Pray for those who "became a Christian" because their family was or because they wanted to marry someone. Often these people joined the club because they wanted to be a part of something with someone else but were not transformed by God.
We have many pretenders in the church who become frightened by events in their life or the way the world seems to be falling apart but have no interest in being changed by Christ.
These people see "becoming a Christian" as a safety measure in case there is a real God up there somewhere they can appeal to when trials come. They become Christians too because there is someone they wanted and could not have unless they became a Christian.
Those who have not confessed their sinfulness in grief over it will never be born again. They use God as a safety measure not seeing Him as a Holy God Who deserves worship. They do not desire to be changed by Him into a new creation. They merely wish to be seen by others as good people with the added assurance of a safe life.
When someone becomes born again they no longer enjoy the sin they used to love. They no longer think the same way they thought before. One of the clues of a pretender is their embarrassment at the mention of Jesus Christ. They have nothing to say concerning Him. Very little has changed in their attitudes or actions except for verbiage. Often they change some things to be accepted but return to those things after they have been accepted by others. These people attend church every week while speaking only of their own life, their job, their fun, and their accomplishments without ever mentioning Christ.
Then there are those who have learned the lingo of the Christian community, they will use some of the verbiage as they twist the scriptures to fit their personal desired beliefs, still worldly and still self-focused. These people have no interest in the gospel to help others become born again. In fact, in most situations, these people could not repeat the true gospel to anyone because they do not understand it themselves.
These pretenders avoid those who speak of Christ often because they are not interested. They have everything to say about current events but little to say about Christ.
1 Timothy 4:1
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,"
Hebrews 3:12
"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."
Those who fall away are those who have never been born again. They were never changed by Christ because they had no interest in Him, obeying Him, or seeking Him for their lives. They do not worship, they do not have faith and they do not enjoy discussions about Him.
Luke 8:13
"And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away."
Just like Judas, the pretenders have heard the gospel, have been with people who lived for Christ and learned some things to say to fit into the group, but they have never been changed by Christ and Christ does not dwell in them. Christ will not change or dwell in anyone who merely wants His perks but does not want to be changed by Him.
These pretenders have tasted of the fruit by hearing the gospel and spending time with saved people but were never changed themselves because their heart was based on self-worship and a desire to use God instead of being used by Him. These are prideful, self-righteous people full of greed for pleasure, money and everything else that will enhance their own life experience.
These pretenders depend more on their own thinking than that of the mind of Christ. In fact, when things get tough their go-to mindset is based on their own minds almost entirely, often using scripture to justify their desired beliefs.
If they are not sure about something they go to their favorite "experts" instead of prayer to seek Christ. The ideas of men loom high on their priority list, above Christ, He ends up at the bottom of the list when no one else has the answers or solutions.
We see this in many Christians today, they seek out the advice of those who will say what they wish to hear, also based on their pride, rather than seeking Christ.
They often accuse others of lack of faith for not doing things their way, when they are the ones whose faith is in themselves and their experts. These people do not listen to anything from anyone unless it is what they wish to hear.
Pretenders are often given to gossip, false information as well as anything that will flatter and enhance their pride.
Matthew 24:24 "For there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
These pretenders will believe the false stories and gossip without any prayer. They do not seek Christ, they seek only their desired beliefs that elevate their personal pride. There is much of this in the church today. Because of these self-righteous and foolish people we see continual in-fighting.
Satan loves this in-fighting, he caused it and feeds it through continual disinformation and misinformation. Because the prideful person cannot admit they may not know everything and they do not walk by faith they dig in their heels and refuse to pray about the error they are sucking into their minds every day.
My advice based on God's Word is this:
1 John 2:19
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us."
2 Timothy 4:3
"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,"
Romans 16:17-18 "17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the naive.…"
When you discern through the Holy Spirit that someone is divisive and contentious, avoid them, they will be continually causing unnecessary problems. Those who are with the divisive person must also be avoided until the day they come to you admitting their divisiveness wanting to repent and change their ways.
Let the Holy Spirit guide as you encounter these people, some may be open to hearing a correction, others may not, which is the reason we must wait on God and allow them to approach us.
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