Focal Point

Pastor Mike Fabarez: There are some people that see the Bible as an optional guidebook of principles. As you put those principles to work, you will have some benefit in your life. But the Christian says it's not an optional nice benefit to my life. The real Christian says this, "I am resolved to do what it says."

Dave Drewy: Put an imitation Rolex next to the real deal, and you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But open the inside of those same watches, and the genuine version will become glaringly apparent. Today on Focal Point, Pastor Mike Fabarez encourages us to open up our lives for appraisal.

Are we Christians? Are we really following Christ? In Hebrews chapter six, we'll find biblical tests that can determine the validity of our faith. Mike Fabarez is talking about watching out for the pacifying benefits of dating Christ.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: Second Corinthians chapter 13 should be something we periodically revisit in our personal lives, and that is that we subject ourselves to some evaluation. Paul put it this way in verse number five, "Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith." Are you in it? Is it real? Next phrase, "Test yourselves."

He says, "Now do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test?" What a powerful passage. You'd better be analyzing yourself to see whether you're really in—not in the doors of the church, but in the faith. Because if you're in the faith, Christ is in you. But you might find out you're in the doors of the church, but you're really not in the faith because Christ is not really in you. He's just sitting next to you on the porch. There's a difference. He says examine yourself, test yourself.

Therefore, we look at a passage that lists five things that happen to someone who is associated with the community of the redeemed, and we say we better test ourselves. Are these the genuine article or the plastic fruit? Let's take a look at them. Verses four and five in Hebrews chapter six. We're going to take the phrase, each one of them, and we're going to say how can this be a temporary, phony, less-than-biblical Christianity experience? And then what's the real article look like?

First phrase is this. Verse number four. It says, "who have once been enlightened." They've been enlightened. I'm going to church now and, you know what, I'm starting to understand some things. I know some things now that are really changing the way I relate to my wife, and how I'm parenting my kids, and the business ethics at work. And, you know what, wow, it's really changing things. You come to church, you're going to see the world through a lens and a perspective of biblical truth and you're going to see the light bulbs pop on in your head.

You can do all of that, though, and never be converted. Because if you're really converted, that enlightenment's not going to be, "I have some new insights." You can either say that or you can say this. I'm a new person. I'm a new person. As Paul said, "I am a new man now. I am a new creature." To go back to our Sunday School memory verses, Second Corinthians 5:17, "If any person's in Christ, he is a new creation." Not that I got some new thoughts, I got some new perspectives, I got some new ideas and insights. No, I got a new mind now.

Paul said, "a new man, a new creation." I mean you can put new programs on your old computer, right? Or you can get a brand new motherboard and a brand new operating system, and you can keep putting those same new programs on there. The problem is there's a lot of conflict trying to put the new programs on the old computer.

The Bible says it ain't about that. People come to church all the time, got the old motherboard, the old hardware, and just keep piling on all those new great programs. They won't work real well, but you'll get them. I mean some stuff's going to help. Problem is you're trying to work off the old platform. You need a new platform. Do you get the difference here? You can be enlightened, and people are in church all the time, but what we need is a new mind in Christ, a new heart, a new person.

Secondly, he says back in Hebrews six. Not only are people once enlightened and then bail out, but they're also people who have—look at this—"tasted the heavenly gift." Tasted the heavenly gift. And the syntax and grammar of this, it makes it—the focus on the generosity of heaven. Heaven-sent generosity coming down from God. Nothing specified here, nothing specific, but God's gift, His generosity coming toward you.

Let's put it this way. People can come to church and they're in the community of the redeemed, and they start getting what I call here blessings, and they start to say, "I have some new blessings now in my life." Now notice this. In the world, there's something we call in theology common grace. Because were it not for common grace, there'd be nothing happening on this planet but bad, right?

But God sends what's called common grace. He allows people to enjoy sunsets and full stomachs and carne asada burritos and all kinds of things that they can enjoy even though they're sinners and bound for God's wrath one day. They get to enjoy that because of common grace. You step into the community of the redeemed, you start going to small group, you come here to church every Sunday, you're going to have common grace on steroids. A lot of common grace.

