DENYING the POWER Thereof.

Christianity, if not lived out, has little or no power. It’s just a bunch of good principles that don’t stand for much in anyone’s life. That sounds like a bold and blunt statement, but I didn’t come up with it, Jesus did.

Jesus as good as said, “My teachings won’t work for you, unless you do them.” He said, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Mat 7:24-27).

We must desire to see God’s power in our lives through obedience. It is in DOING the Word of God that the POWER comes. James was quite adamant about this. He said, “Faith without works (manifestations) is dead” (James 2:14–26). We must desire discipleship, otherwise there’s no evidence. And discipleship starts at home and with those closest to us. We have to pour into our closest ones God’s Word and demonstrate God’s power.

All believers are the body of Christ. But can we define “believer” please? Jesus gives a pretty sharp definition in Mat 7:24-27. He says, “It’s the DOING that makes you a believer.”

Paul told Timothy to stay away from religion that has no power. He basically said, “If your religion has no power, it’s not Christianity.” He said, “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Tim 3:5).

Christianity does have a definition and it cannot be only a show of goodness, but of fruits. Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Mat 23:27-28).

The evidence of Christianity is a changed life. The power of God is shown through the Holy Spirit and results in the transformation of our lives. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer (1 Cor 6:19) and enables him to bear fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5: 22,23). These are the attributes of a true Christian.

If a person says he is a Christian he/she must show evidence in his life by bearing the fruit of the Spirit, not only Christian motions. God told Isaiah, “Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (Isaiah 29:13).

God always insisted on OBEDIENCE. Look what he told Ezekiel. “Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not” (Eze 33: 30-32).

Paul actually hits hard on the “prosperity gospel” that feeds one’s belly and goes no further. We can’t reduce the message of the Gospel to advertising Jesus like the American Dream saying, “Come to Jesus and you will be blessed.” Paul said, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18).

The message of the Gospel is sacrificial living. It’s denying ourselves that we may bless others with the truth and freedom. Prosperity and gain can be part of it, but it has to be an instrument to further the Kingdom. Paul says, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Tim 6:5 ).

Brothers and sisters, let’s not be ashamed to be doers of the Word.