Pretenders in the Church Dominate

We come to Christ as we are but we do not remain like that. Christ changes us into a new creation, the old is passed away, this means the way we think is completely different from before we were born-again and this determines how we act.

There are many play actors in the modern church. Those who want to be associated with Christians, being seen as good people for attending a good church, but most have not been born again.

We know this by the way many people will quote a man rather than the Bible when making their points about what is right. Often these people speak things they think are wise but are in opposition to the Bible.

We know their heart when we correct them using God's Word and they become angry, even punishing us for daring to use God's Word. Their focus is not on His Word or truth, it's about their embarrassment and desire to be seen as wise, in other words, their entire focus is on themselves and how they felt when they were corrected.

When we encounter a lack of honest openness with people we know it comes from those who are living a false persona in front of others but have a heart inside that still trusts in themselves or other people rather than Christ. Many of these people are highly defensive when they, in their own minds, have not won the discussion. For the narcissist, any discussion is about winning over someone, not for the purpose of learning the truth or understanding the other person.

Those who use rudeness to intimidate and mock others are those who are not honest. If they were honest they would stay to the subject without going after the personal character of the one who disagrees.

Those who resort to character assassination in a discussion are attempting to start a fight so they can point their finger at the end of the discussion and say; "see how you are", even though they provoked the fight. If we do not fight with them, remaining calm and getting back on the topic they will accuse us of fighting, in other words, they project onto us what they are doing but we are not. I have seen this happen many times in my life. When this happens I never again engage with that person in a discussion, they cannot control their emotional impulses. Someone like this will never listen and they never learn.

Proverbs 18:2

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."

Proverbs 29:11

"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."

Proverbs 1:7

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 18:6

"A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating."

Proverbs 29:9

"If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet."

Equally foolish are those who continue to try to converse with fools.

Proverbs 26:3-5

"3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the back of fools.

4 Do not answer a fool [a]according to his foolishness,

Or you will also be like him.

5 Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,

So that he will not be wise in his own eyes."