Is Your Faith Genuine?
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Is your faith genuine? Is your faith real? What do I mean?
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
V. 21 is very interesting!
Jesus is talking about some who will enter the kingdom of heaven one day and some who will not.
Who are the ones who get to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Jesus says in v. 21 “the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Doesn’t that sound like works based salvation? If you DO the will of the Father, then you get into heaven. I thought salvation was by faith alone? Doesn’t the Bible say that?
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
So why does Jesus say in Matt 7: 21 “the one who DOES the will of my Father” is the one who will enter into the kingdom of heaven?
The answer is found in a proper understanding of true biblical faith. What is true of real genuine biblical saving faith?
We find a definition of faith in the book of Hebrews.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Let me demonstrate.
Illustration: Trust example with blindfold.
Is falling backward with the blindfold on, is the action or the work of falling, is that faith? NO!
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
The key component of faith is trust! Did so and so trust me? How do you know? His actions demonstrated his trust or lack thereof.
The act of falling backward is not faith. Faith is the decision to trust my word even though he can’t see. His actions only demonstrate the genuineness of his trust.
Example:
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
How do we know for sure that Abraham really genuinely believed God? He obeyed! His obedience did not save him, his faith saved him. His obedience demonstrated that his faith was genuine.
This is why Jesus can say,
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
The one who does the will of the Father is the one who genuinely trusts Jesus. Genuine faith demonstrates itself through obedience.
But, THE key component of saving faith! Saving faith is all about trust.
What are you trusting in for your salvation?
What must you place your faith in to be saved? What must you trust in order to enter the kingdom of heaven one day?
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Do you trust in Jesus alone for your salvation? Or is it Jesus and my church? Or Jesus and my prayer? Or Jesus and my good works?
If you are not trusting in Jesus alone for your salvation, then your faith is not genuine!
If you say, well Pastor Jon I am trusting in Jesus alone for my salvation, how can you be sure your faith is genuine?
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Faith is demonstrated by what? Obedience!
Illustration: Walking out on the ice, fear of flying
What evidence should you be looking for in your life to give you assurance that your faith is genuine?
One of the greatest evidences that your faith is genuine faith is love.
8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Do you live your life for yourself? Or do you live your life for Jesus- who died for your sake?
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Not going to be perfect, but there should be a desire in your heart to obey Jesus. Not because you are forced to do so, but because you love Jesus and can’t do anything less.
What commandments of Jesus have you kept lately?
How much time to you spend in the Bible each week? Do you love to talk to God in prayer? Do you attend a local church so you can grow to be more like Jesus? Do you tell others in your life about what Jesus has done for you?
Is your faith genuine? Do your actions demonstrate your genuine faith?
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Application: REPENTANCE! Call for obedience!
