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What Does It Mean to Be Real?

Counterfeits Exposed

The seed sown on the first soil hardly gets started. Satan comes and snatches it away. But what’s even more troubling is the outcome of the seed sown on the second and third soils. Why? Because both respond positively to the message, at least initially. These seeds appear to take root and begin growing into something real. Yet as the story continues, we learn that neither seed bears fruit. Neither lasts to the end, and thus neither seed is real.

Some of the seeds fail to develop roots, and they don’t persevere when life gets hard and their faith is tested. All we see from this seed is a burst of enthusiasm, but no staying power. Perhaps this is someone who got excited about fellowship or forgiveness, but lacked love for Christ. They only have the appearance of being real. Over time, their faith proved counterfeit.

We assume the third seed had a similarly joyful response to the message. Yet this soon dissipates because of revived interest in the things of the world—a career promotion, a new vacation home, saving toward their 401(k) plan. These concerns choke any fledgling faith, and the person falls away.

New People With New Lives

Why does Jesus tell his disciples this sobering parable? Why such a blunt story about the distinction between authentic and inauthentic responses to his message? Evidently, Jesus doesn’t equate professing faith with possessing faith, as we so often do. Instead, he warns his disciples that only one things matters—bearing fruit

Although provocative, I think Jesus’ point is simple. Real is something you can see. There is a visible difference between real and not-real Christians. It’s not enough to say you’re real; you should be able to see you’re real

Real faith is something you can see.

Being real is more than regularly attending church, feeling good about God or “accepting” Jesus as your Savior; it goes beyond being baptized, receiving Communion, reciting the creed or joining in church membership. As important as these things are, being real runs deeper than these things.

Real Christians are new creatures. Physically, they won’t look different than others, at least not in the way they dress or keep their hair. Yet real Christians are radically changed—they’ve experienced a new birth, received a new heart and enjoy new desires. Which makes them altogether new people who live new lives

And it shows. If you’re real, it will reveal itself in your life. Real Christians bear the marks of authentic faith in ways that can be seen, heard and felt. When you know what you’re looking for, you can see the marks of real in their lives—and in your own.