Matt 7:21
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many of us know what the term “generic” means. Webster defines the word generic as “without a brand name.” Remember that definition because we will get back to it later.
Many of us have gotten accustomed to generic items because it costs less than the name brand, and we believe for the most part, the product is just as good. When it comes to medicines, unless you are on a prescription plan that covers the cost of your medicine, many people request the generic. We oftentimes rest assured that the generic is just as effective as the brand name because it has the same active ingredients and we think that the USDA would not allow it to be sold if there is a flaw in the medication or if it wasn’t effective.
If you look at the label on any store brand (generic) medicines or products, you will read on the label to compare this product with such and such brand name medicine or product. THEN IT WILL HAVE AN ASTERISK (*) BESIDE THAT STATEMENT. Many of you have never read the statement that the asterisk is referring to. Let me just paraphrase it to you. It may not make any difference to many of you concerning buying the generic medicines, but it does make a difference concerning your salvation. Paraphrasing the reference, it says, “THIS PRODUCT is not made BY THE MAKER...
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many of us know what the term “generic” means. Webster defines the word generic as “without a brand name.” Remember that definition because we will get back to it later.
Many of us have gotten accustomed to generic items because it costs less than the name brand, and we believe for the most part, the product is just as good. When it comes to medicines, unless you are on a prescription plan that covers the cost of your medicine, many people request the generic. We oftentimes rest assured that the generic is just as effective as the brand name because it has the same active ingredients and we think that the USDA would not allow it to be sold if there is a flaw in the medication or if it wasn’t effective.
If you look at the label on any store brand (generic) medicines or products, you will read on the label to compare this product with such and such brand name medicine or product. THEN IT WILL HAVE AN ASTERISK (*) BESIDE THAT STATEMENT. Many of you have never read the statement that the asterisk is referring to. Let me just paraphrase it to you. It may not make any difference to many of you concerning buying the generic medicines, but it does make a difference concerning your salvation. Paraphrasing the reference, it says, “THIS PRODUCT is not made BY THE MAKER...
..."THIS PRODUCT is not made BY THE MAKER of the brand name medicine that we want you to compare this with." In other words, if you don’t want to pay the price for the brand name product, our company thinks that our product can be an adequate substitute, but we want you to know that our product is not made by the maker of the name brand product. WE HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH THEM.
When it comes to Christianity and the Word of God, some churches think that the costs are too high to include the requirements that God is calling for. They look at the original formula (the Bible) and think because some people are unwilling to pay the price of the original, that people will be satisfied with a generic, cheaper product. Other churches may think that there are some things that are unnecessary in today’s church, so they decide to cut out of the original formula and leave it out their so-called formula.
People’s mentality today is if you don’t like something, you can always go somewhere else and get a comparable product. If you don’t like the original church, you can always find a generic, NO-NAME church to go to.
And since most of America today is concerned with cost, the mentality carries over that if you don’t like the sacrifice and the commitment required at a place where the NAME OF JESUS is found, then you can always find a generic church where it is half the sacrifice or half the cost or even sometimes, nothing, is required of you. But understand, finding the REAL THING is priceless.
Mat 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
This is the definition of the brand name, CHRISTIAN - having the qualities demonstrated and taught by Jesus Christ, and the true traits of the early disciples.
Generic Christianity is not a new thing that just started in the 20th and 21st centuries. Even the early church saw the evidence of the Generic mentality.
Acts 19:13-16
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
One man thought that he could buy his way in by giving money.
Acts 8:18-22
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Some folks do give big money supposing that they can give their way in and others use other things as their passport.
I know that comments like these might strike a nerve, but if so, that’s an indication that you need the Holy Ghost to do a deeper work in your heart. You can’t buy your way into a relationship with Jesus. To assume that you could would make you a Generic Christian.
Now, Generic Christians are not always hypocrites. Hypocrites are those claiming to be something that they are not.
But, instead, they are people who have been sold on the idea of a Christian social club rather than on Jesus Christ himself. They are people who have no idea what the meanings of faithfulness, commitment and sacrifice are, and the definitions of true humility, holiness, moral purity and righteousness have been left out of their teachings.
I feel sorry for some of these people because, where they worship, the code of morality is so vaguely defined that it’s a shame. They are sincere people, who are happy with the sensationalism and emotionalism of Christianity, constantly being fed the baby’s milk, and yet haven’t yielded a total surrender to Jesus, resisting deeper truth, and still living in carnality. They have become Superficial Christians with no real substance.
We are facing a real enemy of our soul and we need the real medicine to take care of the ailments of sin that we are born with. We don’t need placebos. Tell me, do you want a sugar pill or the real thing when the end result is going to be where you spend eternity?
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
It’s a shame that today churches need to be evangelized just as much as our world does. …That when you think about witnessing to somebody, the Generic Christian and the sinner look and act the same.