God is going to step it up for you because you're standing in the community of the redeemed. But one has an inheritance in the eternal kingdom and the other doesn't. And it's hard to tell the difference when they're sitting next to each other in church. Because they experience a lot of emotions in the worship, they experience a lot of edification in the preaching. Yeah, they get a lot of common grace. A lot, extra. It's more than common. They get uncommon grace. But they don't have salvation. It can happen. Matter of fact, it happens all the time.

There are people that I know that are in the church that often talk about the blessings of being a part of the community of the redeemed, but you never really hear their heart in sync with grace. And in scripture, you look all over the place and all you see is the apostles going, "Wow, it is amazing that I as a sinner, hell-bound sinner, am now have the lavish grace of God poured out on me."

Ephesians one. You've got to pick up the last two words of verse four to catch the sentence. "In love He predestined us to be adopted as sons." Even that phrase, you don't hear people that just attend church and get some of the blessings talking about that. "He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with the pleasure of His will to the praise," verse six, "of His glorious," there's the key word, "grace. To the praise of His glorious."

You know what you're going to be focused on in eternity as you get your inheritance? Man, this is incredible. I don't deserve this. Incredible. And here the earthbound, real converted hearts are always focused on and captivated by the grace of God. Something happens to your heart as it relates to grace. You get it. Enlightened, it's more than new insights. Tasting the heavenly gift, it's more than new blessings. Being captivated by grace.

Look at the third one. Back to Hebrews six. The third one, bottom of verse four, "who've shared in the Holy Spirit." And some people go, "Wow, that just seems like a strong statement." It is a strong statement. Shared in the Holy Spirit. In John 16:8, He said the Spirit's going to go into the world and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

You have a conscience when you're born. We all do. Romans chapter two, and it helps us understand what's right and what's wrong. And it's written on your hearts by God, the law of God and an impression of it. Your conscience helps you know that's wrong, you shouldn't have done that, don't do that. And this is right and you ought to do that.

You step into church where people around you are all now filled with the Holy Spirit. They are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And the guy in the front is teaching about the book that the Holy Spirit wrote. Your conscience is going to be aided. You're going to pour in the ethanol, the fuel, the high-octane fuel. You are going to have a conscience on steroids in church. That's what's going to happen to you. Because the Holy Spirit now is going to from the outside start to enforce what already is written on your conscience. And He will start to press upon you because His job is to convict you of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

I put it this way. You might say, "Hey, I have some new conviction. Conviction not only when I do wrong, but I have new conviction to do what's right." I've been going to church for a while and when they first did that Mexico mission thing, I didn't even feel prompted to pull out my wallet. But I've been going to church for a while now and they talked about that, man, I wrote a check. Man, and I did it because, you know, I feel like I should do. I feel convicted to do the right thing.

Great. It's one thing to have the Spirit press upon me, "Boy, you shouldn't do that and you should do that, Mike." It's another thing when He moves in. Says, "Hi, I'm here. And I'm here to stay and I'm going to live with you. I'll be your roommate now." How about that? That's different. That's internal.

Passage I want you to look at with me, Romans chapter eight. Romans chapter eight makes this crystal clear, that conversion changes the arrangement from the outside pressing in to the inside working out. It's from external pressure to internal leadership. That's what the Holy Spirit does for the converted.

Now before that, you're going to have a lot of external pressure from the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact, you can have so much pressure depending on how you respond to it, you might be like Saul was, who later became the Apostle Paul, when Christ said to him, "Isn't it hard, Paul, Saul, to kick against the goads?" Do you remember that passage? He's fighting it. The Holy Spirit's pressing on him, but the Holy Spirit's on the outside.

There wasn't yet an indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a conversion where he now had the Holy Spirit as his roommate. Hadn't happened. But when he does, here's what it looks like. Romans 8:9, "You, however, are not controlled by the flesh," translated in some translations sinful nature, but it's the flesh, this body, this fallen humanness. You're not controlled by that anymore, "but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you."

