Many in the religious world teach, Many in the religious world teach,

““You will be saved as long as you You will be saved as long as you are honest and sincere (have the are honest and sincere (have the

right attitude) in religious right attitude) in religious matters”matters”

But is that the same thing as the truth?

Do an Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Only? = Truth

Does an Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Only? = Truth

"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” (Luke (Luke

8:15)8:15)

Kalos- “has the ethical meaning of what is - “has the ethical meaning of what is ‘fair, honorable, of such conduct as ‘fair, honorable, of such conduct as

deserves esteem; it is translated ‘honest’ deserves esteem; it is translated ‘honest’ [cf. Latin honestus (from [cf. Latin honestus (from honoshonos, ‘honor’)], ‘honor’)]

……

Does God want you to have an honest heart?

Does an Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Only? = Truth

““But the goal of our instruction is love from But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a a pure heart and a good conscience and a

sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5).” (1 Timothy 1:5)

““For I am mindful of the For I am mindful of the sincere faith within within you (Eunice, Lois,Timothy)… (2 Timothy you (Eunice, Lois,Timothy)… (2 Timothy

1:5)1:5)

Anupokritos- “signifies unfeigned, it is said - “signifies unfeigned, it is said of love, ‘without hypocrisy’ of faith, of love, ‘without hypocrisy’ of faith,

‘unfeigned’ of the wisdom that is from ‘unfeigned’ of the wisdom that is from above” (Vine’s)above” (Vine’s)

Does God want you to have a sincere faith?

When people in the world do things When people in the world do things wrong, but they are honest and sincere, wrong, but they are honest and sincere,

does it change what they did into the does it change what they did into the truth?truth?

Doctor- Wrong diagnosisDoctor- Wrong diagnosis

Nurse- Wrong shotNurse- Wrong shot

Pharmacist- Wrong pillPharmacist- Wrong pill

These wrong decisions did not harmonize These wrong decisions did not harmonize with the facts or truth which could result with the facts or truth which could result in death of the patient even though they in death of the patient even though they

may have been honest and sincere. may have been honest and sincere.

Honesty + Sincerity Alone ≠ Truth

But Steve, the Bible teaches that you must But Steve, the Bible teaches that you must have a good heart, a sincere faith, and have a good heart, a sincere faith, and

therefore it should be sufficient for one to therefore it should be sufficient for one to be saved, shouldn’t it? be saved, shouldn’t it?

We must define the terms. We must define the terms.

Our attitude many times will be determined Our attitude many times will be determined by our own opinions, feelings, or thoughts by our own opinions, feelings, or thoughts based on what we have heard and seen.based on what we have heard and seen.

In this lesson, we will give several reasons In this lesson, we will give several reasons why honesty and sincerity alone will not why honesty and sincerity alone will not

save you.save you.

Truth is Objective, not SubjectiveJesus said, “I am the way, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and , and

the life…” (John 14:6) the life…” (John 14:6)

“ “Sanctify them through Sanctify them through Thy truth, , Thy Thy word is truth”” (John 17:17) (John 17:17)

AletheiaAletheia- “objectively, signifying the reality - “objectively, signifying the reality lying at the basis of appearance” (Vine’s) lying at the basis of appearance” (Vine’s)

TruthTruth – “conformity to fact or actuality. – “conformity to fact or actuality. Fidelity to an original or standard” (AHD)Fidelity to an original or standard” (AHD)

Truth is objective, not subjective to a man’s Truth is objective, not subjective to a man’s feelings or experiences.feelings or experiences.

Truth is Objective, not Subjective“Everyone did what was right in his own

eyes” (Judges 21:25) not in the eyes of the Lord.

““There is a way which There is a way which seems right to a to a man but its end is the way of man but its end is the way of death” (Pr. ” (Pr.

14:12; 16:25) 14:12; 16:25)

““I know, O LORD, that a man's way is I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to , Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. …” (Jeremiah 10:23) direct his steps. …” (Jeremiah 10:23)

What might seem right to us is not the same thing as the truth! 2 + 2 = 22?

A person who is honest and sincere will submit his thoughts, opinions, & feelings

to the truth!

You Can be Deceived by False Evidence

Joseph’s brothers deceived their father.

“So they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the

tunic in the blood; and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, "We found this; please

examine it to see whether it is your son's tunic or not." Then he examined it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely

been torn to pieces!" (Genesis 37:31-33)

You Can be Deceived by False Evidence

“So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said,

"Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him. Meanwhile, the Midianites sold

him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, the captain of the bodyguard.”

(Gen. 37:34-36)

Jacob mourned for his son as if he were dead even though the truth was he was

still alive.

Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Alone ≠ Truth

You Can be Deceived by Prejudices

Naaman was told what to do to be healed of leprosy,

“But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will

surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure

the leper.' (2 Kings 5:11) (2 Kings 5:11)

Today, many people expect God to save them by praying the sinner’s prayer.

