The way of a pretend Christian (1 John 2:9-11)

Someone quoted 1 John 2:9-11 in response to a facebook post that I put up a few days ago. The contents of that facebook post can be found in the substack article titled “Doth this offend you?”

1 John 2:9-11 "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

Notice how John started out in verse 9 by saying “he that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother…” That is a reference to a hypocrite who pretends to be a born again believer, because a truly born again believer is not what he claims himself to be. Jesus tells us in this passage of scripture:

Matthew 12:48-50 "But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

A born again believer is someone who does the will of God the Father from his heart, and not someone who “saith that he is in the light.” This also tells us that a pretend Christian is a hypocrite who will call himself a born again believer, but do not the will of the Father which is in heaven. John continues in 1 John 2:9, and he further tells us that this pretend Christian “is in darkness even until now.”

Proverbs 11:9 "An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered."

The bible also reveals what’s in the heart of this pretend Christian: he “hateth his brother.” Proverbs 11:9 agrees with 1 John 2:9, as evident in the words “with his mouth.” A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour, as much as a pretend Christian who “saith he is in the light” but hateth his born again brother.

Psalms 55:21 "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords."

War is in the heart of a pretend Christian, who war against a born again believer with words. The psalmist tells us that his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. He will come to you pretending to be a brother in Christ, but his intention is to destroy. He will deceive with words. He will accuse. He will wrest scripture as did his real father, the Devil. He is waiting to catch you in your words. (Mark 12:13) That’s where a born again believer must put on the “whole armour of God,” (Ephesians 6:11) which according to Proverbs 11:9 is “knowledge,” as in knowledge in the word of God. John continues in the next verse:

1 John 2:10 "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him."

He that “loveth his brother” is a reference to a born again believer, and the bible tells us that he “abideth in the light.” In fact, we also find a similar term in this verse:

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

The term is “walk in the light.” A born again believer who walk in the light have fellowship with other born again believers, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. The keywords to take note in this verse is “the light.” This term is a reference to the 66 books of the Holy Bible, such as in this verse:

Proverbs 6:23 "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:"

Therefore, it is only possible to have fellowship one with another if we walk according to the words of the LORD in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. It is by this mutual love of the truth that born again believers can love one another as brethren in the body of Christ. The love of the truth is also the plumbline that defines the difference between a born again believer and a pretend Christian. A born again believer abideth in the light, but a pretend Christian abideth in darkness.

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

The words of the LORD in the 66 books of the Holy Bible mean everything to a born again believer. The written word of God is “the way, the truth, and the life” for a born again believer. The “way of life” (Proverbs 6:23) of a born again believer begins with knowledge of the commandments and the law of the LORD. He knows that apart from “the truth,” he cannot see “the way,” and without knowledge of “the way,” he cannot come to God the Father.

Matthew 15:8-9 "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

In stark contrast to a born again believer, a pretend Christian is one who draweth nigh unto God with his mouth, and honoureth God with his lips, but his heart is far from God. The words of the LORD in the 66 books of the Holy Bible mean nothing to a pretend Christian, except when it is used as weapon against God’s people, in his service to the Devil. For example, the Pfizer CEO was recorded saying this during the COVID19 plandemic:

“The decision not to vaccinate will not affect only your health or your life… Unfortunately it will affect the lives of others, and likely the lives of the people you love the most, which are the people that usually you are in contact with.” — Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO

Connect this to the verse:

Matthew 19:19 "Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

All of a sudden, the idea of “love thy neighbour, so get COVID-vaccinated” was getting propagated in mainstream churches all over the world. It was during then, that lots of celebrity pastors came forward to promote the COVID19 vaccines to their congregations.

That was a fine example of how pretend Christians weaponize the words of the LORD against God’s people. The obvious catch here is that it was all based on their private interpretation of “love thy neighbour,” and so to love thy neighbour according to them was to go get the COVID19 snakejabs. Jesus further reveals to us that a pretend Christian is someone who loves the commandments of men. That’s why John tells us in 1 John 2:9 that a pretend Christian “hateth his brother,” a born again believer who loves the law of God. One is contrary to the other. John continues in:

1 John 2:11 "But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

The words “darkness hath blinded his eyes” tells us that a pretend Christian does not know “the way” to God the Father. He profess to be a born again Christian, but he does not actually know the Lord Jesus Christ, because he is “destitute of the truth,” such as in this passage of scripture:

1 Timothy 6:3-5 "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."

Paul further reveals in verse 3 that a pretend Christian “consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness.” That means that the gospel he has received was not the true gospel that is according to the 66 books of the Holy Bible. That’s why, after he was supposedly “born again,” he is still proud, knowing nothing, and doting about questions and strifes of words. Paul compares these pretend Christians with men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, men who supposed that such gain of advantage is godliness. James tells us in:

James 3:13-16 "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

A born again believer is the “wise man” in verse 13. He is someone who is endued with knowledge in the things of the Spirit of God that the Holy Ghost has instructed him from the 66 books of the Holy Bible. Moreover, you will find the “meekness of wisdom” in a conversation with a born again believer who is wholeheartedly submitted to the written word of God as his final authority. On the other hand, bitter envying and strife are in the heart of a pretend Christian who knows not the Lord, for if he is truly born again, he will never lie against “the truth,” a term which is reference to Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible. He will be faithful to every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible, and not attempt to wrest them to suit his doctrines. James tells us that a pretend Christian is guided by a “wisdom” that descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual and devilish. That’s why he is always doting about questions and strifes of words. (1 Timothy 6:4)

Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."

