We are no longer counterfeit Christians?

 

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

ALL SAINTS DAY

SUNDAY, 1^ST NOVEMBER, 2020

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: We are no longer counterfeit Christians?

          “A kii se awon ayederu Kristeni mo”

TEXT: 1 John 3:2 & 10

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

“Olufe, omo Olorun ni awa n se nisisinyii, a ko si tii fi han bi awa o ti ri: awa mo pe, nigba ti a ba fi han, a o da bi re; nitori awa o rii ani bi oun ti ri. Ninu eyi ni awon omo Olorun n farahan, ati awon omo Esu: enikeni ti k o ba n se ododo ki i se ti Olorun, ati eni ti ko feran arakunrin re.”

In the world today, there are two type of Christians, if not more, that I know and which I will like to share with you this Sunday. One is the true Christians and the other is the counterfeit Christians. The difference between the two is obvious. It is clear that a true Christian is born of God while the counterfeit one is the devil’s child. The true Christian knows God, but the counterfeit may only talk about God and participate in religious activities, but he or she does not really know God. The one who has been born of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, knows God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Whereas the other does not have any knowledge about the Trinity. A true Christian lives a life of obedience and does not practice iniquity like the other one who knows nothing about the Trinity and this is the group (counterfeit) we belonged to, sometimes ago in our Adamic nature. Today’s meditation is therefore prepared to lead those who are still pretending out of their pretense and help to convert all remaining counterfeit Christians who are still in Adamic nature, among us to true Christians who have been born by water and spirit, and are now wearing divine nature. Those who will fit into John’s clear description of God’s children as contained in our main text – 1 John 3:1-10.

The main verse of today’s text is 1 John 3:10 which establishes the fact that a true Christian practices righteousness and loves his fellow Christians despite all differences. He loves and practices righteousness because he is born of the righteous and holy God (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:9, 4:7), thus the emphasis here is on Sonship. Are you a child of God? If I may ask (Jn. 1:12) According to John, the writer of this epistle, “Whoever abides in Him (Christ) does not sins. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” (1 Jn. 3:6) He explains further that, “No one who is born of God practices sin… he cannot practice sin because he is “born of God.” (1Jn. 3:9) One may ask, What does John mean by the term “to practice sin.” To practice sin here means to commit sin regularly just as a way of life. A Christian is not expected to sin habitually, though he/she may not be without sin (1John 1:8-10) God expects a true Christian to sin less. Great men and women in the Bible are people not without sin. Abraham lied that Sarah was his sister (Gen. 12:10-20) Moses lost his temper and acted against the command of God (Num. 20:7-13) Peter denied Jesus Christ 3 times (Matt. 26:69-75) But the fact remains that sin was not the habitual practice of these men of God, and at each occasion they showed remorse and prayed God to forgive them. In case of a pretender, counterfeit Christian, unregenerated person, he/she lives a life of habitual sin. (Eph. 2:1-3) His/her profession of faith is nothing but fake. Such unsaved person has settled habit of sin. No remorse for wrong acts at all, unlike a true Christian who acknowledges wrong doing, repents of it, confesses it and forsakes it completely.

In John’s view, the power to live a righteous life is not human but divine. Every true believer must live a life of righteousness and holiness, thus John gives three reasons why any true Christian must live in holiness and righteousness:

1.    God is holy and loves holiness and righteous living (1 Jn. 3:1-3) The opening verse of 1 John chapter three reveals how unique God’s love is to us his children, that while we were yet sinners, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and redeem us from death (Rom. 5:8; Jn. 15:13; Jn 3:16). This particular verse (1Jn 3:1) tells what we are (children of God) while the second verse (1Jn 3:2) reveals what true Christians shall be (like Jesus Christ) If this is true, all born again Christians must be holy as our Father in heaven is holy (Lev. 19:2; Matt. 5:48). It must also be noted that God’s love for us does not stop with being born anew, rather it continues throughout our pilgrimage here on earth and takes us right up to the time of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil. 3:20-21) John in this epistle does not stop telling us what we are and what we shall be, but he adds what we should be now in verse three. If we are true Christians and not counterfeit and we really want to be like Christ at his second coming, then it is a must for us to keep our lives clean and righteous now. (1Jn. 3:3). Know this, only those who are holy shall see God. Not only that, anyone who had experienced the love of God shown in Christ Jesus has no desire to sin against that love who is God himself.

2.    Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for us to be holy and righteous (1 Jn. 3:4-8) Here John states two reasons why Jesus Christ came into the world and died:

a.    To take away our sins (1Jn. 3:4-6)

b.    To destroy the work of the devil (1Jn. 3:7&8)

For a regenerated Christian to practice sin shows that he/she does not understand or appreciate what Jesus did for the world on the cross. We must all know and understand that Jesus Christ came to the world and died to pay the price of our sin, to set us free from the bondage of sin, take away our sins and destroy the root of sin in us which is the work of the devil. He did all these to make us become holy, pure and righteous. He did them to help us remain holy and live righteous lives. Anyone of us who therefore commits sin deliberately and habitually proves that he/she does not know Jesus and thus cannot abide in him. He/she is nothing but a counterfeit. True Christian must know that Jesus Christ did not only die for him/her, but that he/she has also died with Christ. If truly we are dead to sin with Christ, then we can yield ourselves to him and sin will not have dominion over us any longer. We must be holy and righteous because we are no longer pretenders.

3.    Finally, every Christian born of God must be holy because the Holy Spirit lives in holiness (Jn. 3:9&10). True Christians are people who have been born of water and Spirit (Jn. 3:5). They are people who have gotten new nature within them, and the new nature cannot sin. This new nature is what John calls "God's seed" in 1John 3:9. The true Christian at his new birth experience is made to have the right standing (Justification) before God and a new position (sanctification) which means that he/she is set apart for God's purpose and to live for his glory. (2Pet. 1:4) As believers, we have access to the gift of Holy Spirit which convinces us of our sins, teaches us all things and gives us power to live rightly, and as well be holy. The Holy Spirit prevents a believer from practicing iniquity, but a counterfeit believer cannot help but practice iniquity, because he does not have God's new nature which is given to the believers through the Holy Spirit in them. The Spirit which makes them to live in holiness and rightly. Today check yourself and see whether you are a true Christian with divine nature or a mere pretender. As for me, I am no longer a counterfeit Christian. How about you?

Let us pray

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

OS-CAN Chairman.