Shallow Faith in Deep Waters
Table Of Contents
Introduction
We are living in the physical world, but there is also a spiritual world operating at the same time. There are two invisible kingdoms operating in this world—the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. They exist parallel to each other, but they do not mingle. Jesus made this clear in the Gospel of John 18:36 when He said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Though we live in this physical world, it is presently influenced by darkness, governed by a ruler who stands in opposition to God and all that belongs to Him.
We as believers of the Gospel of the water and the Spirit have been transferred into another kingdom—the kingdom of light. The church is the visible expression of that invisible kingdom. If we do not understand this spiritual reality, we will be easily confused. We will begin to think like the world, act like the world, and align with the wrong kingdom without realizing it. That is why this message is a warning to us: understand the kingdom you belong to, grow in maturity, and do not be deceived.
Pragmatism
Pragmatism simply means choosing what is convenient, practical, or expedient—even if it compromises the Truth. We see this clearly in the Gospel of Matthew 16. Peter first received a stunning revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Lord commended him. Authority was given to him and he was entrusted with the keys of the kingdom—to declare how one enters and what shuts one out of the kingdom of God. Yet in the very next moment, Peter rebuked Jesus for speaking about suffering and the cross. Jesus turned to him and said, “Get behind Me, Satan,” because Peter was setting his mind on the things of man, not the things of God. He was unknowingly aligning with Satan’s agenda—seeking a kingdom without sacrifice.
When believers embrace pragmatism, they try to accomplish God’s work through human reasoning. They avoid pain, hostility, and rejection, choosing instead to protect reputation and comfort. In the church today, this appears as the desire to preach without offending, to attract without confronting sin, and to grow without calling people to repentance. They attempt to fulfill spiritual goals through worldly means. Believers of the Gospel of the water and Spirit ought to understand that the kingdom of darkness cannot assist the kingdom of light. If we are to preach the Gospel of the water and the Spirit and lead people into the kingdom, we must be willing to endure conflict and rejection. Maturity means setting our minds on the things of God, even when it costs us.
Syncretism
Syncretism is the blending of Christianity with non-Christian beliefs, cultural philosophies, or worldly ideologies. Instead of standing on the sufficiency of God’s Word, people begin mixing biblical truth with cultural practices. It may look harmless. It may seem loving. It may even appear strategic. But it is a deception. The Gospel is pure. It does not need cultural enhancement. It does not need worldly endorsement. When we mix the truth with worldliness, we dilute the message. The Gospel of the water and the Spirit proclaims that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ—through His baptism, death and resurrection and attained only by His grace. No tradition, no symbol, no cultural element can bring prosperity, peace, or salvation. Only Christ can.
When the church begins to blend in order to attract, it stops confronting sin. It stops speaking about judgment. It stops declaring what shuts a person out of the kingdom of God. The clarity of salvation becomes diluted. Even though the church has been entrusted with the authority to proclaim how one enters the kingdom and what shuts a person out. When these boundaries are blurred to avoid opposition, we mislead souls. We may create comfort, but we do not produce true transformation. Syncretism ultimately dishonors the holiness of God because it suggests that His truth must be supplemented by the world. But the kingdom of light does not depend on the kingdom of darkness. We are called to be separated, to uphold the purity of the Gospel, and to trust God with the results. Maturity means refusing to blend truth with error, even if it costs us popularity or acceptance.
Conclusion
Church, we belong to a different kingdom. We are not of this world, even though we are living in it. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness do not mingle. If we are immature, we will become easy prey to deception. Pragmatism will push us to seek convenience instead of obedience. Syncretism will tempt us to blend truth with the world. But we cannot want the crown without the cross. There will be hostility. There will be conflict. People may be offended. Yet we are called to stand firm, to preach the Gospel of the water and the Spirit, to declare clearly how one enters the kingdom of God and what shuts a person out. As we continue to stand in truth, God will continue to add those who are being saved.
Come be part of our physical church services — we’d love to have you!