Pretenders give off clues that we can see but in our culture are reluctant to "judge" them by their fruit.
Matthew 7:15-20 "15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
When we are honest and seeking truth we will see the clues. The clues are always violations of the scriptures pertaining to character. One thing I have to tell people all the time is that no one can be different on the outside from the condition of their heart on the inside. The heart comes first, then the actions.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Those who have love in their heart will not have to "try real hard" to be loving. They will operate instinctively from the standpoint of love in all situations.
A lifestyle of love is effortless for those who possess love in their hearts.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."
Christ's love dwells in those who have changed into a new creation by Him. They do not live a lifestyle of sin, crudeness or rudeness.
Romans 7:7-13
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet…"
1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 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. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
Christians may sin from time to time but they hate it and eventually will confess to be cleansed.
Romans 12:9
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
Proverbs 8:13
"The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate."
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