For a document to be considered real, it must be authenticated. This authentication is necessary on all important matters involving identification, negotiation, and oath. Any information that is not considered authentic becomes invalid and is considered false. No one trusts something that does not possess the necessary requisites to be considered real. Nothing can be done with it or through it.
The same is true with faith: it must be authenticated by God to be considered real and produce results. But unfortunately, many try to bear fruit with their faith and fail because they are making use of an illegal faith that has not received the authentication of God. These people have ignored the fact that the Most High does not consider faith authentic without sacrifice.
Sacrifice is the only proof that faith exists and is real. As it is written, faith without works is dead (James 2.17). After all, how can you prove the existence of something you cannot see? Only with visible results! Just like the existence of the wind can be proven by the moving of the leaves, the existence of faith is proved with acts of sacrifice.
Those who surrender their will to do what God teaches in His Word will receive the seal of authentication on their faith. Otherwise, faith remains solely on the lips of those who profess it, and just like information cannot be accepted as real simply with words, faith cannot be validated by statements without proof either.
If authentication is necessary for the fleeting things of this world, it is much more necessary for the things of God, which involve eternity.
A valid faith has the power to identify someone as a child of the Most High, to prove his or her commitment to Him, and to guarantee the Salvation of their soul. For this reason, God does not trust and disregards unauthenticated faith. This kind of faith cannot be used as a bargaining chip, not even for earthly achievements, much less for heavenly achievements!
No one can live a life of quality or enter heaven illegally. Therefore, we must legalize our faith day after day, through acts of sacrifice.
The Authentic God requires an authentic faith. And if your belief is invalid, your god is also invalid – because you are your own god.
Bishop Edir Macedo
www.bispomacedo.com.br/en
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