Pretend World of Modern Churches

The pretend world of modern churches has become like the world. They do not seek Christ, they seek their own desires.

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts."

Romans 1:20-22 "…20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,…"

When we encounter those who attend church regularly but become angry and embarrassed at the mention of the name of Jesus Christ we know we have met a pretender. Those who love Christ love to discuss Him, His principles and how He is working in our hearts.

The modern churches have "religion" but they do not have Christ. As Adrian Rogers once said; "religion is man at his lowest."

Modern church goers think man is basically good, rather than what God said "that man is desperately wicked." Adrian Rogers also said; "the thought is the father of the deed."

So many "Christians" look at sinful deeds and believe the heart of man can be separate and distinct from the heart. It is not possible to do an evil deed and still have a good heart. God's word says that our deeds are what prove our hearts.

If we have a righteous heart we will not do evil deeds.

Psalm 37:23-24

"23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

And He delights in his way.

24 When he falls, he will not be hurled down,

Because the Lord is the One [a]who holds his hand."

Those who live a lifestyle of arrogance and rebellion are not born again. Those who are born-again confess to be cleansed at the slightest sinful act.

1 John 1:9

"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Only born-again believers have an advocate with the Father when they have sinned. Unbelievers have no such advocate.

1 John 2:1 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Because born-again believers have the Holy Spirit living in them they cannot tolerate it when they do sin in even the smallest way. They must at some point confess it to regain fellowship with God.

1 John 3:6-7 "6 No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous."

We practice a lifestyle commensurate with our heart condition. No one can live a lifestyle different from their heart permanently, those who are pretending on the outside without a heart change cannot sustain the pretense, and eventually, the real them will emerge. God sees the heart first and eventually, the people around the pretender who walk with God will at some point see it too.

Pretenders will not see their own hearts or the hearts of those around them, these things are Spiritually discerned, and only born-again believers will know what they are observing.

1 John 2:3

"By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments."

1 John 2:4

"If anyone says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

1 John 3:9

"Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God's seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

3 John 1:11

"Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God."