The False Convert
(Not a Myth!)
I was blessed to offer my testimony recently (see THE CHRISTIAN section of this site). During that step in my life, I was asked what I wanted my take-away message to be. It was then that my goals became clear. I’ve known for quite some time that I am a light for Christ. It’s the basis of my mission (The Great Commission), founded on Acts 13:47 and Matthew 28:19-20. It’s my source for the creation of Lights in the Darkness. However, I never tried to identify the engine that was driving my desires. When asked what my take-away message was, I replied:
There is such a thing as a false convert, and I was one of them.
There is such a thing as a false convert, and I was one of them.
In realizing this, I’ve acknowledged one of my purposes in life is to reach out to others and help them see where they truly stand with Christ. I honestly believe there are so many false converts walking in delusion because of “modern Christianity” and other misunderstandings. They hear, “All you have to do is pray this prayer, and you’ll be saved.” Or they encounter misleading influences from family, friends, and even “pastors,” causing them to believe they are a Christian, when they are really not living a truly saved life in the Spirit. So, I guess you could say, as part of this mission, I feel led to expose this modern misguidance and help others see possible “symptoms” of being a false convert.
The Mode of Salvation
(1) The true full Gospel is not really being delivered from those who proclaim the name of Christ, especially at a vast number of pulpits today. Many pastors/ overseers, celebrities, social-media influencers, and Average Joes only focus on “love“—the world’s definition of love, and a progressive “Christian” outlook.
While Biblical love is certainly something to be preached (matter of fact, it is commanded!), we cannot forget truth. There is too little about turning from sin and God’s wrath in modern evangelism, too much finger pointing at “legalism” and “judging,” and too small amount of Scripture in actual context (exegesis). Truth and love must work together in making disciples for Christ. However, they must be balanced. God is Love and Mercy and Justice and Wrath equally—He doesn’t have these, He IS these, the very standard for them.
They also focus on prosperity and emotions. The modern pulpit sounds more like a self-help, positive-thinking, motivational speech (“Me-ology“) than exegetical preaching about God, His Word, the Gospel, and being a disciple of Christ (Theology). From it seeps promises of health, wealth and prosperity, word-of-faith preaching, and other falsehoods that Satan cleverly weasels in.
Furthermore, authentic repentance and baptism to receive forgiveness and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and true renewal and surrender isn’t being taken seriously (Romans 6.) We have some pastors, celebrities who proclaim the name of Christ, conference leaders, and so many others telling us to “Say this simple prayer with me and be saved!” or “All you have to do is repent and ‘trust’ in Christ.“
*a few of which I have even promoted, because the material they generate usually have some very excellent points, and if it can be at all beneficial to helping someone grow and learn, it is something I will continue to support . Nevertheless, I want to make clear, not all their views are necessarily my own.
Those believing they are being “saved” by that one simple prayer often tend to do so in moments of high emotion. But it remains just that. Emotion. There is no genuine Christ-filled conviction. There is no awareness of sin and sincere repentance, and there is a huge lack of consideration for baptism. No matter what you’ve heard about baptism, let me point out this: BAPTISM IS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION. It is not just a “symbol” of your new relationship with Christ (nowhere is that found in Scripture). It’s not just an outward act to support an inward commitment (nowhere is that found in Scripture). It is necessary! It is the obedience of dying to sin and self, surrendering ourselves completely to Christ (making Him our Lord/Owner), and being resurrected in the Spirit, in new life.
