Renewal of the Mind and Soul: Supernatural Miracles Through Faith

Understanding the importance of faith in our Christian life

Recognizing genuine faith from false faith

The role of faith in receiving salvation through Jesus Christ

The difference between true and false faith

Music Music In our message today, we're going to discuss the subject of Will you pass the test of having true faith in Jesus Christ? How can we know and recognize genuine faith from false faith in ourselves and in others who have a profession of being a believer in Jesus Christ? Since faith is a monumental and a large part of our Christian life, from beginning to end, and is an instrument by which the gift of salvation is received through our Lord Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we understand the importance of faith working in our lives. Apostle Paul declared that salvation is through faith and not through keeping the works of the law. We're going to look at that in Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in verse 8. For it is by free grace, God's unmerited favor, that you are saved, delivered from judgment, and made partakers of Christ's salvation through your faith. And this salvation is not of yourselves, of your own doing. It came not through your own striving. It is not of, but it is a gift of God. Not because of the works, not fulfillment of the law's demands, lest any man should boast. It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can take pride in himself, in it, or take glory to himself. Verse 10, for we are God's own handiwork, his workmanship, recreated in Christ Jesus, born anew, that we may do those good works which God predestined, planned beforehand, for us taking paths which he prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which he prearranged and made ready for us to live. You see, saving faith involves you and me personally by depending on the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice. And it has to be the only basis for us for the forgiveness of sin and entrance into the privileged place called our eternal home. But please understand, the saving faith is also a personal commitment of one's life to follow Christ in obedience to his commands, just as Apostle Paul declared when he said in 2 Timothy 1, verse 12, For this reason I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day. You see, Paul's faith was founded in Christ alone, and it was living faith in the one whom his heart loved and in whom he believed. We read that. In whom he believed. For I know whom I have believed. His faith had divine substance, dear ones. Jesus, in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 7, beginning in verse 21, makes it very clear anyone's faith must be solidly founded on him, or else what they stand on will be destroyed. Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? And in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds? And I will declare to them, I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the floods came, the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed. It was utterly destroyed. When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like they're experts in the law. When Jesus was speaking his Sermon on the Mount, He gave many examples of identifying marks of true and genuine faith towards the conclusion of his sermon. In Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14, Jesus called people to choose between two pathways, the narrow road of the kingdom of heaven, which leads to eternal life, or the broader wide road of the world which leads to destruction and to eternal death. By mentioning the narrow road, he describes how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is not the road of least resistance. It is a difficult road. This narrow road is difficult to find and difficult to follow. in Jeremiah chapter 29 beginning in verse 11 the prophet declares for I know the thoughts that I think towards you says the Lord thoughts of peace and not evil to give you a future and a hope then you will call upon me and go and pray to me and I will listen to you verse 13 and you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart I will be found by you says the Lord and I will bring you back from your captivity. In Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6 the word declares but without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to him for whoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that he is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek him out. salvation is a gift from God and let me tell you this this gift cost our Lord Jesus Christ much it cost him his life by a horrible death upon the cross of Calvary he was God and he lived in the unapproachable uncreated light of eternity with his heavenly father he willingly divested himself of this pure unadulterated light of glory in order to come to this earth for you personally, dear listener. Now, you and I must search for him with all of our hearts. We are told that when we do, he will make himself known in our hearts just as Apostle Paul prayed for us in Ephesians chapter 1, verses 17 through 19, when he said, For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that he may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, of insight into the mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of him. By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so you can know and understand the hope to which he has called you and how rich is his glorious inheritance in the saints, his set-apart ones. Verse 19, and so that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable, the unlimited, and surpassing greatness of his power in and for us who believe has demonstrated in the workings of his mighty strength. Can I tell you that when we do earnestly seek the Lord of our lives, for our spiritual needs, we're seeking him who graciously pours out his wisdom and his revelation, which gives us the divine insight into the mysteries and the secrets of the divine and supernatural knowledge of him whom our hearts love. And this is so according to verse 19, which explains that you can know and understand the immeasurable and unlimited greatness of his power and strength and understanding his wonderful inheritance which we have found in him alone. You know, this is like searching for a treasure. An apostle Paul uses the term figuratively to speak of Jesus when he talks about this in Colossians 2, verse 3 when he says, In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You see, for any believer to think that the source of true spiritual wisdom comes from some other source other than Christ, this can produce terrible results in Christian life. This knowledge is genuine, supernatural understanding and wisdom, and it's genuine, supernatural truth that comes