Faith That Is VainHow Real Is Your Faith?

We Live in a Vain World

• “Vain” (vanity) means empty, fruitless, worthless

• Our world emphasizes the vanity of…

• Words (Ex. 20:7)

• Outward beauty (Prov. 31:30)

• Sinful activities (2 Kings 17:15)

• Human help (Psa. 60:11; 108:12)

Faith That Is Vain

Faith In the Wrong Person

• Our faith must be in God and Jesus alone (Jn. 8:24; Acts 4:25; 14:15; Rom. 1:21; Eph. 4:17; 1 Pet 1:18; 1 Jn. 2:16)

• Faith in Judaism, Islam, paganism, humanism, atheism, etc., is vain

Faith That Is Vain

Faith In the Wrong Doctrine

• Our faith must be in the sound doctrine of the gospel (Mt. 15:9; 1 Cor. 3:20; Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:3,6; Tit. 1:10; Tit. 3:9; 2 Pet. 2:18)

• Faith in human error, though honestly believed, is vain

Faith That Is Vain

Faith Without Purity

• Our faith must be joined with a pure life before our worship can be acceptable to God (Isa. 1:14; Mal. 1:10)

• Faith joined with sinful living is vain

Faith That Is Vain

Faith Without Evidence

• Our faith must be in what is true, real, factual (1 Cor. 15:14-17)

• Faith in fantasies and fairytales is vain

Faith That Is Vain

Faith Without Works

• Our faith must show itself in active obedience to God’s word (1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 5:6; Jas. 1:26-27; 2:14ff)

• Faith that “talks” but does not “walk” is vain and “faith only” is vain

Faith That Is Vain

Faith That Does Not Continue

• Our faith must continue being faithful, enduring throughout our life (Lk. 8:13; 1 Cor. 15:2; Heb. 10:38)

• Faith that stops serving the Lord is vain

Faith That Is Vain

• Faith that falls short of each of these things is vain

• Much of our world is built upon fantasy (non-reality)

• Let us all have a faith that is real and genuine (1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5)