Counterfeit Christianity – Part I – The Self Righteous Church

The just live by faith according to the promise given unto us through the righteousness of Jesus Christ who became the perfect sacrifice to end all sacrifices required of the Lord. Through His ways, taking into subsection our thoughts before they spring forth from our mouths, and then become actions for this defines our character by which we will be weighed in determining our final destination. Therefore, to become living sacrifices we deny our carnal desires and programed emotional responses for they are of the world; thinking and speaking as of the world is the very friendship we are told is enmity with God.

 

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” – Romans 10:1-3 KJV

 

Heed this warning brethren, those who lean upon their own understanding, whether it be due to a degree and what is traditionally learned of men or spiritually and “god showed them”, but it conflicts with His word, they are not saved. Having not repented for their own sins they continue own pointing at the faults of other’s; for many are called, but few are chosen.

 

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

 

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” – James 3:13-18 KJV

 

Let him demonstrate out of Good conversation his works through the meekness of wisdom… Those who have not surrendered to the Lord cannot do this for their natural reaction is to be combative, to be contentious all in an effort to justify themselves they very thing they are supposed to deny. They have an authority given unto them by men therefore, they regard any and all correction as contention feeling challenged operating in the fear of shame. This strife the Apostle James calls devilish.

 

“For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,

 

these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

 

Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” – Romans 2:12-16 KJV

 

The Self Righteous abide not in the Law of liberty they hear the word for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, but fail to act upon it and apply it to their own lives, thereby they are hypocrites. They are just in their own eyes as Proverbs 21:2 says, but God weighs the heart and He justifies us for our obedience to his word. Otherwise, The Holy Spirit writing through the Apostle Paul clearly states above that these people “are a law unto themselves”… When the Pharisee stood in the temple and prayed, he prayed with himself thanking God that he was not like other men were… *Luke 18:11

 

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

 

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” – James 1:21-24 KJV

 

The snare they have been taken in is pride. Beholding their own face in a glass and seeing their reflection, the glory of their works for the Kingdom, believing that their efforts are more important that everyone else’s. Quick to compare your “fruit” to theirs always seeking after a sign as a wicked and adulteress generation does, they will once again fall to the devices of their own imagination deceiving themselves abiding in their own law. Forgetting of what manner of men they were, thy resort to only being hears of the word and do not apply such in their lives. Oh, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you so that ye shall not obey the truth?

For evidence of faith being something as unseen as being a demonstration of holiness, of righteousness, in freedom from demonic oppression, of healing, and of many wonderful works in His name can be done so without the Holy Spirit for Jesus had to die for the comforter to come to his disciples, as will we to our own flesh.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Matthew 16:24 KJV

In the end, denying ourselves saves us from ourselves.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you all, God bless and take care.