The Masquerade of Empty Faith

One topic burns with a fiery passion inside of me. It surpasses all the rest and moves me to action. It is my holy discontent- the one thing about this world that when I get close to it, see it, touch it- I just can’t stand it. I believe God placed this on my heart for a purpose because is commissioning me to do something about it. Lukewarm Christianity. Complacency, Laziness in the Body of Christ.

This blog should come with a warning since it is my greatest passion and I refuse to candy coat the truth- proceed with caution! If you prefer the truth to be diluted, this blog is not for you. But if you are willing to be a little uncomfortable and maybe even a little stretched, then I believe God has something big in store.

Lukewarm Christianity is not hot, not cold, but somewhere in between. We are not called to be Goldilocks Christians! In the Nursery rhyme, The Three Bears, Goldilocks chose the porridge that was not too hot, not too cold, but “just right.”

I fear far too many Christians have adopted a Goldilocks mentality- to avoid earthly suffering of saints and to avoid eternal suffering of fire and brimstone, they settle somewhere in the middle. They try and find a “sweet spot” where they can coast right into heaven. If I live the way I want but still call Jesus my Savior, then I will make it to heaven.

But friends, Christianity is not a means to an end! There is so much more in store for the faithful ones who to endure to the very end. If we settle here, right here, in the middle, we miss out on so much God has in store for us.

I would argue- this is the spot of checklist faith. If I read my Bible, if I do my devotions, if I pray, if I go to church- I can get away with doing the bare minimum, then I will go to heaven. I can call myself a Christian, but I don’t really have to sacrifice anything- but I’m good. I said the prayer- I’m good. I didn’t cross the line, but I got close- I’m good.

This is empty faith. It is surface level. It does not penetrate the heart. It is inauthentic and reflects legalism instead of grace- similar to the religion of the Pharisees. They knew the law, but they rejected grace. Their faith was empty.

Maybe this visual will help:

Empty calories are those derived from foods that contain zero nutrients. They look like food. They taste like food. But at the end of the day, they provide no nutrients. Empty calories.

On the other hand, nutrient dense foods are full of nutrient and provide authentic energy.

We should crave a nutrient dense faith. Empty faith is a facade masquerading as the real thing. It looks beautiful and tantalizing on the outside, but when dissected, there is nothing inside. It is truly empty. It may reach the surface but does not cut deep- to the soul.

James 1:22-25 addresses this sentiment in saying, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does.”

This is the consequence of empty faith! I have been there. And this noncommittal faith leaves you feeling numb. If you do not allow the word to cut to the heart, it means nothing. The difference here is intentionality and willingness. The opposite of a checklist is spiritual discipline. When you are disciplined and intentional, everything changes!

God shows up in a new way! I am speaking from experience. Living disciplined and fully immersed in the spirit produces new freedom. You begin to experience God, not just on the page, but alive and active in your life. You see the fingerprints of God everywhere and in everything. You hear his voice amidst a noisy world. You recognize his out of a crowd of thousands. He becomes your greatest friend. His love can be felt so divinely.

But unless you ditch this empty faith, you will never experience the miraculous gift of true freedom.

My favorite chapter of the entire Bible is Hebrews 6. The author (whom I believe to be Paul) expresses this same frustration in stating, “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.” (Hebrews 6:1-3)

We can’t stay here- we were meant to move on, for if we do, we are making a mockery of Jesus.

Hebrews 6:4-7, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.” There are consequences for complacency.

There is such a great potential in the body of Christ- but there is also great laziness!

Therefore, my greatest desire and passion for my Christian brothers and sisters is this, “But we long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled. So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully receive what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance.” (Hebrews 6:11-12)

I don’t want you to settle for an empty faith! My desire is what you take hold of the full life (ΖΩΗ in Greek) that Jesus Christ offers. There is so much more when you say NO to complacency, when you become disciplined and intentional, and when you receive the full gift of the Holy Spirit.

I have been on the other side. I coasted for years. But there is no freedom or joy in living life like Goldilocks, avoiding suffering and discomfort. But- one fateful day- I said, “NO MORE” and I never looked back.

The time has come to make a choice.