How can you know whether or not you are a generic Christian?
1. Are you a no-name Christian? Does it matter to you whether the name of Jesus was used in your baptism? The early church had the name called on them in baptism. Remember the asterisk on the label of the no-name brand. “This product is not made by the maker of the brand name medicine that we want you to compare this with." In other words, if you don’t want to pay the price for the brand name product, our company thinks that our product can be an adequate substitute, but we want you to know that our product is not made by the maker of the name brand product. We have no affiliation with them. We are just a substitute for the real thing.
2. Do an inventory of the things that you love most and list them in the order of importance to you. Now, what do your activities say are most important? Does your list and activities match up?
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
3. Are you easily offended?
Psalm 119:165
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
If Christianity is just another status among many others in your life, it’s possible that you are nothing more than a Generic Christian.
Heaven is not going to be peppered with no-named, not willing to pay the cost, Christians. Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
You need to be rejoicing if you have the NAME. But, if you have never been baptized in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the remission of your sins, then click on the link in this site to find a JESUS NAME church. "Generic" has no place in salvation when you see verses like Acts 4:12… Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. We need the NAME! Don't leave it out of your prescription for salvation.
When it comes to Christianity and the Word of God, some churches think that the costs are too high to include the requirements that God is calling for. They look at the original formula (the Bible) and think because some people are unwilling to pay the price of the original, that people will be satisfied with a generic, cheaper product. Other churches may think that there are some things that are unnecessary in today’s church, so they decide to cut out of the original formula and leave it out their so-called formula.
People’s mentality today is if you don’t like something, you can always go somewhere else and get a comparable product. If you don’t like the original church, you can always find a generic, NO-NAME church to go to.
And since most of America today is concerned with cost, the mentality carries over that if you don’t like the sacrifice and the commitment required at a place where the NAME OF JESUS is found, then you can always find a generic church where it is half the sacrifice or half the cost or even sometimes, nothing, is required of you. But understand, finding the REAL THING is priceless.
Mat 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
This is the definition of the brand name, CHRISTIAN - having the qualities demonstrated and taught by Jesus Christ, and the true traits of the early disciples.
Generic Christianity is not a new thing that just started in the 20th and 21st centuries. Even the early church saw the evidence of the Generic mentality.
Acts 19:13-16
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
One man thought that he could buy his way in by giving money.
Acts 8:18-22
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Some folks do give big money supposing that they can give their way in and others use other things as their passport.
I know that comments like these might strike a nerve, but if so, that’s an indication that you need the Holy Ghost to do a deeper work in your heart. You can’t buy your way into a relationship with Jesus. To assume that you could would make you a Generic Christian.
Now, Generic Christians are not always hypocrites. Hypocrites are those claiming to be something that they are not.
But, instead, they are people who have been sold on the idea of a Christian social club rather than on Jesus Christ himself. They are people who have no idea what the meanings of faithfulness, commitment and sacrifice are, and the definitions of true humility, holiness, moral purity and righteousness have been left out of their teachings.
I feel sorry for some of these people because, where they worship, the code of morality is so vaguely defined that it’s a shame. They are sincere people, who are happy with the sensationalism and emotionalism of Christianity, constantly being fed the baby’s milk, and yet haven’t yielded a total surrender to Jesus, resisting deeper truth, and still living in carnality. They have become Superficial Christians with no real substance.
We are facing a real enemy of our soul and we need the real medicine to take care of the ailments of sin that we are born with. We don’t need placebos. Tell me, do you want a sugar pill or the real thing when the end result is going to be where you spend eternity?
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
It’s a shame that today churches need to be evangelized just as much as our world does. …That when you think about witnessing to somebody, the Generic Christian and the sinner look and act the same.
How can you know whether or not you are a generic Christian?
1. Are you a no-name Christian? Does it matter to you whether the name of Jesus was used in your baptism? The early church had the name called on them in baptism. Remember the asterisk on the label of the no-name brand. “This product is not made by the maker of the brand name medicine that we want you to compare this with." In other words, if you don’t want to pay the price for the brand name product, our company thinks that our product can be an adequate substitute, but we want you to know that our product is not made by the maker of the name brand product. We have no affiliation with them. We are just a substitute for the real thing.
2. Do an inventory of the things that you love most and list them in the order of importance to you. Now, what do your activities say are most important? Does your list and activities match up?
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
3. Are you easily offended?
Psalm 119:165
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
If Christianity is just another status among many others in your life, it’s possible that you are nothing more than a Generic Christian.
Heaven is not going to be peppered with no-named, not willing to pay the cost, Christians. Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
You need to be rejoicing if you have the NAME. But, if you have never been baptized in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the remission of your sins, then click on the link in this site to find a JESUS NAME church. "Generic" has no place in salvation when you see verses like Acts 4:12… Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. We need the NAME! Don't leave it out of your prescription for salvation.
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