"For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]." -2 Timothy 3:5 (AMP)
This is my least favorite scripture in all of the Bible...I don't hate it, I just do not like it because of 1 reason: it hit the heart with such an impact that I had to humble myself before God. I used to have a form of religion but I denied the power. We all know the routine: Holiness on Sunday, Live like Hell the other 6 days. However, this scripture highlights a very serious condition in the church: Counterfeit Christians.
Maybe you're reading this and like "Counterfeit Christians?"...Just call it Bootleg Christians, Fake Christians or better yet, Hypocrite. Now, to understand this scripture there are a couple questions we must ask: 1) How do you deny the power Paul is talking about? 2) How do you have a form of religion? 3) Why should we avoid these people? I'm glad you asked but first let's understand what is meant by Counterfeit Christians and why is this a serious matter.
You walk into a store, you see a guy selling tennis shoes (Jordan and Nike). You walk up to him and say "How much?" he answers, "$70" so you think and you say "Are they real?" and he responds "Yea". You ask to see the shoe and after inspecting it, you determine that the shoe is fake and decide to keep your money. Let's think about the situation I just described. How did you know they were fake? Most of the times you look at the trademark or the symbols to see if Jordan has a butt crack lol or the Nike sign is going reverse. In society, knock offs of the original is common. I've seen fake Blackberries, Ipods, Ipads, Jordans, Nikes, etc. but the reason you know the difference is because you've had the real thing at one time...so Counterfeit Christians look like the real thing but they just a knock off. Now, let's be clear some people buy knockoff because they're cheaper but what do you sacrifice? Quality, Durability, etc. When you become a Counterfeit Christian, you're robbing yourself of all the benefits God promised His Children (too many to name). I'm not saying God doesn't love you because He does but the only person you're fooling is yourself. Now, that I have explained Counterfeit Christians, let's get to the scripture.
This scripture says that Counterfeit Christians DENY the power and reject it. What is Paul talking about? Counterfeit Christians claim to be Christians (duh Henry) but they deny the power BY THEIR ACTIONS...Someone just got mad....was it me? no but anyway, Paul says these people claim Christ but live like sinners. What is the "power" mentioned here? None other than the third person of the Triune Godhead: The Holy Ghost. The mission or purpose of the Holy Spirit is to help guide you and keep you connected to God. Think of the Holy Ghost as the Offensive Coordinator of a football tea. He talks to the head coach and then gives the play to the quarterback. When they deny this power, they CANNOT live holy, and cannot please God or deny their own desires. Many people deny this power when they believe they are Christians because their parents, pastor, brother, sister, friend is one and they never accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior personally. Counterfeit Christians are very different from backsliders (that's another blog) and should NOT be confused. They play by the rules but don't love the game because they think they're fine as long as they're playing
The second question: How do you have a form of religion? I can answer this easily because I was one of these fake Christian. Can I put myself out there? I went to church on Sunday, read scripture, played an instrument and said "Lord, I do all these things so i'm going to Heaven." I loved God on Sunday and put on my "Christian" mask but on Monday, I was listening to Nicki Minaj, Wayne, Drake, watching porn, cussing, doing whatever I wanted. Anybody can have a form of religion. Look at Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, even Buddhists but they're missing THE POWER. It's easy to look religious because religion is based on works. Religion says to God, "I've done this and that so I know I'm saved and going to Heaven" A form of religion is very careful to make sure it's appearance is real. So you shout at church, speak in tongues, cry, snot, fall out, etc. EVEN DEMONS DO THAT....Satan even quoted scripture when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:6) so what does this tell you? Religion will not get you into Heaven and the only reason religion existed was to INTRODUCE you to a deity or a higher power. It cannot save you nor does God approve of you just because you appear "religious".
Why should we avoid such people? The answer is easy: They have fallen away from the faith and may tempt you to do the same. It's like when your friend sees the same guy that tried to get you to buy the sneakers, you say, "No, don't buy anything from that guy. He's a fake, the shoes are fake." You warn your friend because you know the consequences if he buys from him so you prevent it. Paul is doing the same thing, he's saying, "No, keep your distance. They not really saved, they just act like it. They might try to influence you or tempt you to sin. Do not associate with them." Now Paul is not saying, hate them and treat them bad but just guard your spirit when you do.
We are made in God's Image, and this is a very important fact. I know that most people do not like buying fake Coach, Jordan, Nike, or any other name band clothing or shoes. So my question is: If we do not like fake stuff, what makes us think God does? We get mad at God when things do not go our way or life gets us in a tight spot but have u lived Matthew 6:33? Are you seeking The King or the Bling? Counterfeit Christians serve two masters: god and themselves and unfortunately, they will be condemned on the day of Judgement. God weeps when he sees Counterfeit Christians because you do not experience Christ in His fullness. You cannot know God because His Wrath is on you. This is heartbreaking for me because I used to be one. I know it feels good serving your desires all the time and "pleasing God" on Sunday. The Bible says that sin pays us death but God has GIVEN us life through Christ (Romans 6:23).
However, it's not too late to start having a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's only too late when you're laying in a box. God wants you to know Him, He wants you to love Him, He wants you to serve Him. You may be asking, "How do I know Christ? How can I experience this power Paul talks about?" The first thing is to realize that you're a sinner. You owe God a debt that you cannot pay, and God owes you punishment. The second thing is to believe that Jesus Christ came as God in the flesh and accepted your punishment on the cross when he died, and God raised Him from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit on the third day. The third thing is to find a church that preaches the Word, and begin reading the Bible and praying. However, these are just the foundation of being saved but the main key is to keep your faith in Christ ALONE. Don't die a Counterfeit Christian and fall short of your true potential, which can only be unlocked when you give your life to Jesus Christ. If He could do it for me, I know he can do it for you. Be blessed
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