For the past four years since I’ve launched this blog, the blog post 4 Signs That Show Your A Fake Christian has been among my all-time most popular articles on this blog.
And it wasn’t until recently I began to clearly understand why.
It is because as I looked at the many comments and emails in response to this particular blog post, I realized that SO MANY people DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHERE TRUE Christianity begins.
And I believe there are two primary reasons why.
The First Reason
The first reason why is that so many Christians have become sadly deceived into believing that Christianity begins with DOING things ON THE OUTSIDE (like Bible reading, kneeling in prayer, going to church, etc.).
But Jesus made it CLEAR that outward actions DO NOT define true Christianity!
In Matthew 23:26, Jesus said:
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
-Matthew 23:26
What does that mean?
Well, I really like how the NCV Bible translation puts this verse:
Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean, and then the outside of the cup can be truly clean.
-Matthew 23:26 NCV
In other words, true Christian living must first begin on the INSIDE before anything of true spiritual value can take place on the outside.
I guess the plainest way to put it is that we can NEVER be true Christians until we first deal with the inside–which is our hearts.
The Second Reason
The second reason why many don’t understand true Christianity is because there are also many Christians who buy into the lie that true Christianity is based upon HOW YOU FEEL.
In other words, there are many Christians who think that if they FEEL good or if they FEEL something that is good and fuzzy and warm in their hearts, then they think that everything is all right between them and God.
And if they DON’T FEEL those things, then they think that there’s something spiritually wrong with them.
But the truth is that the Bible gives us a more specific and better way on how to approach our Christian life and experience.
And it is not based on FEELINGS, but rather on FAITH.
2 Corinthians 5:7 puts this key truth this way:
For we walk by faith, not by sight
(2 Corinthians 5:7)
Beginning A Journey
So, with all that said, for the next several weeks we’re gonna begin a series on HOW to have a clean, true, Christian heart and HOW to be the real, genuine Christians Jesus wants us to be from the inside out, all based on faith!
So, stay tuned for part 2 of our series, where we’ll look into first essential step on cultivating a true, pure Christian heart!
Amen! Maranatha!