The truth is, a pretend Christian was never really born again to begin with. That’s why he is “right in his own eyes,” and because he is right in his own eyes, he can never have true fellowship with those who are truly born again, who are fully submitted to the word of God. John further tells us in 1 John 2:11 that he “walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth,” which is to say, he is NOT on the narrow way which leadeth unto life:

Matthew 7:13-14 "¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

According to Jesus, "the way" to God the Father is a narrow way, and few there be that find it. Just like "the truth," it is either "the truth," or it's not "the truth." It is either "the way," or it's not "the way." That’s why only truly born again believers who are faithful to every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible are on that narrow way which leadeth unto life.

2 Peter 3:16 "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Peter calls pretend Christians “they that are unlearned and unstable” in this verse. Being destitute of the truth, because there is no “love of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) in them, the words of the LORD cannot bear fruit in their stony ground hearts. That’s why when they find things in the Holy Bible that are hard to understand, their response is to “wrest” the words of the LORD to suit their doctrines.

“It does not matter if Christians do or do not believe in the pre-tribulation rapture, it's not a salvation issue.”

Some time ago, I had a Christian commenting in my facebook page how it is not a salvation issue, whether or not we believe there will be a pre-tribulation rapture. First of all, who told him that this is not a salvation issue? Which verses in the bible tells him it’s not a salvation issue?

Proverbs 27:5-6 "Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

The bible tells us in these two verses that open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Therefore, as “caring” and “loving” as he may sound, the advice of this Christian which is not according to the words of the LORD is actually deceitful. Christians who teach this kind of things have not the love of the truth in themselves, yet they teach others the same. They are like the scribes and Pharisees who taught false doctrines to their disciples, putting stumbling blocks in their paths, making it twice as hard for them to enter into heaven. It also happened to me some time ago, when I had a rather heated conversation with a Christian who insisted that the people who took the mark of the beast will still go to heaven. Of course, I refuted with Revelation 14:9 and other verses. This Christian is a follower of John MacArthur, who teaches that those who took the mark of the beast can still be redeemed.

According to John MacArthur:

"Now, the question is, if you’re living in the Tribulation period, and you take this mark, in other words, you identify with the beast’s empire, will you still be able to be redeemed? And I think the answer to that is yes. Yes! Otherwise there would be no salvation of anybody in the end of the Tribulation; and you’ve got to have the salvation of folks in the end of the Tribulation."

John MacArthur's teachings stem from dispensationalism which teaches that the current dispensation is the “dispensation of Grace,” whereby God has relinquished all requirements of the law and unconditionally forgives a sinner who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and that nothing can make him lose his salvation if he was saved during the dispensation of Grace and the seven years of tribulation, anytime before the next dispensation called “dispensation of the Kingdom.”

Ephesians 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

The bible tells us to reprove false doctrines, doctrines which are not according to the words of the LORD. Yet, after having a go with that Christian for a few times to explain to him how unbiblical and dangerous those doctrines are, he still insisted that John MacArthur was right. Then I told him:

“Fine, if that's what you want to believe, so be it. Go your way. However, where I will go to, there, you will not be, and where you will end up in, there you will not find me. It is apparent that we don't serve the same God. If you claim to serve the one and true God, then I am probably the one serving the Devil. But if I serve the one and true God, then you are probably the one serving the Devil. There is no reconcilliation between us.”

One of the things about pretend Christians is that you will find them using the word “love” selectively. For example, it is love if they reproach you for not listening to them, but it is not love if you refute them with the words of the LORD from the 66 books of the Holy Bible. They would end up quoting 1 John 2:9-11 against you, accusing you of hating your brother. However, Proverbs 27:5-6 teaches that to love somebody is actually to give him the whole truth from the bible, hoping that he will repent. Therefore, to love your brother is to warn him according to what the Spirit of God shows you in the written word. The bible calls it “faithful” to rebuke a friend whom you see is erring on the way to destruction. On the other hand, it is not love to see someone erring on his way to destruction and not warn him. That is not “love” according to the bible, but hate.

Ezekiel 33:6 "But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."

If you see your brother heading on a broad way that leadeth to destruction, and you would not blow the trumpet to warn him, then, according to the words of the LORD, his blood is upon your hand. Of course, a pretend Christian will turn around and accuse you of not listening to him when he was trying to get you change your mind. That is where we need to get back to the written word of God, and that’s where you’ll find that he won’t be able to come up with a verse which says that those who took the mark of the beast can still be redeemed. His error will cost him his eternity, but as a born again believer, it is your duty to “wound” him out of love according to Proverbs 27:6. Whether or not he hears your rebuke is another issue. Well, if he won't hear rebuke from the word of God, neither will he respect your words.