption and at worst the sin of demonic delusion and superstition! But to reject or refuse to consider sound and incontrovertible arguments, evidences and reasons if not ultimately repented of, is the soul damning sin God calls unbelief!

The evidence (conviction) of things not seen!

Again faith can’t be the evidence or foundation for itself, but must be the conviction or firm persuasion that arises when an honest mind rightly considers arguments, evidences and reasons (proofs) of sufficient caliber to convince the “believer” of the truth being considered. It’s not mere “mental assent” but is a conviction that includes the realization that this particular truth is important and applicable to the believer’s life in such a way that it must be put in a place of primary availability, that it may be consulted, considered, and always have its proper motivational effect in relation to every applicable life affecting situation, decision, thought, word or action! It’s not sufficient that it be allotted to the memory alone. You can remember a lie without letting it into your heart or agreeing with it. But for truth to become faith you must allow it into the throne room of your being; not just your memory. In the memory you can store all kinds of data, things which you’re certain are  true and things which you’re certain aren’t true. But for truth to become faith it must be given entrance to your heart out of which spring the issues of life, and from which come the motivations, thoughts, intentions, purposes, and activities of life. Because that which you permit in your heart will have such a profound effect upon your behavior and activities, you must be very careful to allow only that which is proven godly truth to enter your heart lest you be deluded and unfruitful before God or even worse that you may become sinful, unbelieving and unworthy of Christ!

True faith is not evidence but it’s that to which sound evidence and righteous reason give foundation, so truth and only well proven truth may have access to the righteous believer’s heart! It’s as though arguments, evidences and reasons (proofs) are keys that open the righteous heart to truth and to faith in that truth. But where the proofs are insufficient the heart must refuse to believe for as the heart is the guiding throne room and helm of one’s life it’s far too important to allow it to be polluted with theories, hypothesis, questionable doctrines, fables or delusions!  Just as you must keep the windshield of your automobile clean so you can see where you’re going, so you must keep your heart pure if you expect to see clearly to reach your Spiritual destination. Just as the pilot of an airplane must be sure his instruments are properly adjusted and functioning so they may guide him thru the stormy night, so you must make sure your heart is filled with truth that it may guide you properly thru the perils and temptations of life! So again faith isn’t evidence, but the conviction that arises when truth is supported by sufficient evidences to make it trustworthy. Furthermore, when something has been judged to be a truth of such stature and applicability to one’s life that one’s safety may be imperiled by the lack of understanding and application of that truth, then it becomes imperative such a truth be given a place of high importance in the heart and all the decision making faculties of the mind and will be given access and be made aware of the implications of that truth! To do otherwise would be most dangerous. Rather like betraying the confidence of one’s own soul or being a traitor to one’s self! To deny one’s Heart any truth that would be of benefit to the decision making faculties in charting a safe course in life and which would help one to arrive at a suitable and godly destination is at the least a very self-destructive tendency and at most a betrayal of the good will of our Creator! Thus faith is composed of the convictions of the heart, which motivate and give purpose to the decisions and activities of one’s life!

Now faith as described in the Bible is not the mere acknowledgement that something is true. There are many things in your memory that you know to be true but which are of little importance to you in the operations and activities of everyday life. You may know the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, but what does that have to do with anything essential to your daily decisions? This truth is not in your heart! And you don’t live by it or have true living faith in it! On the other hand, you probably do believe, and have become convinced that if you don’t “look both ways before crossing the street” you may be injured or killed! This truth therefore has relevancy to your everyday decisions, and so you’ve given it place in your heart and not only do you say that you believe it to be true as though it were merely in your memory, but you actually do it! You always look both ways before crossing the street! To do so is in your heart! You keep it there, because it’s a truth which by being continually obeyed saves your life!

Do you also believe Jesus is Lord? Do you believe obedience to Christ will save your eternal soul? Are you convinced of this truth by many infallible evidences and have you given this truth its suitable and very high place of importance in your heart? “Jesus is my Lord! My faith in and obedience to Him is my salvation!” Obviously, true Bible faith isn’t just agreeing something is true but it’s recognizing the relevancy of that truth to one’s safety. It’s therefore giving that truth its proper place in the applicable decisions and activities of life! That’s what it means to let it into your heart! It means to trust in that truth or to have faith in that truth! To have true faith then is to have judged a truth to be not only true but important and relevant enough that it must be trusted and relied upon in every pertinent application and even seriously considered in areas where its relevancy may not yet be perfectly understood! Thus true faith isn’t just the conviction of a truth but the conviction of the relevancy and importance of that truth! So it’s truth that affects action. It is faith (belief) that works! (Jas2:20) It’s not just dead motionless memory truth, but it’s active living heartfelt truth that affects the issues of life! Such faith isn’t something that arises when one lightly agrees with an innocuous truth, but it’s the deep conviction and persuasion that arises when one has seriously considered overwhelming evidences of great importance!

What a shame that Heb11:1 has been so poorly rendered. The word translated evidence in “the evidence of things not seen!” is elegchos in the Greek. In this form it’s found in one other place in the Bible and there it’s translated reproof: All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof (elegchos). (2Tim3:16) However, the Greek verb from which this word is derived elegcho is used many places, commonly meaning to convict as of the truth! Thus: Those who heard it, being convicted (elegcho) by their conscience…(Jn8:9) Which of you convicts (elegcho) Me of sin? (Jn8:46) That he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict (elegcho) those who contradict! How does he convict? He proves his point by sound doctrinal evidence! (Titus1:9) But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted (elegcho) by the law as transgressors! (Jas2:9) In English, if we change a verb “to convict” into a noun, “conviction” we add a suffix “ion”! The Greek verb elegcho – to convict has become a noun-type word elegchos and to define this word as conviction wouldn’t be improper! Let’s try it in the two verses in which it appears: All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for conviction (in place of reproof for elegchos), for correction, for instruction in righteousness! (2Tim3:16) This is a very acceptable translation! Similarly, let us try it in: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction (in place of evidence for elegchos) of things not seen! (Heb11:1) Quite acceptable! This is what the author of Hebrews is actually intending to say… That “faith is the conviction (the being convinced of the realty) of things not seen.” It’s an undeniably accurate description of true Christian faith which is perfectly agreeable to references to faith found elsewhere in the scriptures: He did not waver at the promise of God, thru unbelief, but was strengthened in faith…being fully persuaded that what God had promised He was able to perform! (Rom4:20-21) Let each one be fully convinced (by the evidence) in his own mind…For whatever is not from faith is sin! (Rom14:5,23)

