Authentic or a Pretender

John 3:16-17
"16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."

God died to pay the debt for our sin, the debt that required the shedding of blood in payment.

The conditions for appropriating this salvation is to just believe on Him.

We simply believe and He comes to live in us beginning the process of changing us.

We are instantly a new creation. No longer thinking the way we did before, changing our response to life.

This change is observed by those around us. If there has not been a change then there has not been a born again experience.

The condition required to believe is too easy for most people. The pride of man causes them to desire to be good without having to trust anyone else but themselves. They want to participate in their own salvation so as not to let go of their personal power.

The pride in mankind prevents the relinquishing self control to God.

There are those who become a Christian in order to be accepted by good people, not because they know they are sinful.

Unless there is confession of sinfulness there cannot be salvation. Joining a Christian church to be validated by good people is not a means to salvation. All those who have entered church gatherings because they like the lifestyle better or they enjoy the good people in those gatherings more than the company of evil people remain self focused and willful rather than Christ focused and submissive to Him.

Appearances are at the root of pretentious pretenders. They will follow some rules of the gathering but will not submit to the principles of Christ as spoken of in the Scriptures. Self is still on the throne in these individuals.

I fear that most church gatherings are full of these self satisfied pretenders.

Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
"21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

These passages describe those who have "a form of religion" but deny Christ and His principles by their lifestyles and attitudes.

It is only when Christ changes us that we are changed on the inside permanently. The change is a heart and spiritual change that no man can make through his own effort. The change is a work of God not of the flesh of man.

Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

The change in us that God creates is authentic, spiritual and permanent. The cleansing continues to the end of our existence on this earth. When we stray He disciplines his children to bring us back to obedience. The key to understanding this is that we know when we have done wrong, it plagues us until we confess.

In the pretender there is no guilt or conscience over sinfulness, there is only a defensive posture if ever confronted with their sin.
This is one way we can see the pretender for what they are and the authentic person for what they are, the difference is undeniable to the discerning eye.

God said this to believers: 1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

He told us we would be disciplined in the following passages;

Hebrews 12:5-7
"…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

The pretender defends their sin and fights against spiritual chastisement and growth.

The believe is ashamed of their sin and desires to be cleansed by God.