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
“Baptized was burial. Raised up out of the water was newness of life. Raised up out of the water was coming out of the grave which was the likeness and representation of Christ’s resurrection. All those years I’d been told baptism wasn’t necessary and that it had nothing to do with being saved only to find in my own Bible that we are buried with Christ by baptism, planted together by baptism in the likeness of death.” (Shank 266)
When asked by the unsaved, “Brothers, what shall we do?,” God the Holy Spirit, speaking through Peter (the blessing of Pentecost) states, “Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). Both forgiveness and reception of the Holy Spirit are results of salvation, thus making it necessary for baptism to receive the two—to complete salvation. “Whatever else the Spirit did for sinners in the OT era, he did not regenerate them as he has now been doing since Pentecost” (Cottrell 295). Jesus Christ Himself commands, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19) and “Whoever believes AND is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16). All in all, if we aren’t buried, dying to sin, and resurrected, raised to new life in Christ for the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we cannot rightfully say we are saved. How can one be a disciple if he is not saved? How can one be saved and not be a disciple? ESV study notes state, “Baptism seems to have followed closely after each person’s profession of faith (often in urgency, like Acts 8:37;16:32; 22:16)”—because they go together! (For a more in-depth study, see the BAPTISM section of this site—see also Romans 6/ Acts 2:37-38; 19:1-6; 22:16/ 1 Peter 3:21/ Colossians 2:9-15/ Galatians 3:23-29/ Matthew 28:19-20
Sin After “Conversion“
(2) We are known by the fruit we bear. Let me tell you, I was the good girl growing up. I went to church often. I checked off all the boxes of the average Christian, but I had no idea what it meant to be a genuine Christian, and I certainly didn’t have a real relationship with Christ. Some people think they have successfully surrendered to Christ but continue to live in sin. Many believe that Paul’s writings about freedom are ones that give them a license to sin, and then simply ask for forgiveness later on. They pick out Scripture that comforts them and strokes their ego (like Romans 8:1) but leave the rest (I’ll talk more about that in a minute). So, as far as living in sin and believing you’re a Christian goes, consider the following verses:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
1 John 3:4-10 (THIS ONE ESPECIALLY)
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
“You adulterous (spiritually unfaithful) people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
“’Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. ‘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. 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?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”‘”
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: ‘The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.'”
These are just a few. Does this mean that those truly saved will never sin? No. Even when truly saved, we are not perfect. Now, please, don’t let this confuse you! There is a huge difference between growing in the Spirit, learning, and slipping up, and willingly participating in and promoting sin. When we are truly saved, and the Holy Spirit thrives in us, He will help us see sin for what it really is (acknowledge sin for what it is), prompt in us the desire to flee from it, create boundaries to keep us from it, and cultivate in us the desire to help others see it in the same light (so that they may be led to Christ genuinely through repentance). How can a Christian boldly proclaim Christ if he lives just like the world? 1, 2, 3 John are great books to read about this.
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
The key here is knowing it isn’t solely about sin and repentance, but consecration. The Hebrew word for consecrate in Scripture is qāḏaš, and it means “sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate” (Blue Letter Bible). It is a verb, therefore it is actively setting ourselves apart from the world in holiness. Repentance stops and turns from sin, but consecration is intentionally living a lifestyle which pleases, glorifies, and magnifies God. The genuine Christian thirsts for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). The genuine Christian strives to grow to maturity through consecration (Ephesians 4). The genuine Christian doesn’t ask, “Can I do ____ and still be saved?” It’s not about what one can get away with and still be “OK” with God. If that’s the mindset, that’s a red flag!
Lack of Personal Growth (Through the Study of God’s Word)
(3) Now back to that statement about Scripture. Another symptom of being a false convert is not only continuing a lifestyle of sin but failure to produce fruit of the Spirit. As I stated in the last point, we are known by the fruit we bear (or lack thereof!). Additionally, false converts are blinded by the mistake of taking Scripture out of context and/or may hold a low view of Scripture as the authoritative Word of God, in which they may neglect the reading and studying of the Bible altogether. If we have the Holy Spirit residing in us (at genuine salvation), He will illuminate truth—helping us understand the Gospel of Christ and God’s Word (this is the biblical doctrine of illumination—John 14:26; 16:12-15/ Ephesians 1:17-18/ 1 Corinthians 2:6-16). As we grow in Christ, we’ll develop the desire to study His Word. We’ll want to know what He’s trying to tell us. We will hunger for His Word (Matthew 4:4). Therefore, we’ll read, study, and reflect on Scripture. And there are so many study tools out there to do this—to comprehend a verse by considering its historical and literary context and its intended audience and meaning (exegesis). One website I like to use personally, as you’ll see in my studies, is BlueLetterBible.org. Something important to keep in mind here is found in 2 Timothy 3,
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Not only will we desire to understand Scripture, but we’ll look at every aspect of life through it—through what we call a Biblical-tinted lens. From politics and entertainment to the age of the earth and relationships—everything will be approached through the God-breathed Word—Scripture. Once again, a genuine Christian desires Christ to be upheld/glorified in EVERY area of life at ALL times.