In these scriptures faith follows conviction and conviction arises from the consideration of truth and reason or evidences! So we see true Bible faith isn’t some mysterious quality God requires of us and which entails our believing things for which we have no rational basis! On the contrary, those whose “faith” is such are certain to be deceived, for they’ve no foundation of evidence or reason from which they may discern the validity of the things which they believe! In such a state satan is sure to confuse and mislead them! It’s absolutely vital to true Christian faith that faith must be founded on true evidence! To attempt to base faith on faith itself is among the most dangerous of irrationalities! It’s like trying to build a house from the top down rather than from the ground up! “I’m going to build the roof first!” But what will you support it on? “I’ll hang it from the shingles!” But what will the shingles rest on? “They’ll rest on the roof!” This is impossible! You can’t hang faith on faith itself! You’re trying to hang your ceiling on the sky! If faith could be based on itself godly order couldn’t exist. All the universe would be confusion! The mere fact you believe something would be enough to make it so! “You believe because you believe and you know it’s true because you believe?” So all things are true and nothing is false as long as someone believes? Such faith can’t be true faith at all. It’s presumption; an illusion; a deceptive counterfeit for real faith! If faith is founded on anything less than truth then it’s not faith at all but delusion! And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth. (2Thes2:11-12)

Men can choose to believe truth or to believe lies! But if they have faith in lies, those lies will ultimately lead them into a collision with reality (truth)! In that collision they’ll find their erroneous faith has failed them. They’ll then be ashamed of what they have presumptuously believed, and they may even be destroyed by their deluded faith! Only cults, false prophets, devils and those under the influence of devils would advise you to believe that for which you have no proof, or sound evidence! The Holy Scriptures never advise you to do any thing so foolish! Test all things. Hold fast what is good (true)! (1Thes5:21) Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1Jn4:1) Let every word be established (proven true) by the mouth of two or three (reliable) witnesses! (2Cor13:1) God expects faith to be founded on tested evidences; such evidences as you should be able to rationally explain in defense of your faith whenever anyone asks you why you believe! “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1Pe3:15) You should be able to logically and rationally defend every major point of faith which you believe, and be able to present your evidences to others, that you may be able to persuade and convince them so they can believe too! If you’re unable to do this then it’s probable your “faith” is merely delusion. For if your “faith” were true faith you’d certainly be conscious of the evidences on which it was founded and which convinced you of the truth which you believe. And being convinced of the truth on the basis of such evidences you certainly should be able to explain those evidences to others! True faith must be established on sound evidences and God Himself has promised that evidence to all who truly desire to do His will! If anyone wants to do God’s will, he’ll know concerning the doctrine whether it’s from God, or whether I speak on My own authority! (Jn7:17) God also admonishes us not to proceed with any activity unless we’re completely convinced it’s God’s will for us! For whatever is not from faith is sin! (Therefore) Let each be fully convinced (having tested and proven to himself what he’s doing is God’s will) in his own mind! (Rom14:23,5b) So what are these evidences?

The Way of Truth

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you…because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. (2Pe2:1-2) True Christianity makes a point of believing in only the truth! Truth by its very nature is verifiable! Truth is reality! That which is true can be tested and proven by sound reason, experience, demonstration, or other physical or spiritual evidences! That you may prove (demonstrate) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God! (Rom12:2b) Walk as children of light (in godly awareness) proving (demonstrating) what is acceptable to the Lord! (Eph5:8,10) Nor does God require us to believe anything we can’t verify or demonstrate to be truth, for to do so opens us up to superstitions, doctrines of demons, and numerous disappointments and destructions which await those who believe in lies!

When religion requires you to “believe by faith” rather than evidence, it nullifies your powers of reason, and destroys your God given ability to discern between truth and falsehood! If you allow it to do this, such religion will capture your mind and imprison you in a realm where there are no foundations! False religionists call this spirituality! But it isn’t Spirituality, it’s fantasy! It’s imaginations! Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (2Cor10:5a) True Christian Spirituality has solid foundations in godly truth! Christianity is not a whimsical realm where nothing is knowable, where dreams and imaginations vie with reality and where “believers” are prey to unprovable assertions of church dogma or impulsive influences of religious speculators! True Christian faith is a totally dependable realm of godly order, where all things are knowable, provable and unchangeable! Where foundation once established will remain for eternity! Where floors will not fall out from under you at a whim or be washed away in the storms of life! Those religions whose foundations are primarily personal experiences, exclusive assertions, and private or unverifiable interpretations of scriptures, and those who compel their adherents to “believe by faith” are using such devices to maintain a superstitious control over their captives! Whether they’re civilized “priests or pastors” pagan idolaters, or aboriginal witch doctors, the end is the same! The power that controls is darkness not light. And ignorance is preferred to knowledge! Such is the “religion” that gave us the Dark Ages and martyred myriads of true believers! It’s followers contemplate “mysteries” as though ignorance itself is holy. Rather than seeking understanding, many Catholics revel in the fact that they’re mystified and glory in their very lack of knowledge! Yet the scriptures admonish us to Get wisdom and with your getting get understanding! (Pr4:7)

Such superstitious believers can prove little of what they believe, nor will they accept any proof that differs with their beliefs, yet they’ll persecute and even murder any who dare to oppose what they believe! They’re dangerously prejudiced in favor of themselves and often violently opposed to any who disagree with them! They persecuted Galileo when he discovered the earth orbited the sun, and they continued to proclaim the world was flat until Columbus proved them to be fools! They’ve murdered and martyred in the name of God and resisted all manner of truth to the extent that many judicious men have been dissuaded from receiving any religion as reasonable for consideration of the sad record of those who claimed to be of God yet left so ungodly a legacy! Paul knew them! For the name of God is blasphemed among the unbelievers because of you! (Rom2:24) And Jesus recognized them! You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do! He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him! When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he’s a liar and the father of all deception! (Jn8:44) Satan’s kingdom is darkness and all ignorance is his domain! How sad it is so few realize when you leave reason behind for the realm of religion you give yourself an easy captive to the devil’s greatest stronghold! Unreasoning religion is satan’s forte! Darkness is his shield and superstition his mace! And where is the power of darkness more apparent than in the innumerable unprovable and unexplainable suppositions and presumptions of what is commonly called religion? Jesus warns of this when he says: If therefore the light (religious or moral perception) that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matt6:23)

Some darkness is merely the lack of light! All men suffer from this to an extent for only Jesus dwells in that unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see (1Tim6:16) which is the omniscience and perfect wisdom and knowledge of God! But to those who love truth, when God’s light comes into our darkness we receive it gladly. In fact, if we’ve been made aware of our ignorance we’ll even be praying for God’s light; asking Him to teach us, correct us, show us His ways! In very particular times of trouble we’re commanded to pray with special fervency for God’s light! “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting!” (Jas1:5-6) But to those who already believe they have the answers; who are following a false light; who’ve substituted their own answers for God’s or been deceived by doctrines of devils appearing as angels of light (2Cor11:14); such “believers” will likely reject the true light of God, preferring their own! Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with sparks: who walk in the light of your (own) fire and in the sparks you have kindled-this you shall have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment! (Is50:11)

