Common Sense Commentary: Noah Webster says "to counterfeit" means "To imitate, copy or pretend with intent to deceive." Most people pretend to be something they are not at one time or another in their lives. I have pretended to be brave when I was scared or happy when I was not or calm when I was angry. David once pretended to be a lunitic, slobbering and acting crazy, when he was captured and brought before an enemy king. There is surely a time to do such a thing but the Bible says, Satan is a counterfeit and (counterfeits) "transforms his ministers into ministers of righteousness"." I think nothing in this world is exactly, precisely what it "appears" to be. It may be better or worse, but our perception, vision, hearing, understanding are not ever as perfect as God's. " ...Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1Sam.16:7.
I saw advertised on TV a "new improved bath bar". What is that ? It looked exactly like soap, and it's purpose was to wash your body but it wasn't soap, they said, "It's Dove." I'm sure they have a reason f or counterfeiting soap in the form of a bird but I still prefer that old 99 % pure stuff without the perfume. Yes, "It floats" but it doesn't fly.
I feel that way about my onions, too. I love onions (those close to me already know that) ... my wife will gladly verify it. I like onions with everything but dessert. Now forgive me you Georgia folks, but I have a serious question from all of us true onion addicts. Why would anyone develope a hybrid, streamline onion that is an onion in "appearance" and name only ? People from all over the world converge from every direction on the little farm-to-market roads of southeast Georgia to Vidalia, Ga. to pay homage to the famous Vidalia Onion. But, let's be honest, it doesn't smell like an onion, it doesn't burn even a little, it doesn't affect your breath at all, and they say, "It's sweet as an apple". That being the case, why not just slice an apple on your hamburger ? If I wanted an apple, I'd look in the fruit department.
I expect that, at any time, soneone will come out with a new pudding called "Destiny Dessert". It will have all the minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals and look, smell and taste like good food. It will be "Our all-new, enriched, good as home-cooked, plastic pudding." "Try it, you'll like it". But you better act quick to get a patent on the formula and a trademark on "Home-cooked Plastic Pudding" before some food chain picks up on it.
Honestly, I will not be surprised the day some guy comes to me with a marriage license, a ring, a bridesmaid, a best man and requests to be married to a gorgious wo mannequin that looks, feels and talks like she's human. Stranger things are now happening in this crazy world of pretension, lying, deceiving and counterfiting.
That brings me to my point .... It's about time, right ?
In these critical days when the truths of God are so sorely needed in the world, God's former Light lifter, Lucifer (alias Satan, the devil, the dragon, the serpent, and old slewfoot) is busily passing himself, and his ministers off as legitimate "men of God". He is, himself, running many religious organizations. He is sending his servants to seminaries, dressing them up as ministers are assumed to look, in pompous "ministerial vestments", collars, suits or dungarees and tee shirts today, with degrees and sending them out . They are like counterfeit $100 bills, passing themselves off as real ministers of God, pretending truth but skillfully dusting it with lies. They disgrace the cause of Christ, defame true ministers, cast doubt upon The Word of God and undermine the faith of weak Christians. Do such people really exist ? Ask God ....
God said of them, "For such are false Apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." 2Cor.11:13-1.
Remember when Jesus said, "One of you shall betray me", NONE of the Apostles knew who he was talking about. They had lived and worked with Judas, their treasurer, constantly for 3 1/2 years, but NONE of them knew he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. I know that because each of them asked, "Lord is it I". Mt.26:22. Not one of them suspected it was Judas. If the Apostles of our Lord could not discern that Judas was a traitor, how can we, today, discern a counterfeit minister ? The answer is, that they did not yet have the New Testament (canonized) or the Holy Spirit as true Christians have today. Jesus had promised, "When he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth ...." Jn.16:13. Jesus also promised, concerning the completion and His New Testament, "When that which is perfect is come, THEN that which is in part shall be done away (with). 1Cor.13:10. As you will remember, when He said that, very little of the New Testament had been lived or written and the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. True Christians now have both and the Holy Scripture says, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his". Rom.8:9. The Apostles had resources we do not have but we have resources they did not have until after Jesus ascended back into heaven. God's Holy Spirit working through God's Word will guide us in our discernment and understanding, IF WE STUDY IT. Professional money handlers do not study counterfeit bills but Government printed currency. They study it so meticulously that when a counterfeit comes to hand, they immediately recognize it as a fake. True Christians who study God's Word thoroughly and are led by His Spirit, have little trouble recognizing the counterfeit. It is not necessary to study the counterfeit religions or professing believers. Study the truth thoroughly and you will recognize the error, the false, the counterfeit.
True Christians must maintain a close, spiritual relationship with God through devoted prayer, Bible study, love and fellowship if we are to "prevail against the gates of hell", this Satanic, illegitimate, "angel of light" ,
his "false Apostles", "deceitful workers", and his "ministers of unrighteousness". God help us to be real.
Pass it on. RB
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