Counterfeit
We have all had the experience of handing someone cash and watching them awkwardly check the bill to attempt to confirm that it is not a counterfeit. According to the Federal Reserve, “It is important to know what the security features are in genuine currency, because if you end up with a counterfeit note, you will lose that money. A counterfeit note cannot be exchanged for a genuine one, and it is illegal to knowingly pass counterfeit currency.” So the best solution for knowing the fake thing is to know the real thing really well. I think this concept is also key to our ability to spot what Jude warns of as the dangers of individuals sneaking a “counterfeit” version of faith into the church. He writes, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4 ESV)
It is interesting that those who are sharing a “perverted” or counterfeit version of faith often go unnoticed. They use religious language that sounds good, they look like we would expect them to look, and they make good arguments based on bad ideas. They play on our desires for sensuality, self-gratification, and self-justification. The end result is that they promote a life without Jesus. They draw our attention away from the authentic faith that can keep us rooted in truth. I fear through the “multitude of counselors” we can surround ourselves with these days, it might be possible online, or even with AI, to find a voice that will feel right but end up being dead wrong about the truth God teaches.
So what is the solution? We need to work hard at knowing the real thing in order to identify the things that are false. I think that was what Paul meant when he said, “Do your best (study in NIV) to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2Tim 2:15 ESV) This requires real effort, it requires hard work, self-discipline, and diligent study. It requires us to do this ourselves and not depend on others to do it for us. We need to work hard at knowing the real thing so we are able to identify the false thing when we see or hear it. I have found this to be particularly important in my life. I recall many cherished Bible teachers or pastors who started to teach something a little different than what I had observed in scripture; over time those truths led to a shift from orthodoxy. It often begins very, very subtly, a slight rejection of truth, a subtle change, a “reinterpretation” of something that is pretty straightforward in scripture. The end result is that some are deceived.
It is our responsibility to avoid allowing ourselves to be deceived. I love the statement in “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11b ESV) When we hear anyone claim to speak truth from God’s Word with authority, regardless of them being a pundit, a politician or a pastor, it is crucial that we compare with the scripture to determine if it is true or if it is a counterfeit.
Expectantly,
Shawn