This was the state of the Jews when Jesus came. They weren’t seeking the light of God but had kindled a “fire” of their own. Their “fire” was a superstition based on a faulty understanding of the law of Moses! Where they thought they had knowledge they actually had the most severe form of darkness! For unlike the gentiles who were in the darkness of mere ignorance but could yet receive the light of God when it came to them, the majority of the Jews couldn’t be converted! Therefore let it be known to you (Jews) that (because you’ve rejected) the Salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles and they’ll hear it! (Acts28:28)The darkness that’s merely ignorance can receive light when it appears! When light comes the ignorant can see their need and turn to the light! But the darkness that counterfeits light, is a power of darkness and an enemy of light! It’s a false light! It’s satanic bondage and a tool of hell! It wars against the true light, stands in the place of truth and pretends to be truth so it opposes the real truth. It takes the position that belongs to the real truth and won’t let real truth in! This is the power of false religion! It’s the darkest darkness! And it’s satan’s greatest weapon! By mere ignorance satan can’t prevent God’s light from having its proper effect when light appears! But thru darkness pretending to be light, satan can not only perpetuate the ignorance in his victims but actually turn their delusion into a power that wars against the light. So by this device victims of superstitious religion become willing soldiers of darkness, who even while fighting against God, believe they’re fighting for God! Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he’s doing God service! (Jn16:2) This was the state of the Jews in Jesus’ day. The light they thought they had was darkness and how great was that darkness? (Matt6:23)

It’s no different today. Satan’s kingdom is still darkness and he still promotes his counterfeit religion of false light! So the ignorant pagan is easier to convert to the true light of Christ than those who’ve been captured by a false or deceiving religion! And that includes many forms of “Christianity” that aren’t true Christianity! For true Christianity has absolutely nothing in common with what may be called blind religion!  The difference is as night from day! Real Christianity is the way of truth and light! Nowhere is this more evident than in the true Christian doctrine of faith! God expects our faith to be founded upon solid evidences, upon truth and light! He’s promised every necessary evidence to anyone who really desires to know the truth! If anyone wants to do God’s will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from God, or whether I speak on My own authority! (Jn7:17) For he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin! (Therefore) Let each be fully convinced in his own mind! (Rom14:23,5b) Or “Don’t eat until you’ve examined all the evidence and become fully convinced it’s God’s will for you, else you’ll be in doubt and in sin!”

So God promises to provide the evidence to support His true doctrines, but he also requires us to weigh that evidence justly, without personal bias, to determine accurately what we believe to be God’s will and then to live by that belief! That God doesn’t expect us to believe apart from a true foundation of evidence is demonstrated again and again by God’s own dealings with men, thru His word, His Spirit and His prophets! But although He had done so many signs (proofs) before them, yet they did not believe in Him! (Jn12:37) And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming  the word thru signs (evidences) following! (Mk16:20)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress (refuse to acknowledge) the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest (plainly evidenced) among them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and divine nature, so that they (who do not believe) are without excuse! (Rom1:18-20) The gospels were written to provide evidence for that which God has given us in Christ, so we may “believe” and have faith in God’s truth. That truth has been bountifully confirmed in the mouths of witnesses whose very lives have proven their love of truth, and their commitment to all that is good! Who could possibly find more reliable witnesses than Mark or John or Matthew or Luke or Paul; men who laid down their lives for the truth, seeking no personal gain, but giving liberally of themselves that they may share with us that true salvation which Christ so freely shared with them. The court systems of our nation operate on the testimony of witnesses. And these witnesses are tested and examined publicly in the court before judges and juries. These judges and juries based on the validity of the testimony of the witnesses must determine the guilt or innocence of those who are being tried! And such testimony, when judged trustworthy, is regarded as sufficient evidence to convict a felon even unto death! Can anyone deny that the innumerable witnesses which our judges and juries and courts and national system of justice have relied upon for thousands upon thousands of life and death decisions and continue to rely upon even today, can any one deny that these have been and continue to be men and women of generally far inferior character to that of the unblemished, spotless holy men whom God has chosen to bear witness to His truth?

How could anyone who’s ever sat on a jury and cast a vote to a defendant’s guilt or innocence based on the testimony of the unholy mortals that make up our present humanity, how could anyone who’s done such refuse to believe the words of such impeccably trustworthy men as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and James? If you can believe what you read in the newspaper and magazines! If you can believe what you hear on TV and trust the words of your schoolteachers, parents and neighbors, employer, politicians! If you can repeat the gossip you’ve heard from a friend or acquaintance or buy the car your auto mechanic says is sound! If you can accept the testimony of all these people whom you know to be fallible and imperfect and often prejudiced and even willfully untruthful, and yet you can base many of life’s most important decisions on their words! If you believe so many of these fallible men, and yet refuse to believe the irrefutable testimony of God’s holy witnesses, whose own blood has confirmed their incorruptible veracity! If you believe so many things which you’ve often repeated to others and vouched they were true upon the dubious testimony of unvirtuous men and women, and yet refuse to believe the saintly witnesses chosen by God, whose character God himself has upheld in the hopes that you would see their purity, and know their holiness and believe their words! If you can believe so much of what is common and profane and yet refuse to believe the truth spoken by these Holy men of God, then God Himself cannot have mercy upon your soul lest you repent! For you’re the king of fools, and a perjured witness to your own defense, refusing to judge rightly that which pertains most powerfully to your own salvation! If you reject God’s word, you judge yourself unworthy of everlasting life! (Acts13:46) So if you prefer the words of devils to the Word of God, then you’ll enjoy the company of devils for eternity! Not because God hasn’t provided you with more than ample evidences of His truth and numerous witnesses of the highest and most reliable caliber to verify His words, but because you prefer to believe the lies of demons and the comforting delusions of the damned. Behold you unbelievers marvel and perish, for I work a work (of judgment against you) in your days, a work which you will by no means believe though one were to declare it to you! (Acts13:41) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they may all be condemned (perish) who refused to believe the truth because they preferred the pleasures of unrighteousness! (2Thes2:11-12)

