What does the bible say about pretenders ?

By Ranjit February 23, 2023 Bible 0 Comments

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What Does the Bible Say About Pretenders?

In today’s world, there seems to be a constant pressure to fit in and be accepted by society. This often leads people to pretend to be someone they are not, in order to gain the approval of others. However, the Bible offers a different perspective on this issue. It emphasizes the importance of being truthful and genuine in our interactions with others. Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says about pretenders.

First and foremost, the Bible cautions against pretending to be someone or something you’re not. Proverbs 12:22 states, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” This verse makes it clear that God values honesty and integrity. Pretending to be someone you’re not is a form of deception, which goes against God’s commandments.

In addition, the Bible warns against hypocrisy, which is another form of pretense. In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Here, Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and emphasizes the importance of authenticity.

The Bible also teaches that we should not judge others based on outward appearances. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God tells Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” This verse reminds us that our true value is not determined by our external attributes or social status, but by the condition of our heart.

Ultimately, the Bible teaches us to love and accept others as they are, without judgment or pretense. In Romans 12:9-10, Paul writes, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” This verse reminds us that love should be genuine and sincere, and that we should treat others with honor and respect.

35 bible verses about pretenders

Proverbs 26:24-25 – “People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.”
Matthew 23:28 – “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Galatians 6:3 – “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
1 John 1:6 – “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”
Romans 12:9 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Colossians 3:9 – “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
Proverbs 28:23 – “Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.”
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Matthew 6:2-4 – “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
Proverbs 24:28-29 – “Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive. Do not say, ‘I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.'”
Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
Proverbs 11:9 – “With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.”
Matthew 7:15-16 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Proverbs 10:18 – “Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.”
Colossians 3:8 – “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
Proverbs 10:19 – “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.”
1 Timothy 4:1-2 – “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
Proverbs 12:22 – “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
Matthew 6:16-18 – “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Proverbs 17:7 – “Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—how much worse lying lips to a ruler!”
Matthew 15:8 – “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Proverbs 26:18-19 – “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!'”
Matthew 23:27 – “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”
Proverbs 29:5 – “Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.”
1 John 2:4 – “Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.”
Proverbs 28:26 – “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.”
Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
2 Timothy 3:5 – “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
Proverbs 26:23-26 – “Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.”
Matthew 23:28 – “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Proverbs 11:9 – “With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.”
Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Bible offers a clear message about pretenders. It emphasizes the importance of honesty, authenticity, and love in our interactions with others. As followers of Christ, we should strive to be truthful and genuine, and to treat others with kindness and respect. Let us reject the pressure to conform to societal norms and instead seek to live according to God’s truth and grace. Hope you have got the answer to the question that What does the Bible say about Pretenders?