97: False Believers, True Faith: Why “Knowing Jesus” Is More Than Belief

Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” truly knows Him. In this episode of Naughty vs Nice, Todd, Laura, and Kelly unpack Jesus’ sobering words from Matthew 7:13–23: the narrow gate, false prophets in sheep’s clothing, and the difference between bad fruit and good fruit. We wrestle with questions many believers secretly ask: How can you tell the difference between belief and real faith? Why do some people look transformed but are really just wearing religion as a mask? What does it mean to abide in Christ instead of treating salvation like a transaction? Along the way, we connect this to modern church culture—why so many Christians confuse positivity with discernment, how occult “manifestation” ideas sneak into church life, and the danger of excusing bad fruit for the sake of being “nice.” If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re known by Jesus—or just know about Him—this episode will give you the framework to discern truth from deception and to rest in Christ’s finished work. References Scripture: Matthew 7:13–23; Revelation 2:10; John 15; John 17; James 2:19; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Revelation 3:16 Other Mentions: Tim Keller (sermon illustration), prosperity gospel, occult “law of attraction” #christianpodcast #applepodcasts #spotifypodcasts #patreon #theology #biblestudy #faithoverfear #discernment #occult #falseprophets #abidinginChrist