What Does the Bible Say About Pretenders?
People pretend to make something unreal look so realistic. Not all that glitters is gold. During political campaigning, at times politicians wonder why all the people who cheered them and came out for rallies didn’t still vote for them.
Possibly, these people came out we the hope of gaining some advantage, maybe they were bored at home and decided to be outdoors in their event, or just maybe. After voting ends they’d realize they had fewer votes compared to the statistics from the turnout.
Matthew 15:8 MSG
These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it.They act like they’re worshiping me-
Many today attend churches, not for the sake of worshipping God or obeying him. No wonder the Bible says, “These people draweth nigh to me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me”(v 8 KJV). When a man is able to consider the good hands of the Lord and his promises, he will not be a pretender.
Ephesians 4:11-12 AMP
And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];-
Ephesians 4:11-12 AMP
Not pretending and instead being loyal to the church is what God wants. The Church is the channel through which growth and blessing flow to Christians. This is why the Father hath given to the Church ministerial gifts for perfecting of the church, and loyalty to the church will endear us these blessings.
But, why should we be loyal to the church? Let us consider reasons to be loyal to the church.
- It is because she acts like the mouthpiece of God.
Acts 13:1-2 AMP
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets [who spoke a new message of God to the people] and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, and Saul-
Acts 13:1-2 AMP
- Jesus is the head of the church
Colossians 1:18 AMP
He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.
Colossians 1:18 AMP
Just as being patriotic to our countries, or being loyal to a monarch. God has instituted the church for us and vested authority in them. If you are loyal to the church, then you stand to be blessed.
Romans 3:23 KJV
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23 KJV
Acting like we were born flawless like some superheroes makes us pretenders. The Bible says for all have sinned. Remember that our flaws as Christians do not make us pretenders. We are, however, arrogant, hypocritical, and pretenders when we claim that we were born flawless – that we have no flaws, that we have never sinned, and that we never stumble or make mistakes.
Pretenders are Worse Than Murderers Bible verse
Who is a murderer? A murderer is one who commits the crime of murder. What is murder? the crime of unlawfully killing a person, especially with malice aforethought.
What does it mean to pretend? It means to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing. Who is a pretender? A pretender is one who puts on a false or hypocritical act.
Proverbs 6:17 AMP
A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.-
Proverbs 6:17 AMP
Pretense and murder are among the six things which the Lord hates. pretense is lying and murder is shedding blood. Which technically means these two are sins, and the wages of sin is death.
Genesis 9:5 AMP
For your lifeblood I will most certainly require an accounting; from every animal [that kills a person] I will require it. And from man, from every man’s brother [that is, anyone who murders] I will require the life of man.-
Genesis 9:5 AMP
This is the story of how God blessed Noah and his sons after the great flood, giving them rules they had to abide by while granting them reign over the animals and freedom from dread of them.
With the freedom to consume meat, but not blood; with divine care and preservation of their lives from men and animals by instituting a law that any man or animal that sheds human blood shall perish. The ten Commandments God gave to Moses in which one of it states thou shall not kill. To take life is a sin.
What does the Bible Say About Pretending to be Someone You’re Not?
Giving a first impression matters. And it is this first impression that people would know us to be. However, what happens if it’s been fake all this while? It’s difficult to force oneself to be someone you’re not wired to be.
Sometimes in life, we are put in situations that force us to adapt and become someone we are not. You may be able to push yourself to your limits for years, if not decades. When it comes to the Kingdom walk, we do have a choice of being true believers.
James 1:22 AMP
But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].
James 1:22 AMP
In James’ writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. He admonishes them to be doers of the Word. That there are some amongst the brethren who claim to know God, yet their actions prove otherwise. these people are totally misrepresenting-pretending to be who they are not. They are abhorrent, disobedient, and unsuited for any decent task.
2 Timothy 3:13 AMP
But evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:13 AMP
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an imposter as one that assumes a false identity or title for the purpose of deception. Contemporarily, there has been a rapid increase in the number of clergies.
From those who say they have a call to those who come in for the sake of their personal gain (the impostors), These false prophets come into the fold assuming false identities for the sake of deceiving people and leading them astray. They come giving the first impression that they are genuine and thereafter turn around. There are so many impostors including popular televangelists. Only time will tell whose is the Lord.
Bible Verse About Pretending to be Good
On social media or generally around the internet, some people would rather maintain their anonymity and present a false character of themselves. This especially applies to hackers. When they want to get certain information from you, they chat in quite an emotional and comforting way- pretending to be good. Not until they achieve their aim.
Matthew 7:20 AMP
Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].-
Matthew 7:20 AMP
It doesn’t matter how passionate we are during Sunday worship services; if our hearts don’t love what God loves, detest what God hates, and break over what breaks God’s heart, if we aren’t motivated to actual action, then we are pretending.
Matthew 12:34 AMP
You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.-
Matthew 12:34 AMP
Recently in Nigeria, a popular motivational speaker was napped by the police after it was realized he lived a double life- doubling as a kidnapper.
The case here had been that his quite recent photo of worship in the church where he seemed quite broken and in real worship surfaced online including all other of his social media posts of how God has been good to him.
The truth remains just as the Bible has stated that the mouth (actions) speaks that which is already in the mind. Pretending is deception, it cannot be hidden for long.
Bible verse About Acting like a Christian
Light is a type of energy that is required by all living creatures on Earth, either directly or indirectly, for efficient survival. Medical researchers have revealed that people who are blind or visually handicapped may still utilize their eyes to detect the quantity of light in their surroundings.
This allows them to control their internal biological clocks like the rest of us who are not visually impaired.
Matthew 5:16 KJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.-
Matthew 5:16 KJV
Believers were to be like lights for lamps, not concealed beneath baskets but put on lampstands to light the path for all to see. Jesus’ message is to assume his identity in his heavenly Father.
God desires for the world to be able to see him through his people. Live righteously for the sake of God. Being a light entails letting others come into contact with that light via service and connection, as well as sharing with them how you have the joy of Jesus to assist you through difficulties and pain.
2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.-
2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV
As ambassadors, our actions speak louder than words to those around us. We may believe that we are representing Christ if we frequently talk of and act like Him to others.
Apostle Paul discusses the ministry of reconciliation in his letter to the Corinthians, and he uses the term “ambassadors” for Christ: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” And he has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation.
What Does the Bible Say About Religious Hypocrites?
A hypocrite is someone who professes to have some sort of moral righteousness, qualities, religious views, values, or the like that he or she does not truly have, especially if their actions contradict their professed convictions.
1 John 1:8-10 MSG
If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
1 John 1:8-10 MSG
We delude ourselves if we pretend we have no sin, yet the truth is not in us. He is true and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness if we confess them. We render him a liar if we declare we haven’t sinned, yet his word isn’t in us.
Isaiah 29:13 MSG
These people make a big show of saying the right thing,but their hearts aren’t in it. Because they act like they’re worshiping me but don’t mean it
Isaiah 29:13 MSG
The Lord is saying this because these people approach me with their mouths and worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.