Where does He live? In you. "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he doesn't belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body," this sinful flesh of yours, "is dead because of sin, yet your spirit," small s, "is alive because of righteousness." Because here's the thing, the Holy Spirit is not moving in unless you get changed. So the you has to change from old man to new man, from heart of stone to heart of flesh, and now the Holy Spirit can say, "Okay, I'm in because I've changed your heart and now I'm going to live inside of you."

Before that, when your heart is stone like Saul, kicking against the goads, all the Holy Spirit can do is press upon you. But then He works conversion in you, your heart is changed, and now He says, "Okay, I'm moving in." And He moves in and leads from the inside out, not the outside in.

And the Bible says, verse 11, "The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. If He is living in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies," your sinful flesh, "through His Spirit who," if we didn't get it yet, "lives in you." Do you see the emphasis here? That is a totally different thing. It's not enough to say I got some new convictions and I feel the Spirit, I've encountered it, I've shared in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It's not about sharing in the Holy Spirit, it's about the Spirit living in you. It's about Him being resident in your life, and that's different.

Number four, fourth thing. Not only sharing in the Holy Spirit, but "tasting the goodness of the Word of God." And that one's easy to understand, right? Oh yeah, I know non-Christians can do that. They can—I put it this way—I can say as a non-Christian, I've benefited from the Bible. I benefit from that. I don't always like everything he preaches on, but every now and then he throws out a nugget that's pretty good and I put it to work. And, you know what, it's good, I benefit from it.

You know why you benefit from the Bible even as a non-Christian? Because, as Psalm 19 says, verse number nine, "The ordinances of Yahweh are sure and altogether righteous." You're dealing with a good book, a true book, God's book. And if you deal with God's book and decide even to take just a little bit of what it says and you say I'm going to live by that, you know what, things will go well for you. At least in that part.

Now again, you're trying to put just like the software analogy, trying to put some new programs on an old motherboard. Doesn't always work well. But, you know, to whatever extent you say, "You know what, I'm not going to live an open marriage," or "I'm not going to engage in these sexual activities. I'm going to do what the Bible says." You know, you'll be blessed because you do, because you reap what you sow. And if you follow the directions of God, yeah, it's better for you.

And non-Christians can soak up that benefit all the time in church. Go to Bible study, I learned another nugget, it was good, put it to work, my business doing better, my marriage is better, my parenting's better. Great. Doesn't mean you're converted. Because the relationship of the scripture to the Christian is different than just benefiting from the Bible.

Let's put it this way, to capitalize on Psalm 19. If you read Psalm 119, you find that the resolve of the person who's a true follower of God is someone who sees the scripture differently. I put it this way. He has this resolve, "I will obey God's Word." The resolve of the real Christian is not it's really cool I'm benefiting from the Bible. No, the real Christian says this, "I am resolved to do what it says. I obey God's Word. My resolve is I will obey it, I'll continue to obey it."

It's different. There are some people that see the Bible as an optional guidebook of principles and as you do, and as you put those principles to work, you will have some benefit in your life. But the Christian says it's not an optional nice benefit to my life. It is my navigational system. It is what I live by. It is my constitution. It is the authority in my life and if it says it, I do it even to my own hurt, I do what it says.

I mentioned Psalm 119. Look at verse 105 and this whole section. It's an acrostic poem as you know, one section of verses following each of the Hebrew characters, the Hebrew alphabet. In Psalm 119:105, very familiar verse, part of what caused us to use Compass as the name of our church. Because God in His revealed Word has laid down for us a map, a guide, and it is to guide us. It is, much like 105 says, it is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path. It tells us where to go.

Look at verse six though. It's not just a cool little optional map for us, a nice little GPS if I want to turn it on. Look at 106, "I have taken an oath and confirmed it that I will follow your righteous laws." Now I know non-Christians that come to church, but they don't get to that level. They don't say that. They say that's kind of cool, I'm going to listen. Yeah, I might get something out of it. It's nice, good, benefit. Matter of fact, I'm doing a lot more what the Bible teaches.

