1 Timothy 1:3-7 – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”  NKJV

I am fully persuaded that Paul’s words in Romans 5:1-2 are deeply needed at this point in our consideration of Genuine Faith vs. Imitation Faith.  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  FAKING FAITH, very simply is utter foolishness and incredibly dangerous.  It can give false hope in a time when there is no time to “fake it ’til you make it.”

Once we have received the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives and He begins to direct our steps one thing He does is to work to produce “Genuine Living Faith” in our hearts that is manifested in our lives.  None of us should dare to attempt to function without it or try to bluff our way through in dealing with Jehovah-God.  That is exactly what the nation of Israel attempted in their history and it was costly.

What nation on earth can boast of more direct divine intervention and involvement than Israel?  They were delivered from bondage and established as a nation in one day by the hand of God.  God defended the nation, defined His Laws in them and their laws, demonstrated His power repeatedly in their progress, and devoted Himself to supply their needs physically and spiritually.  God designed a tabernacle where they could meet with Him, gave priests to assist them in their worship and even declare they were HIS PEOPLE.  They were totally dependent upon Him for everything.  They lacked nothing from the day they left Egypt’s bondage until they came into Canaan, nothing except “Genuine Unfeigned Faith.”

Deuteronomy 32:20 – “I will hide my face from the, I will see what their end will be, for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom is no faith.”

What an indictment!  When we consider the evidence that should have inspired and solidified their faith it is amazing.  How could they not be inspired by the miraculous deliverance, the miracle at the Red Sea, the sweetening of Marah’s waters, the daily manna, and the smitten rock where water gushed forth and they even heard the voice of God?  All should be incredibly faith producing and building.  They had evidence after evidence of God’s existence, person, power, and character and yet…

• Ten times or more they were found murmuring in doubt.
• They sought to go back to slavery in Egypt at the first sign of difficulty.
• Built a Golden Calf to worship and pray to in violation to God’s commandment.
• Took Egyptian idols with them as they journeyed. 

They “faked it” but refused to admit they were FAKING IT.  The tabernacle services never stopped.  The daily sacrifices continued uninterrupted and the Feast Days were kept faithfully.  ALL IN PRETENSE…  They continued to perform as if they had faith but were hypocritically pretending.  They were FAKING IT.  In the text we see that Paul tells Timothy that LOVE must be out of a pure heart and FAITH must be genuine and not faked!  He even identifies three successive generations who possessed Genuine Unfaked Faith.  The word “unfeigned” means “unqualified, unhypocritical, and unalloyed.”  It is true and pure.  The faith which pleases God and moves His heart on our behalf is “Genuine Unfaked Faith.”  Faith that is undisguised and without hypocrisy.  Counterfeit faith is not and will never be accepted in Heaven and Genuine Faith is never refused.

Now before we move to additional thoughts on this subject we pause due to time and space constraints.  May the Lord be with you guarding and guiding you as you go through this day in Him!  Abundant Blessing is my prayer and desire for each of you!