Yet to those who love the truth, God pours out His evidences that their faith may be established ever stronger and more deeply rooted in Him! He provides the testimony of the prophets: The prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation (to be interpreted as a man wills) for true prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit! (2Pe1:19-21) We have the witness of innumerable ancient prophecies that have been marvelously fulfilled: Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem (after the seventy years of Jewish captivity in Babylon prophesied by Jeremiah and which very precisely came to pass: see Jeremiah 25:11) until Messiah the Prince (Jesus) there shall be seven weeks (of years or 49 years) and sixty two weeks (of years, a total of 483 years); the street shall be built again and the wall (within 49 years of the decree being given by Cyrus, Jerusalem, which was destroyed during the Babylonian invasions, was rebuilt) even in troublesome times! (Ezra and Nehemiah tell of the troubles involved!) And after sixty-two weeks (of years or 434 years) Messiah shall be cut off, (Jesus was crucified 434 years after the rebuilding of Jerusalem) but not for Himself! (He died for our sins; Isaiah 53 prophesies this) And the people of the prince who is to come (a gentile ruler who comes to power after Jesus’ departure) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary! (Which occurred in 70 AD when the Roman armies led by Titus the son of Caesar Vespasian destroyed the city and the temple, also fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy that there wouldn’t be one stone left upon another; Matt24:2) (Dan9:25-26) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse (a descendant of David, Jesse’s son; Jesus) who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the gentiles shall seek Him…And it shall come to pass in that day (when the gentiles seek Jesus) the Lord shall set His hand again the second time (the first time was after the Babylon captivity) to recover the remnant of His people who are left…He will set up a banner (Christ, the glory of Israel) before the nations, and will assemble the outcast of Israel! During the age when the gentiles are coming to Jesus, God will regather the Jews that were scattered by the Roman invasion and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D! This Scripture is being fulfilled before our eyes in this present generation. (Is11:10-12)

We couldn’t begin to do justice to the myriads of prophecies that have already been wonderfully and accurately fulfilled, to such an extent that no one who’s even cursorily examined the prophetic record could possibly doubt either the existence or the power of God’s providences in the history of man! Yet God has given us more evidence than this, for the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us! (Heb10:15) For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God, Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God! (1Cor2:11-12) For the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit! (Rom8:16) We have the witness of nature: for since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made! (Rom1:20) And we have the witness of conscience: They show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness! (Rom2:15) We have the witness of reliable men, chosen by God: In as much as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which are most surely believed among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed! (Lk1:1-4) The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He thru the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs Their faith in the resurrection was established on many powerful evidences: being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God! Those “infallible proofs” included seeing Him, touching Him, hearing Him reveal and open up to them mysteries of God's Kingdom that only Christ could know, and to which they could now share or give witness! (Acts1:1-3) Therefore of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection! The disciples prayed to God to choose a replacement for Judas, for they understood by prophecy and the Spirit of God there were to be twelve apostles who had witnessed and could testify to the truth of Christ's ministry; His words, His deeds, and finally His death, burial and resurrection! (Acts1:21- 22) Him God raised up on the third day. Fulfilling Old Testament prophecies (like Hos6:2) and Jesus’ own words. (Matt20:19) And showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God. God didn’t want sinners witnessing for Him! He chose witnesses who couldn’t be perjured; holy men, whose integrity couldn’t be impugned and whose words couldn’t be doubted by any reasonable listener! Not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it was He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead! (Acts10:40-42)

So we have the testimonies of nature, the testimonies of our consciences, the testimonies of history, the testimonies of archaeology, the testimonies of the Holy Spirit, the testimonies of the prophets, the testimonies of prophecies fulfilled, the testimonies of witnesses chosen by God, the testimonies of the martyrs and Christians thru the ages, the testimonies of our own experiences, and the testimonies of God Himself: God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will! (Heb2:4) Add to this the testimony of Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. (Rev1:5) Of whom God at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, but who has in these last days spoken to us by His Son! (Heb1:1-2) Of Whom God Himself has said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased! Hear ye Him!" (Mk9:7) And who but the king of fools could refuse to hear the testimony of this foremost of all God’s witnesses, this unimpeachable, unimpugnable source of all that’s good, godly, wise and holy! And what effrontery, what arrogance, what demonic and totally devilish delusion it is that prompts men to say Jesus was a good man, or a wise man, but our present day ideas are superior to His, our modern philosophies are better than His, our contemporary doctrines are higher than His, and our current religion more accurate than His! It’s from hell’s throne such blasphemies arise! Can you hear the words of Christ Himself, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master! It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master?” (Matt10:24-25) Who are these who think they’re better than the Master; their thoughts higher than His and their ways above His. Has God raised them from the dead that we should hear them? Has God spoken from heaven “hear ye them?” Has He confirmed their words with signs following? Have they even walked for a minute, an hour, or a day in the level of purity and holiness Jesus demonstrated unfailingly thru every moment of His life? Have they laid down their lives for a friend? Or carried Christ’s cross? Or been crucified for us? From where do such fools deign to entice men to listen to them in place of our Lord, or to refuse the true witness of Christ's in favor of their own? Among these are leaders of “churches,” denominations, governments, and businesses. They preach the gospel of antichrist and serve their father the devil who has such things in his power to give to whom he will! (Lk4:5-6) They glorify themselves and blaspheme Christ while pretending to honor Him! And in their obsequious service to satan they receive a temporary position in this evil world: a little power, a little glory, and Strong delusion that they may perish who receive not the love of the truth! (2Thes2:10-11)

And We walk by faith and not by sight! (2Cor5:7) doesn't mean we don’t have strong evidences and many infallible proofs for what we believe. We have the oracles of God, the words of the prophets, the witness of the Spirit, the testimonies of many unimpeachable witnesses foremost among them Christ Himself. Though we don’t yet see the fullness of Christ and His kingdom, yet we do see the powerful evidences for those things we believe, so we have strong assurances of what we hope for and are firmly convinced of the reality of those things which we don’t yet see! For to walk by faith and not by sight (2Cor5:7) doesn’t mean we’re blind! It means we’re seeing the irrefutable evidences of what we know to be true of Christ though we don’t see Christ Himself! This is similar to how a hunter successfully takes a deer! He can’t wait to see the deer before he gets his gun, for by the time he gets the gun it will be too late. Likewise, if we wait until the Lord’s appearing before we prepare for it, we’ll be too late. For as the hunter who waits to see the deer before he gets his gun will sadly learn, by the time he returns the deer will be gone. So the Christian must be prepared for the coming of the Lord before the Lord's appearing. If we wait until the Lord appears to prepare, we won’t be allowed into the marriage supper and by the time we’re prepared, Jesus will be gone and we’ll be locked out of His Kingdom! (Matt25:1-13) The very reason God requires us to walk by faith not by sight isn’t because He’s trying to make it hard for men to get to heaven, but just the contrary. God knows faith is the only way we can be saved! For only by faith can we be prepared for the coming of our Lord before He appears! If He appears to us in the power of His glory, in such a way we can see He’s God, while we’re unprepared, we’d be destroyed by His appearing!