No, Christians get to the place where they say, "Listen, here's the reality. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, I will obey your righteous laws." Look at 107, "I've suffered much. Preserve my life, oh Yahweh, according to your word. Accept, oh Yahweh, the willing praise of my mouth and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I won't forget your law. The wicked they've set a snare for me, but I haven't strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage for how long? Forever. They're the joy of my heart." Underline verse 112, "My heart is set on keeping your decrees," how long? "to the very end."

Now real Christians get to that place because they understand this is the authoritative voice of God inscripturated in black and white, and it is our guide. Well, I don't know if that's—I don't know if I like that whole. Doesn't matter. God has spoken. We respond. See.

Now non-Christians, they're not quite there. And yet they have a lot of Bible studies they go to. "I got some new insights." No, it's more than that. "Got some new blessings." More than that. "Got some new convictions." It's not just conviction, it's the indwelling of the Spirit. "Got some new benefit from the Bible." Not about that. It's about the Bible being our guide.

Lastly, letter E, under the same heading of the verb above in verse five. Not only have we tasted the goodness of the Word of God, but these people have "tasted the powers of the coming age." Now this gets tricky. Wow. How can you taste the powers of the coming age and not be a genuine converted person? Happens all the time.

As a matter of fact, the Bible says people are going to line up in Matthew chapter seven and they will say, "Lord, Lord, did we not perform many miracles, cast out demons?" And He will say, "Depart from me, I never knew you." Not, "I used to know you when you were doing those cool miracles for me, but I never knew you."

There are people in today—I know it's not the apostolic age—but there are people that with us in the last 12, 13 months have said, "Man, I have been on the front row watching what God has been doing at Compass Bible Church and God is doing some amazing things and I've been—I've even been a part of it. I've actually contributed, I've actually volunteered. God has done some great things through me. I've watched them, I've witnessed them."

They say that. Let's put it that way. Letter E, they put it this way, "I've seen God do big things. I've even been utilized by God to do some things. Wow, it's amazing." Now that's different. Because it's interesting the focus in Matthew seven. It's not on the powerful things you saw God do or that God did through you. It comes down to, do you know when He condemns them and says, "Depart from me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness"?

The problem is you may have done some big things for God, but you weren't changed. The power of God didn't change you. Let's put it that way. Letter E, "I'm transformed by God's power." That's different. See. I'm a different person because God's power's not only working through me, God's power has changed who I am. I am a new creature, I'm transformed, I'm being renewed by the renewing of my mind, I'm transformed by that. I'm not conformed to the world anymore. God is making me different.

There was a man who had a front-row seat watching God do great things and it wasn't Judas. His name was Nicodemus. And Nicodemus had done some incredible things himself. Jesus confesses that he is a teacher of the law. He stood up like I'm standing up right now with a scroll and he probably took the book of Isaiah and had analyzed it and outlined it and he got up in front of people and he taught people God's Word. And when Nicodemus met Jesus, He looked him in the eye and He said, "Unless you are born again, you will never enter the kingdom of God."

Judas did some amazing things, but he was never born again. The power of God never came down on his heart and changed it. Let's look at these again. I've had some new insights, I've got some new blessings, I have some new convictions, I benefit from the Bible, I've seen God do big things. If the average person says that to us, we think, "You are in, man. You're a part of the team."

Problem is you can say all those things and not say these. I'm transformed by God's power, I'll obey God's Word, Holy Spirit's in my life, captivated by God's grace, I'm a new person. And, you know what, they don't get that, they get this. God says, no, I want to see this. See this in your life. You see this in your life and you have a distinction of being a churchgoing beneficiary of the community of the redeemed. Make sure you've stepped across the line to a true covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.

