Discerning True Faith from Religious Counterfeits
Summary
### Summary
Tonight, we delved into the second installment of our "Catching Counterfeits" series, focusing on the devil's counterfeit of true faith: religion. We explored Acts 17, where Paul, during his time in Athens, observed the city's rampant idol worship and addressed the Athenians about their "unknown god." Paul emphasized that the true God, the Creator of all, does not dwell in man-made temples and is not served by human hands. Instead, He desires a personal relationship with us, a relationship that was fractured by sin but restored through Jesus Christ.
We discussed how the devil cannot create but only counterfeit what God has made. One of his most insidious counterfeits is religion, which replaces a genuine relationship with God with rituals and works. C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" was referenced to illustrate how the devil manipulates human desires and pleasures to lead us away from God. The devil's goal is to make us less mindful of our Creator and more focused on empty religious practices.
True faith is about a relationship with Jesus, characterized by surrender, faith, and the bearing of spiritual fruit. This relationship is exclusive, as Jesus is the only way to the Father. Religion, on the other hand, offers multiple paths and relies on human effort for salvation, which is a deception. We examined how religion can give the appearance of faith but lacks the substance and fruit of a true relationship with Christ.
In conclusion, we must discern between the counterfeit of religion and the reality of a relationship with Jesus. The devil's counterfeit may look appealing, but it is ultimately empty and leads to separation from God. True faith in Jesus is of great value, purchased at a great cost, and it is the only path to eternal life and a restored relationship with our Creator.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Devil's Counterfeit of Religion: The devil's counterfeit of true faith is religion, which replaces a genuine relationship with God with rituals and works. This counterfeit aims to keep people dead in their sins and away from knowing God personally. True faith is about a relationship with Jesus, characterized by surrender and faith. [04:02]
2. The Exclusivity of Jesus: Jesus is the only way to the Father. Paul emphasized this in Athens, where he saw rampant idol worship. He preached that salvation is found only in Jesus, not in any other gods or religious practices. This exclusivity is crucial to understanding true faith. [11:24]
3. Faith Over Works: Salvation comes by faith in Jesus, not by works. Religion often teaches that we must earn our way to God through good deeds, but true faith recognizes that we are saved by grace through faith. This distinction is vital for understanding the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus. [14:32]
4. Bearing Spiritual Fruit: A true relationship with Jesus will bear spiritual fruit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience. Religion may give the appearance of faith but lacks the substance and fruit of a genuine relationship with Christ. True faith transforms our lives and produces visible evidence of God's work in us. [19:28]
5. The Great Value of True Faith: True faith in Jesus is of great value, purchased at a great cost. Jesus endured suffering and death to restore our relationship with God. The devil's counterfeit of religion may look appealing, but it is ultimately empty and leads to separation from God. We must discern and choose the true faith that leads to eternal life. [32:39]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:15] - Paul's Observation in Athens
[02:15] - The Unknown God
[03:08] - Great Value Faith
[04:02] - The Counterfeit of Religion
[05:13] - C.S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters
[06:09] - The Devil's Tactics
[07:08] - Indulging in Forbidden Pleasures
[08:15] - Counterfeited Items
[09:03] - The Reality of Relationship
[09:53] - The Fracture of Sin
[10:48] - Paul's Gospel Sharing
[11:24] - The Exclusivity of Jesus
[12:10] - Jesus and Nicodemus
[12:51] - Belief and Eternal Life
[13:40] - Righteousness and Relationship
[14:32] - Salvation by Faith
[15:09] - Misconceptions of Works
[16:02] - God's Work for Us
[16:40] - The Free Gift of Salvation
[17:17] - The Abundance of Grace
[18:00] - The Role of Faith
[18:42] - The End of Understanding
[19:28] - Bearing Spiritual Fruit
[20:05] - The Fruit of the Spirit
[21:06] - The Evidence of Relationship
[21:35] - The Counterfeit of Religion
[22:34] - Multiple Ways vs. One Way
[23:26] - The Deception of Multiple Paths
[24:39] - The Lie of Works-Based Salvation
[25:45] - The Danger of Religious Efforts
[26:47] - The Beauty of a Relational God
[27:24] - The Chilling Words of Jesus
[28:07] - The Devil's Contentment with Religion
[28:50] - The Appearance of Faith
[29:40] - The Symbolism of the Fig Tree
[30:23] - The Deficiency of Religion
[31:05] - The Importance of Being Rooted in Christ
[31:55] - The Value of a Relationship with Jesus
[32:39] - The Great Cost of True Faith
[33:17] - The Devil's Hatred for True Faith
[34:03] - The Cheapness of Counterfeit Faith
[34:41] - The Consequences of Religion
[35:23] - Relationship vs. Religion
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 17:16-34 - Paul's Sermon in Athens
2. John 14:6 - Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
3. Ephesians 2:8-9 - Saved by Grace through Faith