For who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He’s like a refiner’s fire! (Mal 3:2) The Jews of the Old Testament understood this. When God came to them at Mount Sinai, they besought Moses saying, “Let not the Lord speak with us, lest we die!” (Ex20:19) To which God responded, “They are right in all they’ve spoken!” (Deu5:28) The problem is if we have to see God in His glory to believe in Him, we can’t be saved since to see Him without being prepared for His glorious appearing will mean our destruction. In our unholiness, His glory will destroy us! Yet when men see Him without His glory, they say, “Who does He think He is?” and crucify Him. So how can we be prepared for and be made holy before His appearing unless we believe in Him first? Thus God had to save us by faith by convincing us of His existence and His requirements before we see Him in His glory! To do this He offers us godly evidences so we can believe without actually seeing Him! Thus we can prepare according to the evidences and be made Holy so we won’t be destroyed in the day of His glorious appearing!

Again this is how a hunter becomes convinced he can actually take a deer which he hasn’t yet seen! He hunts by faith, not by sight! He prepares himself, and his weapon, then begins to search the forest for evidences of deer. He looks for places where deer may feed or water and searches for tracks or spore! When he finds such evidences he can tell how recently the deer have passed that way. If the evidences are strong and fresh, even though the hunter hasn’t seen a deer, he can be sure and believe he’s in an area where he’ll get a shot at one! Because he’s strongly convinced and believes he’ll see a deer soon, the hunter becomes very alert and watchful, and will often endure many hardships waiting for his chance at that deer which he knows must be close by! He’s hunting by faith and not by sight! But he’s certainly not blind! Actually a good hunter sees much better than most people. His eyes are trained to see the evidences that will lead him to his game before he actually sees it! So it is with the true believer in Christ!

The true believer isn’t blind! He’s a child of light and walks in the light! (Eph5:8) his senses are exercised to discern good from evil! (Heb5:14) He hasn’t seen the Lord but he’s seen the godly evidences of the Lord’s existence and requirements! He sees and believes the evidences of Jesus’ impending appearance so he avails himself of every possible grace to prepare for our Lord’s return! He walks by faith in Christ according to the God given evidences, which he sees and which prove to him the realities of the Lord whom he hasn’t seen! And because of his faith, he’s able by godly grace to prepare for the appearing of the Lord, to be made blameless and holy so he’ll not be destroyed when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead! (2Tim4:1) Thus to walk by faith and not by sight should never be construed as an excuse for blindness. Rather to walk by true faith we must be diligent and alert. Our eyes must be open to see the evidences of God’s will, intentions and purposes for us! That we might be fully conformed to the image of Christ! (Rom8:29) That we might not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is! (Eph5:17) That we might come to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ! (Eph4:13)

Jesus spoke of the religious charlatans of His day saying “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind both will fall into the ditch!” (Matt15:14) But he spoke of His own followers saying, “Blessed are your eyes for they see!” (Matt13:16) To walk by faith, not by sight is by no means an excuse for any form of “blind faith” in unsupported doctrine. Those who “preach” such foolishness are the blind leaders of the blind and not preachers of a true Christian faith! For the wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness! (Ecc2:14) We don’t have to see our resurrected Lord, to believe He’s raised. We can see the evidence of His resurrection in the lives of Peter, Paul, James and John, and in our own lives also! We’ve experienced the evidence of the truth of His Gospel even as it was reported unto us by reliable witnesses! For we’ve been changed from darkness into light! Our hearts have been reborn from sinful selfishness into holy love and godliness! The words of God’s truth have borne fruit in us and produced exactly what He said they would; freedom, holiness, love, joy, peace and all the righteous fruit of the Spirit in hearts that cry out worshipfully “Abba, Father, My Lord and My God!” For we who believe have become the evidence of the truth of Christ’s gospel, as Jesus Himself is revealed in us thru our faith! Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls! (1Pe1:8-9) False faith demonstrates nothing but its own inefficiency! But true faith receives God’s promises and becomes the demonstration and proof of God’s Word and will! For we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may demonstrate (prove) the good and acceptable and perfect will of God! (Rom12:2) Again we see the efficacy of true faith – real faith produces real fruit! Have you believed you’ve received the Holy Spirit? Then what’s the fruit? What changes has God wrought in you since you believed? Are you a better witness for Christ? Are your prayers more powerful? Are the gifts of the Spirit working in your life and ministry? Do you love the Lord with a passion that causes you to seek His presence and will constantly? Is your testimony filled with power and grace, as only God can give? Are you winning souls? Does your heart rejoice in labors of love for the Lord? Are you reproving the oppressor? Defending the fatherless? Pleading for the widow? (Is1:17) Are you visiting widows and orphans in their afflictions? (Jas1:27) Where is the evidence your “faith” is true? Or are you deceived and believing a lie that produces no fruit? 

Godly Evidences!

And we are God’s witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit…(Acts5:32) because our testimony among you was believed. (2Thes1:10) Holy faith is believing God’s truths in such a way that the activities in your life; the motivations, intents and purposes, are affected by that belief! Belief must follow the consideration of evidences and this process may be likened to a courtroom where evidence is presented to a jury. Members of the jury are selected in a pretrial procedure intended to eliminate any that have a prejudice or bias. For example, a friend, relative, or acquaintance of the defendant wouldn’t be permitted since he may be disposed to acquit in spite of even overwhelming evidence of guilt. Nor would a victim of a similar crime be permitted since he may be disposed to convict on relatively insubstantial evidence. If justice is to be served the jury must be composed of unbiased individuals who are interested in determining the truth. Likewise, when God presents us with His evidences, if we’re not pure in heart we may ignore pertinent evidence that disagrees with our prejudices and accept false evidences that agree with our predispositions! Before we’re fit to hear God’s evidences our hearts must be open to receive truth at any cost! We must love the truth for its own sake, whether we find it personally pleasing or not!

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. (2Thes2:9-10) Before the evidence can be properly considered the jury must be honest! You’re the juror to whom God will present His evidences and you must be honest; a lover of truth, if you’re to rightly judge. This love of truth doesn’t just concern “Initial Salvation” but must continue to be the disposition of the saint concerning everything that follows his introduction to Christ for “The just shall live by faith!” (Rom1:17) And that faith must be based on truth and bring forth godly fruit! “For every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Lk3:9) Only “Those who having heard the word (of God) with a noble and good heart, (will) keep it and bear fruit with patience!” (Lk8:15) Again, in a courtroom, if the jury is honest and unbiased, then it only remains for the evidence to be presented to result in a decision. If the prosecutor’s evidence is sound it may result in a conviction. But if the prosecutor’s evidence is unsound or the defense attorney’s evidence is superior, the decision may be an acquittal! An acquittal may be thought of as a conviction of the innocence of the defendant or at least a lack of conviction of his guilt!