Because these may be subtle in your mind right now, but the more you study them, the more distinct they'll become and you'll realize, "I cannot settle for an enlightenment that's only insight. It's got to be a new mind." I mean you just go right down the list and engage in Second Corinthians chapter 13, examine yourself, verse five, and see if you're in the faith. Can't tell from the outside, I can't watch from here and see. Most people didn't call Judas as a bad guy. Most people didn't see Simon initially as a bad guy. We don't want to hear it from Christ, do we? We want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Let's pray. God, we ask for you to do a work in our hearts today. No matter how much we think we know, no matter how much experience we think we've had, no matter how many great things we've seen you do, help us all to stop right now and to ask ourselves, "Is this a genuine, bona-fide relationship with you or am I just dating?"

Dating, it has a lot of benefit. I'll experience a lot of God, but maybe I've been on that ladder for a long time and it's time for me to get with it. And it's time for me to say, "Yeah, I'm going to do it." It's time for me by your grace to recognize that what I need is to dive in with both feet.

And, God, if there are some here today that have experienced a lot, been dating you a long time, they need to step into that, I pray you'd do your work in their hearts right now. Not about walking an aisle, it's not about raising a hand. You know that, God. You laid out for us what it's about. It's about doing business with you right now where these people sit.

And as they sit there and do business with you and analyze their heart and your Spirit shows them that they need to take that step into genuine repentance and faith. But, God, for now, help us all to do our own testing, our own evaluation, our own analysis. May your Spirit have His way in our hearts right now. And may this resonate in us and may we not leave today without making sure where we stand with you.

And, God, for those that are like Saul, the hard-hearted among us who are kicking against your work in their lives. Oh God, we pray today be a day that you knock them off their horse like you did with Saul, and you close their eyes to everything else until they open their eyes to your Son. I pray that would happen today. God, thank you so much for this clear and yet poignant and challenging passage. It's been good for us to study it, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Dave Drewy: An important question to ask ourselves. Do we simply know Jesus, or are we following Him? You're listening to Focal Point with pastor and Bible teacher Mike Fabarez. The message is called Watching Out for the Pacifying Benefits of Dating Christ.

We know that your days fill up quickly and time can slip away before you even know it. So, if you missed any of the previous portions of this engaging study, it's not too late to hear it. Just go online to focalpointradio.org, or even easier, just download the free Focal Point app to take these daily teachings with you wherever you go.

Now for a limited time, we're offering "The Revelation Answer Book" by Mark Hitchcock. This book tackles your toughest questions about the end times with solid biblical answers. You'll be ready to engage these topics confidently while growing in your own grasp of prophetic truth. Request your copy of "The Revelation Answer Book" today when you give to Focal Point. Simply call 888-320-5885 or go online to focalpointradio.org. Now we've got a special trip coming up and Pastor Mike wants to invite you personally.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: Thanks, Dave. I'd like to invite you to join me September 19th through the 26th, 2026, on a Christian cruise through New England and Canada. We'll sail Holland America's Zaandam, known for its elegance and exceptional hospitality, to historic cities like Boston, Halifax, and Quebec City.

We'll gather for devotional times in God's Word followed by thought-provoking Bible teaching throughout our journey. Grammy-winning musicians Keith and Kristyn Getty will lead us in worship. You'll enjoy the stunning autumn landscapes as we explore charming coastal villages, all while building friendships with like-minded believers. It's a unique opportunity to deepen your faith and see some of the most beautiful scenery on the eastern seaboard. Space is limited, so don't wait to sign up. Secure your cabin today at focalpointradio.org.

Dave Drewy: Once again, just go to focalpointradio.org to learn more. I'm Dave Drewy inviting you to join us tomorrow for an intimate discussion on the Christian approach to funerals and final rites. It's a heavy yet important addition of Ask Pastor Mike, Friday right here on Focal Point.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: Pastor Mike here. Ever wish you could corner your pastor and challenge him with your toughest questions about the Bible, about faith? Well, now you can. Send me your questions. Head on over to focalpointradio.org and click on Ask Pastor Mike. Or send me a note on facebook.com/pastormike or x.com/pastormike. I can't wait to hear from you.

Today's program was produced and sponsored by Focal Point Ministries.