What are qualities of a counterfeit Christian? Much like fake money, fake Christians have no value. They go around flaunting their love of Christ when in reality they only have large egos that are against Christ’s wishes.
Jesus says in Matthew 7:24 that eventually counterfeit Christians will be exposed. Those who aren't following the true laws of Christianity will not reap the benefits of those who work hard to have a true, deep, meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.
You focus on good-works salvation.
People who pride themselves on doing good deeds in the name of God aren't actually being the best for God at all. Outwardly you may be a good, moral person that is zealous for religious activities and wants to get on the ground to do good for others. However it crosses a line when you think you are better than someone else for the work you put in. No person can gain entrance into heaven through performing good deeds, and no one Christian is better than another. Christians need to accept God as their true way into heaven and that is all. While Jesus also would love to see the great things you could do to help out your local community soup kitchen or the environment, it's not the "golden pass" to have an afterlife with Him. No one Christian should ever look down on another for not doing enough good works. That is not up for any of us to decide.
You shrug off small sins.
Do you wonder how close you can get to sin without actually sinning? Do you sometimes think that the smaller sins you commit aren't all that bad? Maybe it's getting a bit more drunk than you should, telling your boss that little white lie, or the like all may be things you don't think matter but really do. You are ultimately hurting yourself and others in the process.
You should not be asking for forgiveness of sin, but first asking if you have permission in the first place. If you know it is not right in God's eyes, why would you do it? Instead of flirting with sin, learn how to fall in love with God. You should have a desire to become closer with Him each second, as opposed to finding more ways you can get closer evil.
You focus on the Bible more than Jesus.
While the Bible is a great piece of literature for the Christian person, it's not the main focus of Christianity. Growing up, you may have gone to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School where you sang songs about the four gospels, learned the steps to salvation, and like.
This is great, but are you avoiding paying attention to the actual source of salvation? Jesus Christ should be at the center of your heart. No matter how many Bible verses you know or if you could recite the entire Book of Psalms, it will never replace Jesus. Having that knowledge does not make you righteous, and can even over inflate your ego to the point it blinds you from the true Savior.
You don't engage with non-Christians.
Counterfeit Christians don’t think it’s acceptable to associate with real sinners and remain a real Christian. They don't try and reach out to those that are broken, need help, and are struggling to find the right path in life. They look at those people and think "God is not with them." That is incredibly far from the truth.
Repeatedly, Jesus associated with tax collectors, talked to prostitutes, and touched sick people. In Jewish culture, touching sick people made you ceremonially unclean. Jesus didn't care, and walked with them anyways. For Christians, holiness doesn’t mean separating from the broken but rather engage with them. Through doing so, we spread the true word of the Lord.
You believe only certain people should come to church.
Before the death of Jesus, the temple was the place where the Israelites encountered God. Everyone treated it with the upmost respect and never dared talked down about it. Even more so, only a few people could ever enter the temples. After the death of Jesus, God's love and presence entered that of His people.
Counterfeit Christians, however, believe that God can still only be found in the walls of churches. Their building is such a sacred place that only an elite person could enter there. They believe that church is a place where certain things should not be discussed like sex, politics, or the like. This is not true at all. The church is a place where one should feel open with God and His other children. It should be a community of those who are willing to learn and grow together in their faith journeys.
You only talk to God on Sunday.
Counterfeit Christians are the type that may only come to church on Sunday for an hour and then never talk to God again the rest of the week. They may talk poorly about their significant others all week but then show up to church holding their hand while sitting in a pew. They may lead a Sunday School class every week, but spend their weeknights getting drunk at bars.
They do not keep a positive relationship going with God through the rest of the week and are actually very distant from Him. In order to create an intimate connection with Christ you must be willing to put in the work. That requires prayer outside of the church building, and attending more than just on Easter and Christmas holidays.
The Jesus life is about loving God with all of your heart, mind, and strength, and it’s about transferring God’s love onto every person you encounter. Counterfeit Christians don’t get this. Instead, they treat Christianity as a small portion of their day to day lives and not a priority. Don’t get caught up in the endless interpretations about doctrines. Get caught up in the love of Jesus.