You Can be Deceived by Prejudices

The apostle Paul in discussing his former life said,

“I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of

Nazareth. "And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of

the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. "And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme… (Acts 26:9-

11)

He did these things with a good conscience (23:1)

You Can be Deceived by Prejudices

Jesus had forewarned the apostles,

“They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for

everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.” (John 16:2)

Jesus was saying that honest and sincere people will think that they are serving

God by putting you to death.

Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Alone ≠ Truth

You Can be Deceived by False Teachers

In discussing men who disguise themselves as apostles, Paul said,

“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it

is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be

according to their deeds.” (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

Satan uses false teachers who appear honest and sincere to deceive others.

You Can be Deceived by False Teachers

Simon the sorcerer astonished the people of Samaria with his magic, saying, “‘This man is what is called the Great Power of

God.’ And they were giving him attention because he had a long time astonished them with his magic arts” (Acts 8:9-11)

They honestly & sincerely believed Simon the Sorcerer had God’s power, but they

were wrong.

Some believe that Televangelists have God’s power to do miracles today but

they don’t since they have ceased (1 Cor. 13:8-10).

You Can be Deceived by False Teachers

The Jewish multitude were deceived by the religious leaders.

“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for

Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.” (Matthew 27:20)(Matthew 27:20)

The fact that they were ignorant (honest and sincere) that He was the Messiah did not release them from guilt (Acts 2:23,36;

3:17).

You Can be Deceived by False Teachers

But some believe that the false teachers will suffer the eternal consequences but

not their hearers. If so why did Jesus say,

"Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. "Let them

alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man,

both will fall into a pit." (Matthew 15:13-14)

Though they may be honest and sincere, they will fall into the same pit as the false

teacher.

You Must Obey the Truth or You Will Be Deceived

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude

themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;

for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having

become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in

what he does.” (James 1:22-25)

You Must Obey the Truth or You Will Be Deceived

“activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the

deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a

deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all

may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

(2 Thess. 2:10-12)

Does an Honest Heart + Sincere Faith Alone? = Truth

All the examples in our lesson were on those who were honest and sincere.

What did they all have to do?

They all had to submit their subjective feelings, thoughts, and opinions to the

objective standard of truth.

In the New Testament, they obeyed the gospel so that they might be saved.

Jacob Honestly and Sincerely Believed Joseph was Dead for 22

yearsHis sons come back with food from Egypt

because of the famine and they had to tell their father,

“Joseph is still alive and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt, but he was stunned, for he did not believe them.”

(Gen. 45:26)

Why didn’t he believe him? Because the false evidence of the coat led him to feel

that he was still dead.

Jacob Changed His Feelings when he saw the Evidence that Joseph was

Still Alive““When they told him When they told him all the words of

Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father

Jacob revived. Then Israel said, "It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will will go and see him before I die.“” go and see him before I die.“”

(Genesis 45:27-28)

People must not trust their feelings for their salvation but objectively examine

the evidence of God’s word and be willing to change.

Those who were Honest and Sincere Submitted to the Truth

When ShownThe servants told Naaman (who had

preconceived ideas), “Had the prophet told you to do some great

thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, wash, and be clean? So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the

Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored…” (2

Kings 5:13-14)

When he obeyed, he was cleansed of his leprosy.

Those who were Honest and Sincere Submitted to the Truth

When ShownAfter Saul realized he was persecuting Jesus,

He told him to go into the city and it would be told what to do (Acts 9:6; 22:10).

Saul was fasting and praying (Acts 9:9, 11) but he had not been told him what to do yet.

He was told in Acts 22:16, “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash

away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord”

Instead of praying the sinner’s prayer, Saul submitted to the command to be baptized

so that his sins would be washed away. Have you?

Those who were Honest and Sincere Submitted to the Truth

When ShownThe Samaritans had been deceived by

Simon the sorcerer, “But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed and after

being baptized…” (Acts 8:12-13)

The Samaritans and Simon the sorcerer changed their convictions after they saw

the evidence in order to obey and be saved (Mark 16:15-16).

Those who were Honest and Sincere Submitted to the Truth

When ShownThe Jews had been deceived by the

religious leaders to have Jesus crucified but the apostle Peter preached

Scriptures which convinced them that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. They

asked what to do, He said,

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the

forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts

2:38)

“those who received the message were baptized” (Acts 2:41)

Many Honest and Sincere People will be Condemned by Jesus in the

Judgment"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'

will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in

heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many

miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

(Matthew 7:21-23)

ConclusionIt is true that God desires that we It is true that God desires that we have an honest heart and sincere have an honest heart and sincere

faith but that does not equal truth.faith but that does not equal truth.

We must obey the truth in order to be We must obey the truth in order to be saved or we will be deceived by our saved or we will be deceived by our

feelings, prejudices, or false feelings, prejudices, or false teachers.teachers.