According to experts, one of the best ways to identify counterfeit money is to be familiar with real money. Anything different is counterfeit. Jesus Christ gave us a test to identify counterfeit teachers. He said, “You can know them by their fruit–their character.” In other words, we should be skeptical of teachers whose lifestyle contradicts their message. We can apply that test not only to teachers, but also to anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ. Not that anybody is perfect, but if a person’s lifestyle habitually contradicts biblical values, we might wonder whether that person is a follower of Christ. We also know that when we seek to live by biblical values, our lifestyles may conflict with those of people around us. When it happens, we can remember the words of our Lord from Mt. ch. 10, He said, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” Jesus said His followers serve as salt in society–we are to help preserve our society from moral chaos. He also said, we are to serve as lights–we are to show people the way to God. Of course, when we stand for righteousness and justice we can expect opposition. But Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”
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