#### Observation Questions
1. What did Paul observe in Athens that provoked his spirit? ([01:15])
2. How did Paul describe the true God to the Athenians? ([02:15])
3. According to the sermon, what is the devil's counterfeit of true faith? ([04:02])
4. What does Ephesians 2:8-9 say about how we are saved? ([14:32])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Paul addressed the Athenians' worship of an "unknown god"? How does this relate to the concept of counterfeit religion? ([02:15])
2. How does the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way to the Father challenge the idea of multiple paths to God? ([11:24])
3. What are the dangers of relying on religious works for salvation instead of faith in Jesus? ([25:45])
4. How does bearing spiritual fruit serve as evidence of a true relationship with Jesus? ([19:28])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there any "idols" or distractions that might be taking your focus away from a genuine relationship with God? How can you address these distractions? ([01:15])
2. How can you ensure that your faith is based on a personal relationship with Jesus rather than just religious rituals and practices? ([04:02])
3. Jesus said He is the only way to the Father. How does this truth impact your interactions with people of other faiths or beliefs? ([11:24])
4. Think about a time when you relied on your own efforts to please God. How did that compare to relying on faith in Jesus? ([14:32])
5. Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) that you want to cultivate more in your life. What specific action can you take this week to grow in that area? ([19:28])
6. How can you discern between true faith and counterfeit religion in your daily life? What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Jesus? ([04:02])
7. Reflect on the great cost of true faith in Jesus. How does understanding the sacrifice Jesus made for you change the way you live your life? ([32:39])
Devotional
Day 1: The Deception of Religious Rituals
Description: The devil's counterfeit of true faith is religion, which replaces a genuine relationship with God with rituals and works. This counterfeit aims to keep people dead in their sins and away from knowing God personally. True faith is about a relationship with Jesus, characterized by surrender and faith. The devil cannot create anything new; he can only distort and counterfeit what God has made. Religion, as a counterfeit, often looks appealing because it offers a sense of control and accomplishment through human effort. However, it ultimately leads to emptiness and separation from God. [04:02]
Acts 17:24-25 (ESV): "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
Reflection: Are there any religious rituals or practices in your life that you rely on more than your personal relationship with Jesus? How can you shift your focus from these rituals to deepening your relationship with Him today?
Day 2: The Exclusivity of Jesus
Description: Jesus is the only way to the Father. Paul emphasized this in Athens, where he saw rampant idol worship. He preached that salvation is found only in Jesus, not in any other gods or religious practices. This exclusivity is crucial to understanding true faith. In a world that often promotes multiple paths to God, it is essential to remember that Jesus Himself declared that He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. This truth is not just a theological point but a call to a personal and exclusive relationship with Jesus. [11:24]
John 14:6 (ESV): "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Reflection: In what ways do you see the world promoting multiple paths to God? How can you reaffirm and live out the truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father in your daily life?
Day 3: Salvation by Faith, Not Works
Description: Salvation comes by faith in Jesus, not by works. Religion often teaches that we must earn our way to God through good deeds, but true faith recognizes that we are saved by grace through faith. This distinction is vital for understanding the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus. Human efforts can never achieve the righteousness required by God; it is only through faith in Jesus' finished work on the cross that we are justified. This truth liberates us from the burden of trying to earn God's favor and allows us to rest in His grace. [14:32]
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are trying to earn God's favor through your works? How can you embrace the truth that you are saved by grace through faith and not by your own efforts?
Day 4: Bearing Spiritual Fruit
Description: A true relationship with Jesus will bear spiritual fruit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience. Religion may give the appearance of faith but lacks the substance and fruit of a genuine relationship with Christ. True faith transforms our lives and produces visible evidence of God's work in us. The fruit of the Spirit is the natural outcome of a life rooted in Christ. It is not something we can manufacture on our own but is the result of the Holy Spirit's work within us. This fruit is the evidence of a vibrant and growing relationship with Jesus. [19:28]
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Reflection: What spiritual fruit is evident in your life today? How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus to allow the Holy Spirit to produce more fruit in you?