The Word of God tells us every man will stand before God’s judgment seat in Heaven’s courtroom to be judged according to what he’s done in this life, whether good or bad! (2Cor5:10) The evidences presented in that day will be incontrovertible, and they’ll include testimonies of witnesses even from the beginning of creation. “For the Queen of the South (from hundreds of years previous) will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and a greater than Solomon is here! And the men of Nineveh (from generations earlier) will rise up in the judgment of this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” (Lk11:31-32) Our judgment may include every person we’ve ever encountered, helped, slighted or injured in this life! “For there’s nothing covered that won’t be revealed, nor hidden that won’t be made known” (Lk12:2) “For the sins of some men are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.” (1Tim5:24)

But it’s God’s desire we should “judge ourselves” before this final judgment, so we might be prepared and escape God’s wrath. For it’s not God’s desire any should perish, but that all should come to repentance! (2Pe3:9) And if we should judge ourselves we should not be judged! (1Cor11:31) Which means if we’d accept God’s evidences now before the final judgment we may repent and correct our behavior. And having done so we may be forgiven and given grace that would spare us eternal condemnation. This is what a college professor does when he gives a pop test before the final exam. He knows if you fail your finals you’ll be “cast into outer darkness” separated from your classmates and not permitted to graduate. So, in the hopes you’ll judge yourself and determine whether you’re capable of passing before it is too late, he quizzes you. If weaknesses are found then you can remedy the problems before the final day! This is God’s hope for you also, knowing that if you’ll believe His evidences and judge yourself rightly you can be spared from eternal failure on that great day!

"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men! (2Cor5:11) How does God persuade men? Again, how is evidence presented in a courtroom? In a judicial setting evidence is delivered by the testimony of witnesses! Of course, not all evidence is testimonial, but even physical evidence; fingerprints, DNA, the murder weapon, etc., must be explained by expert witnesses before their relevance can be established. Therefore no evidence will be permitted in a trial unless it’s substantiated by the testimony of at least one witness! And that testimony will be recorded in the transcript of the trial which constitutes the record of the evidences presented in the trial! When physical evidences such as the murder weapon, piece of clothing or trace of blood found at the scene have turned to dust, the testimonies contained in the trial transcript will still be considered the sum total and sufficiency of all the trial evidences. Even when the hard physical evidences have disappeared the trial transcript composed entirely of testimonies will be considered as actual evidence no less substantial than the original physical evidences. This trial transcript composed of testimonial evidence can be used to uphold the conviction or as a basis for any appeals etc. When the witnesses themselves have died, their testimonies will still speak thru the written transcripts and be considered as powerful as when they were first spoken! Now, can you see the Bible itself is a collection of the testimonies of God’s Holy Witnesses. And those testimonies are real evidences as would be acceptable in any courtroom and these testimonial evidences are actually superior in character and reliability to virtually all the evidences normally accepted in worldly courtrooms? And these Bible testimonies speak as strongly today as when they were first spoken. If any testimony can be considered evidence (and all courtroom evidence is testimonial) then there can be no denying or ignoring the power of Bible testimony?

Most religions have a book. That book usually contains the moral advice, philosophies and tenants of that religion. But the Bible is much more than just a book of moral philosophies; it’s actually a transcript of testimonial evidences that prove the absolute uprightness, integrity, righteousness, and love of God toward man, and also prove the unrighteousness, disobedience, and guilt of man toward men and God! The Bible is a book of evidences by which men may judge God and find Him trustworthy! And it’s a book of evidences by which men may judge themselves and find themselves guilty before God and themselves! That I (may) acknowledge my transgressions, and (that) my sin (shall be) ever before me. Against You (God) have I sinned and done this evil in your sight. (Ps51:3-4) That God may be (found) true and every man a liar. (Rom3:4) That You (God) may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge! (Ps51:4) For if God is to be our justifier, the One who pardons us, we must recognize our guilt and our need of justification and we must accept Him as a worthy judge and commit our souls to Him, accepting His conditions of mercy and grace. All the evidence any man may require to be convicted of his personal guilt and God’s righteousness, as well as the terms and conditions of God’s justification of the sinner who trusts and obeys Christ, is readily available to anyone who’ll take the time to honestly examine the testimony of God’s holy scripture!

Testimony is evidence! The most powerful evidence presented in any courtroom is the eyewitness testimony of those who actually saw the events in question! Physical evidences may be used to substantiate the testimony of eyewitnesses, but even the physical evidences have to be explained by witnesses, who are either observers of or experts in the pertinent areas. Concerning evidences such as “fingerprints” or “DNA,” without the testimonies of “experts” their physical evidences would be useless. Even the value of physical evidence ultimately depends upon the testimony of witnesses!  This explains why a miracle may confirm a true testimony, yet a false testimony can pervert the meaning of a true miracle. That is a miracle can be like a piece of physical evidence whose relevance depends on the expert who testifies as to what the miracle means. If he’s true, he can present a godly testimony, but a false prophet can pervert the meaning of the miracle and use it to lead people astray! If there arises among you a prophet…and he gives you a sign or a wonder…which comes to pass…saying, “Let us go after other gods which you have not known and serve them!” (His miracle is true since it comes to pass, but his testimony is false!) Then you shall not listen to the words of that (false) prophet, for the Lord your God is testing you… (Deu13:1-3)

One of the most important warnings in the New Testament is to beware of false prophets. (Matt7:15) To be saved we must have a true faith in Christ! But to arrive at a true saving faith in Christ, you must avoid the traps and snares that will be presented by many deceivers who’ll pretend to be of Christ! Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many…For false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect! (Matt24:4-5,24) It’s not a sin to “judge” whether someone is or isn’t of God? God has instructed us to beware of false prophets! Christ will supply godly apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph4:11) to His church. But the devil will also promote his false apostles, transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness! (2Cor11:13-15) According to God it’s up to you to discern the difference between the true and the false. The fact that someone does miracles doesn’t necessarily make him a true prophet. You must search the scriptures yourself to recognize God’s truth, and utilize every godly means to effect your deliverance from these deceivers. For if you’re trusting in God to keep you when you’re making no effort to obey God’s command to “beware,” then you’re not in true faith at all, but you’re in presumption. Jesus has told you to beware (Matt7:15) Jesus has told you to take heed that no one deceives you! (Matt24:4) Paul has warned you! (Acts20:29-31) Peter has warned you! (2Pe2:1-22) John has warned you! (1Jn4:1) Jude has warned you! WAKE UP! God will hold you responsible for the ones you choose to follow! It’s up to you to determine who’s preaching the real gospel and who isn't! It’s up to you to find and follow the truth! If you’re complacent about this then you disobey God’s warnings! You tempt God and you’ll suffer the consequences! The God of all justice and righteousness can’t reward disobedience as though it were faith!

Testimony isn’t only evidence but it’s the foundation of the relevancy of all evidence! And testimonies are presented by witnesses. If the evidence of a testimony is to be judged true the witness who delivered that testimony must be judged trustworthy. And if the evidence of a testimony is to be rejected, then the witness who presented that testimony must be impugned, or if the evidence of a testimony is to be determined untrustworthy the witness who presented that testimony must be proven untrustworthy! Much of the activity in a court trial is expended in the efforts of the counselors to discredit their opposition’s witnesses while they uphold the credibility of their own! Can God’s holy witnesses, the Apostles and Prophets, be impugned? Can their character or the reliability of their testimonies be successfully called into doubt? It’s for the very reason that they can’t be impugned that their testimonies are included in God’s holy book! Jury after jury of honest men thru generation after generation, have examined these witnesses and their testimonies and found them faultless! How can any honest person reject this overwhelming evidence? How can anyone claim it’s hard to believe?