by way of precious Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth. These, when found, inspire faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit helps and guides us into all truth, which leads us to our heavenly home. There's a testimony of a lady who was once visiting at a house of a minister who had two sons. these two little boys were having a great time playing with these colorful toys the lady on seeing them said well boys are these your treasures oh no ma'am says the older boy these are not our treasures these are our play things our treasures are in heaven Jesus tells us as well in his Sermon on the Mount that there will be false prophets or teachers who deceive people and keep them off the narrow road or narrow way and they shipwreck their faith we see this, we read this in Matthew chapter 7 beginning in verse 15 Jesus declares beware false prophets who come to you dressed as sheep but inside they are devouring wolves, and you will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, every healthy sound tree bears good fruit, worthy of admiration, but the sickly decaying worthless tree bears bad fruit, worthless fruit. A good healthy tree cannot bear bad worthless fruit, nor can a bad diseased tree bear excellent fruit worthy of admiration. Verse 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore you will fully know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. You see, for those who were led astray by false prophets or teachers, they eventually, and in essence, shipwrecked their faith according to verse 27 which declares, The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell, and great and complete was the fall of it. Jesus gives us so many figurative descriptions of how believers fall off the straight and narrow way. and another is that some are simply self-deceived. One of the marks of true faith is found in the believers who are called the ten virgins. In Matthew chapter 25 beginning in verse 1 the scripture says Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, thoughtless, without forethought and five were wise, sensible, intelligent, and prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, and they did not take extra oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with them also along with their lamps. While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom, go out to meet him! Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves. But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast. And the door was shut. Verse 11. Later, the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open the door to us. But he replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you. I am not acquainted with you. Watch, therefore, give strict attention and be cautious and active. For you neither know the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come. When the bridegroom, Christ, returns, the five without oil to try to enter the banquet. Christ says to them, I don't know you. You see all of the analogies that our precious Lord gave on the mount that day gives a clear reality of the responsibility of a true Christian what he needs and desires in order to know their Savior and make her more deeply and intimately Apostle Peter urges, or maybe I should say commands, followers of Jesus Christ to make their calling in election sure in 2 Peter 1, verse 10. Paul tells us to examine our own hearts and see if we're truly in the faith and sadly many have been taught that if they simply say a prayer or profess Christ they are saved and once they say and profess this that they can't lose out on eternal life and this is called a once saved always saved belief that is in total error this is having an erroneous or flawed view of their assurance of salvation. There are many who will call Jesus Lord in the last day who have served him in the church. They've cast out demons and prophesied in his name, but they excluded from their precious eternal inheritance called eternal life. They were deceived about their salvation. They were really on the broad road that led to destruction. you see true faith is more than a routine pattern or a profession or declaration of Jesus being Lord but Lord Lord I did this in your name Lord Lord I cast out demons Lord I did many things for you but what can be wrong with this really in itself there's nothing wrong but yet think about it everything is wrong because it is talk without truth and sincerity it is a profession without reality truly knowing who Jesus Christ really is and who he said he was and what he demanded of them in obedience and worship of him dear listener this will not save them on the day of judgment the problem with this vain empty profession is that by itself is simply without belief and true faith in Christ alone and not in oneself simple belief without an act of one's willful obedience and genuine faith does not save one from eternal death James said that even the demons believe there is one God but they are not saved. Demons have a vain, empty faith but are not part of the kingdom of God. You can be absolutely correct in your belief about Christ's nature, his person, his death, his resurrection and ascension and you can even fight against heresies and yet be not truly saved. This is important to hear because some think that a profession of many religious beliefs alone save them. This view is called easy believism. Easy believism is a kind of salvation that comes by intellectual belief alone. As well, there are many who believe that true or genuine faith is bound up in a seemingly successful ministry. On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds? But you see, sadly enough, no matter how successful or enthusiastic a ministry often may be or become is not a means or assurance that it is true and genuine. Also, service in the church is not proof of salvation. and even more dangerous is that there are many like Judas who have big ministries and well-known Christian names that are not saved and yet lead many astray. A successful ministry is not proof of the regeneration process that is absolutely necessary for genuine salvation. And there are many like the Pharisees who think that because they study the scripture and serve others, is proof of their eternal life. This as well is a dangerous pit to fall in. True and genuine faith is more than having a seemingly effective ministry that diligently uses scripture. In John chapter 5, verses 39 and 40 declares, You search and investigate and pour over the scriptures diligently because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these very scriptures testify about me, Jesus said, and still you are not willing but refuse to come to me so that you might have life. We need to understand, dear listener, that true faith is more than going to church once a week and listening to sermons and dutifully reading scripture. