1. Counterfeit Christianity: The Introduction

Real Money

I’m told they train bank tellers to identify counterfeit money by giving them "real" money to examine for an entire day. Federal paper money is made up of 75% cotton and 25% linen so it looks and feels different. Because of this, it is relatively easy to detect counterfeit dollars once you are familiar with the "real thing." 

Modern Christianity is much like this. Many Christians have a difficult time distinguishing between counterfeit Christianity and the "real thing" unless someone shows them the difference. However, my illustration is not complete. 

Federal money is, in itself, counterfeit money. The U.S. Constitution explicitly states in Article 1 (The Legislative Branch), Section 10 (Powers Prohibited of the States) that States shall not:

Make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts.

In other words, "real money" is not a piece of paper; it is gold and silver. There is no difficulty discerning a piece of paper from a real gold or silver coin. 

This is true for metal coins as well. You can even hear the difference between a metal quarter from a silver quarter just from the sound they make when you drop them. Metal coins sound dull while silver coins make a bright vibrant sound when they hit the ground.

Real Christianity is as easily detectable as being able to differentiate a piece of paper or a metal coin from a precious metal coin. In this series, I teach Christians to recognize "real" Christianity, which is as different from Counterfeit Christianity as paper is from gold and silver.

Why This Series?

I’m writing this series on Counterfeit Christianity for two reasons. First, to help Christians sharpen their understanding of what true Christianity is. Yes, there is such a thing as true Christianity and false Christianity. The Bible warns in several places against false teaching. For example:

O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. 1 Timothy 6:20+21

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8

The second reason is that many Christian leaders profess to be Christians but are false teachers. Many Christians are intimidated when a teacher or pastor has a “Dr.” before their name or have fancy academic letters trailing it. While education can be significant, far too often, men and women lose their faith in institutions of higher learning and substitute Biblical Christianity for Counterfeit Christianity. Unless Christians understand this, it is easy to be fooled by false teachers:

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-5

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. Romans 16:17

Why Me?

I have attended church all of my life. I have been a committed Christian for over 45 years. I studied the Bible and Christian apologetics when I was a teenager reading authors such as C.S. Lewis, Os Guinness, Francis Schaffer, Duane Gish, Henry Morris, R.C. Sproul, Norman Geisler, and many more. I earned a Bachelors's Degree in Philosophy for the sole purpose of preparing myself for pastoral ministry and defending the Christian faith. 

I obtained a Masters in Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and have served in some form of pastoral ministry for over 32 years. During that time, I have dedicated myself to studying the Bible through preaching, teaching, and personal study. I continue a rigorous study of the Bible and particularly Christian Apologetics, as my 2020 study list from the past year demonstrates.

God’s Call

I believe God has not only prepared me to write this series on Counterfeit Christianity; He has called and designed me to write it. It’s not that I think I am better or more qualified than others, it’s that I have my own unique voice to contribute to God’s advancing Kingdom. I see myself sharing with others in the more excellent work of the Spirit in proclaiming and defending Biblical Christianity. However, I feel the “fire shut up in my bones” like Jeremiah:

“If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9”

While I got lost a few years ago, Jesus Christ came and found me, the 100th sheep. I have no delusions that I deserve to be a spokesman for Jesus Christ, but this is in line with what God revealed about how He does things:

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Be Prepared

I pray people who know me and who do not know me will read and benefit from this series. I feel an urgency in writing this because the days, indeed, are evil. (Ephesians 5:16) Our country and our world are quickly moving toward establishing a one-world religion, and it isn’t Biblical Christianity.

I can tell you from the start what this religion does not look like. It is not the self-revelation of the one and only self-existing Trinitarian Father, Son, and Holy Spirit God who has spoken to us in His self-authenticating word. The new religion tolerates all religions except for Biblical Christianity. That’s because Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). There is no other true “religion” and no other “way” to be right with God.

Sola Gloria Deo!

To God Be the Glory!