It’s not just in courtrooms that witnesses and testimonies are important! God has created human beings with an innate proclivity to receive testimonies. How easy it is for a child to believe in God or in Santa Clause, or whatever he’s told. A young child won’t only believe his parents, but he’ll tend to believe anyone who tells him anything! Children are born trusting! As quickly as they’re able to apprehend, they’ve a built in tendency to believe what they hear! There’s no more profound understanding of Christ’s words: "Assuredly I say to you, that unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matt18:3) than to comprehend Christ expects us to be as trusting and believing in the words of our Heavenly Father as a little child is in the words of his earthly parents. Children have to be taught not to trust. They’ll trust what they’re told by whoever tells them, until the inevitable day arrives when they sadly discover not everything they’ve been told is actually true and they’ve been deceived and have at some time trusted a liar! One day the child goes to school and someone says, "There’s no Santa Clause!" Still trusting but now forced to choose between two conflicting "testimonies " the child struggles saying, "My mother says there is and I believe her!" He chooses to believe the testimony of the witness he considers most trustworthy! Eventually he’ll discover he's been fooled by someone he trusted and made a fool of by his ingenuous "faith." From that point on the child has lost his innocence! He's no longer a "little child!” Faith is no longer easy or automatic to him! “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” (Matt18:7) And though the child will first believe the one who told the truth “there’s no Santa Clause” is the offender, later he’ll see it’s the one who told the lie and deceived his innocent trust who’s really guilty. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they’ll give account of it in the day of judgment! (Matt12:36) There are evil spirits in natural men who delight in abusing the trusting nature of little children and so damage the child’s God given ability to have faith. After this unhappy experience the child can no longer believe just because he hears. He becomes suspicious. He must be taught to judge the truth from the lie! But some children will grow up retaining a foolish gullibility such that they may believe virtually anything they hear while others may acquire an unhealthy skepticism of such depth that they’ll be virtually impossible to convince of anything.

Again there are some who like “little children” have believed in false christianity or religion, and painfully discovered they were deceived. Those who’ve been so victimized may be tempted to resent all Christianity! “Why did God let this happen?” God didn’t just “let it happen!” He’s warned again and again that grievous wolves would attack the church (Matt7:15) and “believers” must “test all things!” (1Thes5:21) And “by their fruit you will know them!” (Matt7:16) It’s not God’s fault if we’ve believed a lie or been caught in a cultish counterfeit of true Christianity. If we’ve not made proper efforts to test all things and correctly verify that which is actually of God then we’re the victim of our own disobedience.

As we progress thru life, virtually everything we learn or know begins with testimony! Thru observation and testimony thoughts are becoming ordered, and as linguistic abilities increase so does knowledge. A child observes and asks, “What is the moon, what is the sun, what is the sky?” In reply he receives testimonies! He listens, he observes. Physical evidences, sensations, events, creatures and things are interpreted to him and made comprehensible by the testimonies of witnesses. Yet he discovers not every testimony can be trusted! Testimony is evidence but not all evidence is true evidence. For the working of satan (comes) with all power, signs and lying wonders (lying evidences!) (2Thes2:9) and he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs (lying evidences!) (Rev13:13-14) How does satan deceive even the eyes of men by performing great signs…in the sight of men? It’s not the signs themselves that deceive men, but it’s the interpretation of those signs. That is, it’s the testimonies which accompany the signs that lead to the deception! If there’s a miracle of healing, that’s a fact! You may see it and know it to be a fact! But does that fact actually mean the man who’s preaching about the miracle or taking credit for it is actually preaching the truth of God? A true word may be confirmed by signs following. (Mk16:20) But a false or deceiving testimony may also seem to be confirmed by signs! If there arises among you a prophet (or preacher) and he gives you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass…saying “Let us go after other gods and serve them” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet…for the Lord you God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul. (Deu13:1-3) The signs come to pass but the testimony says, “Let us go after other gods…” The presumptuous “believer” assumes since the sign came to pass the testimony must be true! But God says “no!” If the testimony doesn’t agree with the Spirit and true meaning of God's Word the testimony is false no matter how many signs seem to back it up. (Deu13:2) To the law and the testimony If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them! (Is8:20)

Gullible "believers" may take a “shortcut” to salvation by following “signs and wonders” while never taking time to determine themselves what God’s Word actually says! They’re often fooled by false prophets with deceiving “signs” who promise them the desires of their flesh while the Word of God tells us the flesh must be crucified. (Gal 5:24) God promises to give His true children the desires of the heart not the flesh! (Ps37:4) So Jesus warns, “Many will say to me in that day ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ and then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you workers of iniquity!’” (Matt7:22-23) These “preachers” have been working signs, and their testimony is they’re working “in Jesus name” but it isn’t true! They deceive people by saying they represent Jesus for their doctrine isn’t acceptable to Jesus in so far as they’ve lived it, so it also must be deficient in the way they preach it! (Heb13:9) Though some signs come to pass it doesn’t mean their testimony is true. Jesus warns: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Therefore by their fruits you will know them! (Matt7:15-17, 20) Jesus doesn’t consider signs and wonders to be fruit, for prophesying, casting out demons, or doing many wonders in Jesus name (Matt7:22) doesn’t justify these “preachers” as good trees. Jesus says it’s those who do the will of God who enter His Kingdom! (Matt7:21) He describes these “false prophets” as “workers of iniquity!” (Matt7:23) In judging their fruit, Jesus isn’t looking at how many miracles they’ve done. Rather He’s looking at the godly character in the hearts and lives of His followers! Fruit has to do with character! What kind of person is this “believer!” Does he serve himself or does he truly serve God and do God's will! Just because someone says they’re working in the name of Jesus (Matt7:22) doesn’t mean they’re actually doing the “will of My Father in heaven!” Paul warns: “that savage wolves will come in among you (professing to be Christians!) …And also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse (deceitful) things, to draw away disciples after themselves. (Acts20:29-30) It’s a common tactic for a “false prophet” to use the name of Jesus to serve selfish ends! Miracles that God graciously grants to needy believers whose faith actually is in God can be used by unscrupulous “preachers,” to support heretical doctrines. Therefore Christians are admonished to BEWARE!

The True Word!

