The Counterfeit Christian

Bank employees are trained to spot counterfeit money, but to the untrained eye, a counterfeit $100 bill would appear genuine, even though it was a fake. Many fake $100 bills are in circulation, and people don't know it. And there are many fake conversions to Christianity, where a person doesn't know it either.

They mistakenly believe that their conversion is genuine, but in reality, there are a multitude of counterfeit graces that people take for a genuine conversion. But they're nothing more than religious affections that spring from self-love and a natural conscience. Some enjoy attending church and serving there in some capacity.

They enjoy listening to their pastor and under his messages. They have many meltings of heart. They shed real tears when they pray.

They carry a zeal against sin. They will tell you about Jesus and how you need to know him too. And they'll demonstrate a convincing appearance that all is well with their soul in regard to eternity.

And although these individuals have made some kind of profession of faith, were baptized, and joined the church, they've never been truly converted and still remain in a natural condition. Like that bill, they look good on the outside, but upon further examination, they are but counterfeits. They mingle well with other church folks, talk the talk, and are much like the person in Matthew's gospel.

In chapter 22, at the wedding feast, having one heck of a good time until the king comes in with a gaze of intense scrutiny that can spot a phony bill a mile away. We see this alarming scene in Matthew's gospel in verses 11 through 14. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there was a man which had not on a wedding garment, and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Let me pause here, friends, to make the following observations. This man without the wedding garment is a perfect picture of the counterfeit Christian who lives within the church and dies without Christ. This hypocrite, this counterfeit, blends in well with the religious crowd, has a great time enjoying all the benefits at the feast, but he wasn't found out until the king came in to examine the guests.

The day of judgment will be a great discovering day. This man lacked the robe of righteousness found only in Christ Jesus. He lacked the garment of justification because he'd never been truly converted by regenerating grace.

And upon this discovery of a false faith, he's got nothing to say. He's speechless. Romans 3.19 speaks of this very thing, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.

Years ago, I ran into a friend who'd spoken ill of me, and when I confronted him with those facts, he had nothing to say. He knew he was guilty. He just stood there looking at me.

Such was the case with this man, whom the king calls out for hypocrisy. He stands convicted and condemned by his own conscience. This guest has no legal right to even be at the feast.

He had come in through a back door of a counterfeit conversion. Such would be the case when the counterfeit Christian is found out to be fake, although in the meantime, he lives within the doors of the church, beneath the cloak of a false religious profession. Now look and see, friends, what terrible consequences occur to this counterfeit Christian.

On the day of discovery, as we see one of the most vivid descriptions of hell itself, then the king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen. The sentencing of the law is carried out upon this guilty sinner.

He is manacled and shackled in chains. He's bound hand and foot by an irreversible sentence. A damned sinner can not escape his sentencing, nor his punishment.

All hypocrites, all counterfeits, are taken away from the presence of the king and his kingdom. Their future abode is outer darkness. It chokes me up just to say it.

They are arraigned, judged, sentenced, and cast into the prison of hell and its torments. Hell is a deep, extreme darkness, friend. Have you ever been in a room or in a cave where there was no light, and it was so dark in there you could not see your hand in front of your face, and you sensed terror? This will be unending terror for the individuals who die in their sins apart from Christ's blood and are cast against their will, against that will into a region of darkness in another world where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth.

As a young boy, I went to my Italian grandfather's wake, and as I entered the funeral parlor where he lay in his casket, he was surrounded by relatives who were in the greatest agony of soul. They shrieked, they screamed that he was gone from among them. There was loud weeping, so loud it alarmed me.

Well, that's the scene in hell at this very hour, friends. Weeping, shrieks, screams, gnashing of teeth. Weeping speaks of great sorrow and grief.

Gnashing of teeth signifies great anger and regret. The tortured souls in hell cry out in constant agony that there's no end to their suffering. Counterfeit Christians fall beneath the light of the gospel down to utter darkness.

The continual noise in hell is unbearable. The intense heat of hell is insufferable. You can't breathe.

You can't hear yourself over the din of millions of the damned shrieking all around you. The counterfeit Christian will one day be found out, but it'll be too late then. You must repent, friend, and get an interest in Christ.

You must get under his blood for pardon of sin. Repent immediately before it's too late. Let us pray.