Bible Reading: Titus 1:16
Satan is working hard to discredit testimony of sincere Christians and to keep as many people as possible from believing that God loves them and wants to be with them.
One of the tricks that Satan uses to keep people from believing the truth is to plant counterfeit Christians right alongside genuine Christians. Titus 1:16 tells us these “fake” Christians “claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” These pretenders look real on the outside. They dress like real Christians, go to church, pray, and read the Bible.
However, if you examine them closely, you will find that aren’t like real Christians at all. Genuine Christians’ words and actions show to love other people and draw people closer to God. Satan’s fakes work to separate people. They verbally attack genuine Christians and their actions are filled with hatred and selfishness. Because they are so familiar with the truth of the Bible, they know just how to make their words sound as if they came from the Bible. Micah 2:2 describes the fate of anyone who doesn’t sincerely and completely commit themselves to God. This verse God says, “If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name…I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me.”
To avoid being taken in by fake Christians we need to know how genuine Christians behave. To do that, Christ must be the central focus in our lives. We must accept Christ’s forgiveness and let Him control our lives. Then Christ will give us the knowledge, wisdom, and strength that we need to recognize fake Christians.
“The Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.’” Isaiah 29:13
Prayer: Heavenly Father, come into my life, make me a genuine Christian, and teach me how to tell the genuine from the fake. In Jesus’ name. Amen.