Failure to Fulfill The Great Commission—Interaction with Others
(4) Thinking about sin and taking Scripture out of context leads me to my final point. A false convert will typically try to please the world [the lost] by shouting “Do not judge” (Matthew 7 severely misused and removed from proper context) and “legalism.” They’d rather take the laissez-faire, as-long-as-it-makes-them-happy, I-don’t-want-to-offend-them approach than love them enough to lovingly and gently confront their sin and bring them the Gospel of Christ. How can individuals repent and turn from sin if they are blind to the sin they’re in? False converts confuse the lost by saying certain sins are reasonable (yes, I have abortion and homosexuality in mind—two of the most highly “debated” sins today). They admit they wouldn’t necessarily participate in those sins themselves, but they condone their peers’ lifestyles and life choices. They overtly take more progressive, liberal views (and I don’t mean that as a political term, but one that shows a worldly view over a Biblical, Godly view—one which shows the lack of care for the souls of the ones they are supposed to “love”). Let me say this, if you are a genuine Christian, you are going to desire to carry out the Great Commission and see as many saved souls as possible. If you don’t, that right there is the first huge red flag that should scare you. The genuine Christian will desire what Paul mentions in Ephesians 5.
“for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Yes, Jesus dined with sinners. However, contrary to many people’s beliefs, Jesus didn’t join them to accept, condone, agree with, identify with, support, or justify what they were doing. It was just the opposite, in fact. He told them to follow Him, denying themselves (take up their cross, dying to self and sin—Matthew 16:24-25). He called them to repentance, stating, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31). Jesus saved the adulterous woman from being stoned, proclaiming He didn’t condemn her, but He also told her to “go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11).
Jesus mentions many times about bringing the Kingdom of Heaven near. He came to bring a restored relationship with God. The one mankind broke in the Garden. In order to do this, those sinners He dined with had to repent of the sins they were committing. To reiterate, repentance is necessary for salvation. This is what Jesus was getting at when He dined with sinners. He wanted them to follow Him, call them out of their sinful lifestyle. We might come to Christ “as we are,” but His Holy Spirit changes us, fleeing from that sinful state. The genuine Christian should desire the same today for the lost souls still out there.
We are told this: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Corinthians 13:5
So, what are some questions we can ask ourselves to test ourselves to see if we are in false conversion?
“Where was my mind, motive, and heart at my salvation?”
“Did I surrender to Christ fully in obedience to the Gospel by belief of His Gospel story, genuine repentance, and baptism into the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?”
“Am I living by the Spirit genuinely, in full submission, or am I living by the flesh, still willingly enslaved to sin?”
“Is the Lord truly my Lord (the owner of my life), or am I still in control, gratifying the desires of the flesh?”
“Am I producing fruit which is growing more and more to be like the nature of God? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, speaking truth in love, living truth, rejoicing in truth, honesty, having righteous anger, choosing words wisely, being sexually pure, etc. (Galatians 5/ 1 Corinthians 13/ Ephesians 4 & 5)? Even righteous anger is of God. Key word here is righteous. Like Jesus overturning the tables of those making a mockery of what is holy (defiling the temple, what we are ourselves today) and committing injustice, so God has a righteous anger toward sin (OT says many times the anger of the Lord was kindled…/ Jesus Matthew 21 [clears the Temple]). This type of anger is appropriately motivated, righteously focused, and within self-control. Also asking “Do I hate what God hates?”
“Do I hunger for God’s Word, for truth?”
“Do I thirst for righteousness?”
“Do I genuinely want to dig into the Bible appropriately to learn about God, knowing Him?”
“Do I genuinely want to make God known, sharing the Gospel of Christ?”
“Do I genuinely have a deep sorrow for lost souls and desire to see people saved in Christ?”
*If you answered any of these negatively, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are a false convert, but maybe weaker in the faith and need strengthening. However, if you see a pattern to several of these, it may warrant consideration of being a false convert.
In sum, to break it down into the simplest answer, to find out if you are a false convert, you must ask yourself, “Am I living by the Spirit genuinely, in full submission, or am I living by the flesh? Is the Lord truly my Lord (the owner of my life)? Look at Romans 8. A genuinely saved person lives according to the Spirit, not the flesh—in that he or she lives set apart (in sanctification) – not just in repentance, but in consecration as defined above), actively growing in holiness, and actively maturing. The mind is set on things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh.
If after you’ve read this and feel you may be a false convert, I beseech you to turn to God’s Word. The Gospel and steps of salvation are found on the main page here. Read them both, study them and pray over them, seeking God’s direction and will. He wishes none to perish, and we know not which day is our final.
*Michael Shank Ministries does not sponsor, endorse, or is not affiliated in any way with Lights in the Darkness and its contents
References
Shank, Michael. Muscle and a Shovel. Michael Shank Ministries, 2011
Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H6942
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway
Cottrell, Jack. The Faith Once for All. College Press Publishing Company. 2002