Unfeigned Faith

1 Timothy 1:5: Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

2 Corinthians 13:5: Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Are you faking it? Many people do. Many people do such a good job of faking it that they even convince themselves. Phony faith gets the same results as unbelief. It IS unbelief. Before I received Christ as Saviour I sometimes believed my faith was sufficient and other times doubted that. It may be helpful for us examine faith (phony and saving) as best we can.

Phony faith will add something to God*s truth or it will take something away from God*s truth.

Revelation 22:18: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Phony faith is shallow and goes away.

Matthew 13:19-23: When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Phony faith will do more or less than God wants. It will be faith in one*s own ability to make right decisions and do the right thing.

Deuteronomy 12:32: What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Phony faith will do things too soon or too late.

Romans 12:6-7: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Phony faith is half-hearted.

Psalms 119:2: Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Phony faith will not change a person or his behavior.

Psalms 55:19: God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

Phony faith will sometimes try to worship the Living God and other gods in addition. Divided faith is phony faith. Faith that is in God plus something else is not faith in God.

Zephaniah 1:4-5: I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

This article will also appear under the title Phony Faith.

Care to discuss Unfeigned Faith with Ron?

He'd also like to hear your prayer requests