We hear a lot about “fake news” these days. What does it mean? As far as I can figure out, it refers to news that is distorted from reality by bias and selective sourcing. It’s both misleading and deceptive. By contrast, true news tries to be objective, honest and balanced.
Well, what about “fake faith”? Does it exist and (if so) what is it? I believe it does, and I would define it as a superficial kind of faith which is not genuine or real. A few verses in the Bible describe it best…
According to Jesus
Jesus says that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” (meaning “Master”) will enter His kingdom (see Matthew 7:21). These people may know the lingo and have the right words but something is missing. He continues by saying that it will only be those who obey His Father’s will who will be saved.
A few chapters later in the “Parable of the Sower”, Jesus again describes people with fake faith (see Matthew 13:20-21). He says their hearts are like “rocky soil”. They seem to start well by receiving God’s Word “with joy”. But since their root is shallow, they don’t last and quickly “fall away” when trouble or persecution happens. Again, something important is missing.
According to Paul
The apostle Paul affirmed what Jesus taught when he told his disciple, Timothy, that people with fake faith have “a form of godliness” but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:5). He then tells the young pastor to avoid such people. In the preceding verses, Paul delivers a devastating indictment against these “fakers” using no less than 18 negative characteristics.
According to James
And then we have the apostle James who describes people with fake faith this way: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.” (see James 2:19) James is saying that claiming you’re not an atheist and that you are a monotheist (believer in one God) is not enough. He describes such faith as “dead” and “useless” (James 2:17,20, 26). He then makes the point that true faith will lead to true action such as obedience and good deeds.
So what?
This is a very relevant and urgent message for our day. If you asked the average Canadian if they are a Christian, many would say “yes”. They may even tell you the name of a church or denomination that they (or their family) are linked with. But (sadly) their faith is merely intellectual, nominal (in name only) and superficial.
If you probed a bit deeper, you would find there has been no repentance (genuine sorrow for sinful behavior), no life change, no spiritual growth and no obedience. In a word, they are professing a “fake faith” which will not save them from their sins. They are being deceived into trusting something which will not help them. As Billy Graham once wrote, “Faith must be real if the heart is to be changed.”
The truth is this: if everyone in Canada who professed faith in Jesus really possessed true faith in Jesus, our country would be a very different place. It would be “turned upside down” morally and spiritually which would affect all other areas of our culture as well.
So, what’s the bottom line? Make sure your faith is real, genuine, vibrant and life-changing. Because fake faith is no faith at all!
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