God’s Word is only God’s true Word when it means what God intends. Also God’s Word can be found in other things than the Bible per se. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Rom10:17) This verse is commonly used by “faith” cults to support their superstitious idea that audible repetitious confession of Bible verses is the surest way to faith since faith comes by hearing! But look at the verse following: But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” (Rom10:18) The scripture says they have heard, but what have they heard? This is quoted from: The heavens declare (as in speak) the glory of God; and the firmaments shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line (Paul says sound in Romans 10:18) has gone out thru all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Ps19:1-4) This proves God’s Word is not only found in the Bible and faith doesn’t come only by hearing quoted scriptures? Of course, faith often comes by the scriptures, but that isn’t the only way faith can come! Nor is hearing audibly thru the ear the only way you can hear God’s Word! There are many who have ears to hear, yet do not understand! (Matt13:14) Even though they “hear” no faith comes to those who don’t understand! And in this scripture it isn’t even the written  Word of God that’s being referred to; it’s not the scriptures Paul says they’ve heard! For faith comes by hearing! And have they not heard? YES! But what did they hear? They heard “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show His handiwork!” They heard “day unto day utter speech, and night unto night reveal knowledge!”  This agrees with: Because what may be known of God is manifest in them (everyone) for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood  by the things that are made…(Rom1:19-20) Which indicates faith comes by hearing God speak in ways which may have nothing to do with the physical ear. And hearing the Word of God is actually contingent upon God’s light which comes to our minds and gives us understanding so we can rightly interpret what the heavens declare and what the scriptures actually mean. And without this light, we’ll Have ears that HEAR, but do not understand, and eyes that see but do not perceive! (Matt13:14) Without understanding we won’t turn and be healed! (Matt13:15) For without understanding there can be no faith!

For when anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart! (Matt13:19) It’s a superstition to think you must audibly hear the spoken scriptures to have faith! It isn’t physical hearing that’s the key to faith, but it’s perceiving, comprehending and properly understanding God’s Word. God is able to speak in many ways which are in no way dependent upon the physical ear! And this is just another example of the many superstitions and deceptions in the contemporary church. For a truth taken to excess that isn’t the whole truth becomes a lie! And those who are zealous for a truth instead of the truth inevitably become servants of darkness. Jesus is not a truth, but the truth. And His true followers are not followers of a truth, but followers of the truth, the whole truth.

God commands us to “beware of false prophets” and Jesus warns us, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt7:16) So if we’re to recognize and beware of false prophets we must distinguish good fruit from bad! For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…For God will render to each one according to his deeds. Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth…indignation and wrath!” (Rom1:18;2:6-8) God shows us “good fruit” is expressed in godly character and obedience such as patient continuance in doing good. (Rom2:7) or doing the will of My Father in Heaven! (Matt7:21) He considers bad fruit to be selfishness and disobedience (Rom2:8) that which expresses ungodly character! Now the works of the flesh (bad fruit) are evident: adultery, fornication, uncleaness, licentiousness, idolatry (which is covetousness), sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburts of wrath, selfish ambitions…(Gal 5:19-21) All of which express the character of one who’s serving carnal desires; selfish! But the fruit of the Spirit is love (love seeks not his own – 1Cor13:5) joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Gal 5:22-23) In these applications good fruit isn’t speaking of “miracles” or “converts,” but the Christ-like characteristics in one who loves God more than himself and obeys God in preference to his selfish inclinations! Such a man expresses the character of God and Christ in his actions! This is the essence of the gospel and precisely what Jesus gave Himself for! For unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit! (Jn12:24) Jesus hereby indicating that it’s God’s intentions to multiply Jesus Himself (His character, heart, mind, soul, and Spirit) into the lives of His followers and that’s what God considers fruit! It’s the multiplication of Christ into the lives of believers that produces obedient, holy, faithful, Christ-like “children of God!” As Paul testifies, “For I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live! Yet not I, but Christ in me! (Gal 2:20)

How seldom we find this true fruit today. So many profess to be in Christ while they show no evidence there’s any Christ in them! If Christ is actually in you, you’ll be doing the will of your Father in Heaven. Those who claim to be “Christians” while they go about their carnal lives serving themselves and giving only token service to God have nothing of the nature of Jesus. They’re deluded and not saved! They’ve been deceived by false prophets and are false witnesses themselves, leading others astray! You’ll know them by their fruits. The primary way we judge a witness as to whether his testimony is trustworthy is to look at his character. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks! A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things (true testimonies) and an evil man… evil things (lies)! (Matt2:35) You’ll know them by their fruits! Is it Christ they really serve, or do they use His name to entice their victims to follow the gods of selfishness: prosperity, covetousness and worldly fashions! The love of the world is hatred for God! (Jas4:4) Those who “preach” to the desires of the flesh and entice their followers to covet the things of this world are the ones the Lord warns of when He says, “If there arises among you a prophet and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you saying ‘let us go after other gods (gods of this world: prosperity, fashion, comfort, success!) And let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul! (Deu13:1-3) Or whether you love self and the gods of this world; pride, lusts, pleasures, riches and fashions! If you love them a little that’s all it takes for you to fail God. God requires us to love Him with all our heart and soul! (Mk12:30)

There’s something dreadfully wrong with the witness of the contemporary “church!” Rather than not being conformed to the world (Rom12:2) she’s tried to make worldly things acceptable to Christianity by putting Christian labels on them. The world has rap music, so “Christians” have rap music. The world has rock concerts, so “Christians” have rock concerts! The world has logo T-shirts so “Christians” have logo T-shirts! To the eyes of the world it’s obvious that contemporary Christians live and lust for the same things the world does. The “Christians” just aren’t as good at it. Whatever new fad the world comes up with, the false “church” copies it, “christianizes” it, and sells it to the false brethren as a “sanctified idol!” We’ve heard how third world Catholics bring heathen idols into their sanctuaries and practice pagan superstitions by combining them with Catholic ritual, but what’s this sin of the Protestant “churches?” To “christianize” the world’s covetousness is to make it the church’s idol. To take the lusts of the world, dress them up in “Christian” clothing, then say it’s all right to covet them is spiritual adultery! Such “Christianity” makes the world think Jesus is following the devil, a day late and three steps behind! Worldly “Christians” are a joke. They’re not light or salt! They’ve no conviction or soul saving qualities. They’re a foolish superstitious second-rate version of the world’s ignorant sinners! Unbelievers have a right to mock such “Christianity” and heaven weeps over it! Yet there are deceivers who say that “Christians” should do such things better than the world so the world would be jealous and come to us! Better rock music? Better rap music? Better T-shirts? So a jealous world should come to us for what? To fulfill her lust, her greed, her pride, her carnal desires! When the church caters to the lusts of men, she does the devil’s work. She’s become a harlot! The true church is composed of the witnesses of God and is the guardian of the testimonies of God; the godly evidences that can persuade men into a soul saving faith! The Church of the Living God is the pillar and ground of the truth! (1Tim3:15) The Christians in this