False gods can be identified by their inability to save without human effort, as shown in the Bible.
The scriptures provide criteria for recognizing false gods: they require human effort and cannot save their worshipers. Psalm 115 contrasts the living God with idols made by human hands that lack the ability to act or save. This resonates with the message conveyed in the sermon concerning the absurdity of seeking after gods that could not deliver their own people. If a god necessitates that we contribute something to our salvation, it is not the true God of the Bible, who saves entirely by His own power and grace. The true God does not require our aid; instead, He performs acts of salvation independently of our efforts, which distinguishes Him from all false deities.
Commentary