A wicked believer can be amongst us in the Christian community whether or not we like to admit it. Christians need to stop propping themselves up and pretending that they are better than everyone else. We are all sinners and will continue to be until the day we die. What separates our sin from the rest of the world is that we can identify our sin, acknowledge our sin and repent from our sin. As believers, we have tools given to us by the Holy Spirit that help us walk the opposite direction of sin. That is for the most part true. However, there are still wicked believers among us.
What makes someone a wicked believer? It is a pretty simple. Someone who believes in Christ but does not follow him. People who identify as Christian are not always Christ-followers. I speak these words to warn you of the behavior and encourage you to use discernment. I am not telling you to judge the heart of another person, but to identify them by the fruits that they bear. When you witness a bad behavior or action, do not let it go unchecked simply because of the Christian card. Wicked believers will say one thing and do another. These individuals are referred to by the Bible as ravenous wolves.
Matthew 7:15 New American Standard Bible
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
A wicked believer will lead you to a false Jesus and a false Gospel.
Just because someone claims to follow Jesus, does not mean that they do. Satan knows Jesus and he has even had conversations with him. If you look at Matthew 4, Satan tried to tempt Jesus. Satan wanted Jesus to follow him, not the other way around. In the same way, a wicked believer will try to get you to follow them instead of Jesus. Know this brothers and sisters, if someone who proclaims to be a Christian is not pointing you to Jesus, make sure to be on heightened alert. When we are fully emersed with the Holy Spirit, we seek out Jesus, we proclaim Jesus and point people towards him. I do not trust anyone who puts themselves in a better position by drawing eyes off the Lord.
Many Christians lack discernment, this is one of the reasons why I wrote “A Typical Christian”. I give many examples in my life of where God has worked through me and others to further his kingdom. Everything good in my life can be pointed back to God. When things do not go well, it is usually caused by an interference by Satan or one of his minions. Most of the times that I pray to about my enemies, my prayer is directly pointed at people who call themselves Christians. I hold someone that proclaims to be a Christian to a different standard than someone who does not know Jesus.
Yes, there are infant Christians, and I am fully aware of the expectations that we should have for them. I am not speaking about them but referencing those that supposedly have a mature Holy Spirit dwelling in them. No longer will I sit passively by as these counterfeits pretend to speak the words of God while at the same time mincing the words of the Bible. No more slapping a smile on my face and pretending like the behavior being exhibited by these faux Christians is acceptable. I will be using the discernment that God has given me, through the words of the Bible that God has spoken to me, and I will deliver them with truth in love. Keep in mind brothers and sisters, sometimes being loving means handing out accountability. When you spot a wicked believer speak out, rebuke the behavior and welcome repentance with open arms. Refusing to repent does deserve grace.