True or False.
We should not feel any false guilt in weighing up those who claim to be 'Christian', to put them to the test.

True or False believers?
Can you tell the difference?


      Having been treated extremely badly by a church and afterwards many many times worse by the denomination (apostles, overseers), a question has arisen in my mind.  Are these people who have turned to spiritual abuse, manipulation and general horribleness really Christians, or are they really fakes.
      They may call themselves 'christians', and have positions of respect and power.  But they certainly have not acted like Christ or repented of certain sins (already mentioned) and seem to have no intention of doing so either.  They can even justify and lying and  deception as 'for the best of the church', but is that good enough?  Are they deceiving themselves?  Will they be saved or will they be rejected and condemned by God at the judgement?   I have been told more than once by well meaning people that they are believers too and are hurting too, and as such we should just forgive and move on.  That what happened was just unfortunate and often happens when there are two sides in a situation.
      That is a problem.  If a 'believer' physically or sexually abused someone, they would be held accountable by law and imprisoned if found guilty.  With emotional and spiritual abuse this is not the case, but the effects can be just as bad.  Often if you point this out to these people (their abuse), they turn on you and accuse you of the same thing in their narcissistic blame-shifting manner that seems to come naturally to them!  This is of course a very generalised return of fire, and they cannot come up with any specifice of this supposed abuse.

      I have trouble with this, mostly because the behaviour was so bad - the Bible calls it sin pure and simple, doesn't it?  The damage to our family has been and still is taking its toll.  My guess is it will take years to recover.
      Indeed, I have been contacted by other ex-pastors and elders who have had very similar stories to tell.  Some are still hurting after decades!
      The 'other side' are still justifying themselves and labelling us and will it seems have nothing to do with owning their own actions and slanders, or any other form of facing the reality of what their actions have done and shown them up to be.

      So, do we count them as brothers and sisters in the Lord?  As Christian believers?  As genuine (even if confused) followers of Jesus Christ?
 Or do we assign them, albeit very sadly, as false disciples and false apostles as the Bible describes?  Does the cap fit well enough?
Well, I have trouble with both lines of reasoning actually, for a few reasons: (Hey, I don't know their final outcome, but I can read the Bible and have felt the pain of their words and deeds though, is that not the reality test?).

  • The Bible records all sorts of problems in the New Testament within the church, or body of believers.  It could be argued that Paul recommended that a brother be put our of fellowship so he would learn a lesson, but received back into fellowship later.  He was still seen as a brother.  This brother was probably not a leader is a position of trust however, and his sin was fairly obviously an outrage.  In many other place however there is teaching about false brethren, false apostles, false prophets and other teaching reminding us that all who make claim to being christian, but are not,  will be rejected.  They are described as false, and we are told to have nothing to do with them.
  • In this post-modern, PC thinking world where only 'nice' things are allowed to be mentioned and everyone in inclusively accepted by default.  Close examination and belief in what the Bible has to say about falseness if frowned upon and a very unpopular subject.  So what?  Just because a large group subscribe to something false does not make it any less false!  Many people live in a pretend world in their minds and dream up all sorts of fantasies, and those who subscribe to such while also saying they believe the Bible is the Word of God. When pressed in any form of detail however, they soon show that this is far from the case.  The fact is that the Bible describes very well who and how we are to make judgements on this matter.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from
the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him,
and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual man makes judgements about all things,
but he himself is not subject to any man's judgement:
1 Corinthians 2.14f

You, however,
are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit,
if the Spirit of God lives in you.
And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,
he does not belong to Christ.
Romans 8:9


  • People become offended if you ask if they really are Christian.  There can of course be a huge difference between some who claims to be 'christian' and someone who is a 'follower of Jesus' (that is, someone who lives it seriously).  Not surprising really.  This is what  hypocrisy is, claiming one thing while the reality is different.     Some have been going to church and claiming belief or faith for many years or decades.  They really think they are genuine, but they are not following the way of Christ and have little regard for his ways and do not follow his teaching.  The scary thing is that we all have to test ourselves in this respect.  It is scriptural that the church has both tares and wheat attending.  Wolves (remember, the ones who will tear you to pieces?) and sheep, old wine skins and new.  One preacher says it scares him that he realises that the wolves (or goats) really think they are sheep and really don't know they are really wolves!  Could this really be so?  Or in their hearts, do they?  Anyway, that is not really our concern - our concern is to put things to the Biblical test.

I preached that they should repent and turn to God
and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Acts 26.20


By their fruit  you will recognize them.
Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:16


      It is the responsibility of the mature believer / leader / church to point out a persons sins to them and guide them to repentance - Gently, lovingly, but firmly.  It is also their responsibility to only choose leaders who are proved to be the genuine article - note above scriptures.

      From these scriptures it can easily be seen that if a someone who claims to be a believer is producing bad fruit, and are unrepentant - they are false.  Do they lie, hate you, say all sorts of evil about you and if fronted refuse to admit these sins, refuse to apologise, justify themselves, and just keep on hurting you - what else can you say?  Are they to be counted as true believers?  The Bible says not, doesn't it?  (please email me if I am wrong..., help me out here!) The Bible does tell you to test them by their deeds...

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.
I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you
have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not,
and have found them false.
Revelation 2:2


      The church are instructed very clearly to test and make judgements about who are false.
      Well, I have to admit, I have my suspicions that a lot of what is called 'christian', and 'church', and 'loving', 'genuine' is in fact far far from what the face value claims.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You are like whitewashed tombs,
which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full
of dead men's bones and everything unclean."
Matthew 23:27


      Jesus put it so well didn't he?  There seem to be a lot of whitewashed tombs about!  I find it hard to accept that what calls itself 'real' is real just because it says and insists it is read.  There must be an applicable test.  I was brought up to believe that sin is sin, wrong is wrong and falseness is definitely false, whatever it calls itself.
      The Bible calls us to RUN from such falseness and have nothing to do with it and such people who, it seems, have severed their consciences.  No matter what they wear and how good their eloquent words are and convincing they sound from a pulpit, it counts for nothing
      Today's crime in their minds is to judge them, to point out or even mention the word 'sin'.  They are drowning themselves in Jesus love, singing nice songs and positive talk sermons, but mention their behaviour is sinful and you very quickly become a problem and will be rejected, sidelined and removed in one way or another (but it won't be nice, gentle or loving!).

      We are called to be wise about these things - not slippery, not PC, not evasive - but wise.  Yes, there are definitely true people and there are just as surely false ones too that come under the heading of 'christian'.  In this post-modern era there is also a huge grey area where this sick philosophy deliberately attempts to blur the line, deny the truth.   Remember, truth brings sanity and anything else by whatever name brings confusion and insanity.  The TRUTH sets you free said Jesus.  This must mean that the opposite is also true.

      If you disagree with me, I challenge you to read your New Testament all the way through with these things in mind, and then think again.  It is full of situations where falseness is tested....

      Remember, for someone who has chosen to not believe, they have exercised their God given 'free will' and that is their free choice.  No issue.  For the imposter, things are much worse.  They are in a mental dilemma!  They pretend to be, but are not when the test is applied…  Scary stuff...

So, do you pass the Biblical test?  It is worth thinking very carefully about that…

Feel free to email me with any questions or for help…  Email address is below.

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