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, verse, 24. So everyone who hears these words of mine and acts upon them, obeying them, will be like a sensible, prudent, practical, wise man who builds his house upon the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a stupid, foolish man who built his house upon the sand and the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell and great and complete was the fall of it both builders they heard God's word this could mean they potentially maybe attended the same church heard the same Bible sermons you see if our house is not built on Jesus Christ and his almighty word of instruction the floods of destruction will come and completely destroy the false easy believism that these people preferred rather than the truth found in God's word. They both read the Bible, sang the same songs, and on the exterior they all looked the same, but on the foundation or heart level they were completely different. One of them was just a listener, and they never put what was learned into practice. They were just a hearer of God's word. They may have enjoyed learning and doing their duty, but they failed to properly apply it, all of which would have or would be leading them into a deeper relationship and fellowship with their Lord Jesus Christ. true faith embraces and comprises a lifestyle of obedience and love for God's word. Scripture teaches that all are saved by grace through faith, but that true faith produces godly works. The proof of this belief is a life that continually seeks to obey God word In John chapter 8 verse 31 declares If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples. Only those who continue in God's word, which means studying and obeying it, are really true followers of Jesus Christ. Apostle John states this clearly in 1 John 2 3-5 we read and this is how we may discern daily by experience that we are coming to know him to perceive, to recognize, understand and become better acquainted with him if we keep and bear in mind and observe and practice his teachings, precepts and commandments whoever says I know him I perceive and understand and am acquainted with him but fails to keep and obey his commandments his teachings is a liar and the truth of the gospel is not in him but he who keeps and treasures his word who bears in mind all of his precepts who observes his message in its entirety truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected, completed, and unreached maturity. By this we may perceive, known and recognized and be sure, that we are in him. Whoever says he abides in him ought as a personal debt to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which he walked and conducted himself. True and genuine faith includes a growing and abiding relationship which grows into deep and intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ. We know this because Jesus stated this emphatically in Matthew chapter 7 verse 23 when he declared that he would have to say to those false believers, get away from me, I never knew you. Certainly these kinds of professors of their faith had some knowledge of Christ just like Judas did. But Judas, because he never truly repented and didn't know Christ in a saving manner, and really didn't want that relationship because he preferred money over eternal life. You see, true and genuine salvation brings an intimate relationship with God. Jesus said in John 17, verse 3, This is eternal life. It means to know, perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand. You, the only true and real God, and likewise to know him, Jesus Christ, the anointed one, whom you have sent. so true salvation in Christ creates an intimate relationship with the Lord that will continually grow throughout eternity it doesn't stop and start but it continually builds up on the word of God in prayer, in meditation, in repentance and worship of the one whom your heart is deeply growing in love with In Philippians 3, beginning in verse 8, Paul said this about salvation's experience. My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his suffering and to be like him in his death, and so somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead. for Paul he wanted to experience Christ's power his suffering, his death and resurrection Paul was consumed with his Lord the day he met him on the road of his conversion and this is how it should be for us dear ones, we should continue to desire him in every way on this earth until he takes his home, Moses who knew God intimately they cried out, show me your glory. And David, who was a man after God's own heart, said that he desired God like a deer pants for the water. I ask you today, are you seeking to grow in your knowledge of God? Did your conversion create a growing unquenchable desire in you to know God and his word more and more? Jesus described true believers as those who hunger and thirst for righteousness in Matthew chapter 5 verse 6 when he says, blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous in that state in which the born again child of God enjoys his favor and salvation are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness uprightness and right standing with God for they shall be completely satisfied. Hallelujah! Today I ask you, are you hungering and thirsting to know God more? Let us not forget that this life of true faith includes a life of repentance, which is a life of turning away from sin and enduring through fiery trials that are guaranteed to come our way on this path towards our eternal heavenly home. In ending, I found a poem that describes true Christian riches and what awaits those who remain faithful to the end by passing the test, by having true and genuine faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This poem is entitled, In Christ we have a love that can never be fathomed, A life that can never die. A peace that can never be understood. A rest that can never be disturbed. A joy that can never be diminished. A hope that can never be disappointed. A glory that can never be clouded. a happiness that can never be interrupted, a light that can never be darkened, a strength that can never be enfeebled, a beauty that can never be marred, a purity that can never be defiled, a wisdom that can never be baffled, and resources that can never be exhausted. Hallelujah. May all of you, and I include myself in asking this question, will you pass the test of having true faith in Jesus Christ? This is a question we must ask ourselves periodically on our journey to our eternal home. Always keep your lantern full of oil and keep your eyes fixed on the one, the author and finisher of your faith, who is none other than our precious Savior and Lord. Jesus Christ. Amen.

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