Day 5: The Great Value of True Faith
Description: True faith in Jesus is of great value, purchased at a great cost. Jesus endured suffering and death to restore our relationship with God. The devil's counterfeit of religion may look appealing, but it is ultimately empty and leads to separation from God. We must discern and choose the true faith that leads to eternal life. The value of true faith is immeasurable because it was bought with the precious blood of Jesus. This faith is not just a set of beliefs but a transformative relationship that brings us into communion with our Creator. [32:39]
1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV): "Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."
Reflection: Reflect on the great cost at which your faith was purchased. How does understanding the value of true faith impact the way you live your life and prioritize your relationship with Jesus?
Quotes
1. "We've got a counterfeit, and it's called religion. All through God's word, he has shown us what is real in saving faith comes by way of a relationship with Jesus. We must die to self, be born again, and live surrendered to his lordship. But the devil has sought to counter and confuse this as well. And his copy is what we know to be something called religion. It's his attempt to keep people dead in their sins and from knowing God personally." [04:02] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The greater the value something holds, the more likely it is to be counterfeited. Now, let's get into this and let's take a look at the real thing first. Well, let's talk about what's real. Well, what's real is relationship. To have salvation in Jesus is to have a relationship with Jesus. It has always been God's desire. Listen. It has always been God's desire to live in relationship to us. For us to know who He is." [09:03] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When it comes to entering into a relationship with Jesus, there will always be elements to this that you can't completely understand or comprehend. That's faith. Faith enters in at the end of your understanding. Could Christ have made it where we could have been absolutely able to logically understand and rationalize out salvation? Yes, he absolutely could have, but he didn't. He says, I will only let your understanding bring you so far and then you have to, by faith, receive me and trust that I take care of the rest." [18:00] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "A relationship always bears fruit. That's the truth. There is one way to the Father, and it's Jesus. And salvation comes by faith and belief upon Him, which will then in turn bear fruit that testifies to that redeemed life from that point onward. Now we've got to look at the counterfeit, and that's religion. Jesus wants us to have and experience what's real, and that's a relationship with Him. But that's the absolute last thing the devil wants you to know and have." [21:35] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Religion in the life of a person gives off the appearance of faith and belief, but it's without substance. It bears no fruit. It only gives off the appearance that I know Christ. It only gives off the appearance that I have a relationship with Christ. But if you were to inspect it closely, life truly bears no fruit in keeping with repentance. There's no true relationship. There's no true relationship there. There's just a bunch of religious grandstanding and hoop jumping. It's doing all the right things. It's saying all the right words. It's being in all the right places, but it's void of a relationship with Jesus." [31:05] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "There's nothing of more value than entering into a saving relationship with Jesus. Do you realize how much it cost him? Do you realize what he had to go through? Do you realize what he had to endure? Do you realize the fact that God in all of his glory set that aside to come down to this wretched, filthy earth and put on flesh just like we do? We have. And endure the trials and the sufferings and the temptations of this life and yet be without sin so that he could willingly go to the cross, lay down his life, allow himself to be beaten and mocked and whipped and spit upon, nailed to a tree of his own creating so that his blood might be spilled on our behalf so that we could have a relationship with him." [32:39] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "The devil's more than content for you to be religious as long as you don't get relational. He would be more than happy for some of you to sit in this place for the next four, five, six years of your life and take in all the religious knowledge that you could possibly get as long as you never surrendered your heart. That's the danger of a counterfeit. That's the danger of his deception." [28:50] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Religion is man's appeal to God to consider our merit and our worth based off our own efforts. Every other religious construct outside of belief in Jesus for salvation is works-based. Every one, every single one that does not recognize the sufficient finished work of Christ for salvation is a works-based belief. It's us doing our best with our lives while we're here, then dying for our God in hopes that it was enough. The devil doesn't want people to see the beauty of a relational God because, listen to me, we don't die for him. He died for us." [26:47] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "The fact that we have a God so great that he took our death upon himself, that he took what should have been our... We should have to work to get there. We should have to earn that relationship back, but our God is so great and so good and so gracious and so merciful and so loving that he says, you don't have to do that. Why? Because you can't. So I'll do it for you. I'll die for you. It's his work. It's not ours." [27:24] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "It's to prove the point that anything other than God, than a true relationship with Jesus is cheap faith. And it's gonna leave you one day outside of the kingdom. It's gonna leave you standing before God one day pleading your religious behalf in front of him. It honestly snaps my heart in two to think of the billions of people. You know how many other religions, it takes up billions of people in this world that follow something other than Christ. Billions. Billions will stand before Christ one day and they'll make their case that they lived a religious life. And he's gonna say, I don't know you apart from me." [34:41] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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