19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:19-21
It's very easy to dilute our faith. Over time the world will dilute our faith if we allow it. And if we let the world in we begin following a faith that is super watered down, that is compromise, that is ineffective. Maybe we add rules to justify how we live. Maybe we blame others. We need to take responsibility for our own personal faith. We must safeguard our personal faith.
#1 We water down faith when We refuse to acknowledge Heaven and Hell.
If we deny hell exists, how can we have a heaven?
Greg Laurie said the Christian life is not a playground, it's a battleground.
You have two options: Jesus or Hell. Jesus talked a lot more about hell than heaven.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Is it faith if you fill it full of junk?
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:21-23
The American Church is in danger. We can have a false sense of security if we are believing we are Christians just because we said a sinner's prayer or because we look like one on the outside (but the inside is dead).
#2 We water down faith when we fail to acknowledge sin and repentance.
You can't just go through the motions. When we bring Jesus into our lives we need to change -- let Him rule. We can't live for Self and Jesus -- it is one or the other.
"7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." 1 John 3:7-8
It starts with a relationship with Jesus, then you follow where He leads.
"5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin." 1 John 1:5-7
Don't be deceived by programs or rules. There is no new sin under the sun. Christ came to save us from ourselves!
#3 We water down the faith when we fail to remember history.
"6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" 1 Corinthians 10:6-12
#4 We water down the faith when we fail to stay true to the Word of God.
"6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans 1:16
You have the map of salvation inside you if You are a Believer.
Warning! We are responsible for our own faith.
"16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17
"18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." Revelation 22:18-19
Don't add anything to what God says. Don't add rules. Don't take anything way from it either. You can't pick and choose what you want from the Bible.
#5 We water down the faith when it becomes to be about us, not Christ.
"3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." 1 Timothy 6:3-5
"13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
#6 We water down the faith when we lose our sense of urgency.
"45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:45-51
"Soon" or "tomorrow" might never come. We need to live our lives NOW. We have no idea when Jesus will come back or when we will die. I don't want God to catch me without the plant's leaves shining (gotta hear the sermon to understand that).
#7 Time is short.
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” Jude 17-18
These are the last times, the last days.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
LOVE! Love God and love people!
#8 Don't let anyone, not even yourself, water down the faith.
"10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:10-14
Don't deflect, don't justify yourself. Don't blame others. Don't stop. Don't slow down. Stay on the path Jesus laid out for you.