How to Identify The Heathen

Bill Brinkworth

Many claim to be a Christian, but just because they call themselves one, does not make them one. When one truly is a child of God, some things should be different. A Christian will be different and have many areas in his life changed. Here are some areas that are unchanged in a lost person and identify the unsaved:

They have the wrong spiritual father. Their Father is the Devil. They don’t think, act, talk, or worship God like a child of God is told to in the Bible.
John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Psalms 135:15 “ The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.”

They have the wrong heart. This heart is not the blood-pumping organ in one’s body. It is the drive and true reason for doing what is done. A true Christian has a great desire in his “heart” to serve, obey, and believe God and His Word! A lost person does not have this "heart"
Ezekiel 33:31 “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”

They have the wrong mind, actions, and habits:
I Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” If a person is really saved, he is a different person. Thinking, actions, and beliefs are different because he is a new creature.

They have the wrong worship: Most of the time it is a man-made, tradition-based or ceremonial worship. It is not the worship God commands in His book, the Bible.
Mark 7: 2 “And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written , This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.”

They have the wrong prayer:
Mat. 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Vain, repetitious prayers are prayers that are said without meaning, recited mechanically, and are repeated again and again.

They have the wrong fruit. Since they worship God their way, the fruit produced is not spiritual.
Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Titus1: 16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

This lesson was featured in The Bible View #81.