by Leslie Vernick
Association of Biblical Counselors
DLG notes...
I have posted this article that I saw on my Facebook.
SEEMING CONFLICT (and a request)
The link is
http://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/association-of-biblical-counselors/5-indicators-of-an-evil-and-wicked-heart.html/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fbpage&utm_campaign=bstupdate
I have edited some lines out, and I will add my own thoughts after the article. This is a very good article and addresses a very important issue.
As you read this (AND I REALLY HOPE YOU DO), you will see that there are things, with which I do not agree; things that are not consistent with the Biblical view of full salvation.
However, the basic points that are made, and the passages that are referenced are well chosen. I address these same points on a regular basis, but I appreciate the way this article is put together.
Please don't get hung up or tripped up by the side issues. I hope you will take the time to read it. Allow the Holy Spirit to search your own heart. As you know, I often express concern for the hard hardheartedness that has crept into the lives of so many people today, including those who profess faith, those who are deceived into believing they are saved, when in reality, they actually are being held by and evil and wicked heart.
The Article... by Leslie Vernick
However, the basic points that are made, and the passages that are referenced are well chosen. I address these same points on a regular basis, but I appreciate the way this article is put together.
Please don't get hung up or tripped up by the side issues. I hope you will take the time to read it. Allow the Holy Spirit to search your own heart. As you know, I often express concern for the hard hardheartedness that has crept into the lives of so many people today, including those who profess faith, those who are deceived into believing they are saved, when in reality, they actually are being held by and evil and wicked heart.
The Article... by Leslie Vernick
5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart
I think one of the reasons we don’t “see” evil is because we find it so difficult to believe that evil individuals actually exist. We can’t imagine someone deceiving us with no conscience, hurting others with no remorse, spinning outrageous fabrications to ruin someone’s reputation, or pretending he or she is spiritually committed yet has no fear of God before his or her eyes.
The Bible clearly tells us that among God’s people there are wolves that wear sheep’s clothing (Je. 23:14; Ti. 1:10; Re. 2:2).
2. Evil hearts are experts at fooling others with their smooth speech and flattering words.
But if you look at the fruit of their lives or the follow through of their words, you will find no real evidence of godly growth or change. It’s all smoke and mirrors. (Ps. 50:19; 52:2-3; 57:4; 59:7; 101:7; Pr. 12:5; 26:23-26; Ro. 16:17-18; 2 Co. 11:13-14; 2 Tm. 3:2-5; 3:13; Ti. 1:10, 16).
They reject feedback, real accountability, and make up their own rules to live by. They use Scripture to their own advantage but ignore and reject passages that might require self-correction and repentance. (Ro. 2:8; Ps. 10; 36:1-4; 50:16-22; 54:5-6; 73:6-9; Pr. 21:24; Ju. 1:8-16).
4. Evil hearts play on the sympathies of good-willed people, often trumping the grace card.
They demand mercy but give none themselves. They demand warmth, forgiveness, and intimacy from those they have harmed with no empathy for the pain they have caused and no real intention of making amends or working hard to rebuild broken trust. (Pr. 21:10; 1 Pe. 2:16; Ju. 1:4).
The evil person will also try to get you to believe
2. That if I talk like a gospel-believing Christian I am one, even if my actions don’t line up with my talk.
Remember, Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Co. 11:13-15). He knows more true doctrine than you or I will ever know, but his heart is wicked. Why? Because although he knows the truth, he does not believe it or live it.
The Bible has some strong words for those whose actions do not match their talk (1 Jn. 3:17-18; Je. 7:8,10; Ja. 1:22, 26). John the Baptist said it best when he admonished the religious leaders, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Lk. 3:8).
If week after week you hear the talk but there is no change in the walk, you have every reason to question someone’s relationship with God.
Part of our maturity as spiritual leaders is that we have been trained to discern between good and evil. Why is that so important? It’s important because evil usually pretends to be good, and without discernment we can be easily fooled (He. 5:14).
When you confront evil, chances are good that the evil heart will stop counseling with you because the darkness hates the light (Jn. 3:20) and the foolish and evil heart reject correction (Pr. 9:7-8). But that outcome is far better than allowing the evil heart to believe you are on his or her side, or that “he’s not that bad” or “that he’s really sorry” or “that he’s changing” when, in fact, he is not.
Daniel says, “[T]he wicked will continue to be wicked” (Da. 12:10), which begs the question, do you think an evil person can really change?
DLG NOTES
I think one of the reasons we don’t “see” evil is because we find it so difficult to believe that evil individuals actually exist. We can’t imagine someone deceiving us with no conscience, hurting others with no remorse, spinning outrageous fabrications to ruin someone’s reputation, or pretending he or she is spiritually committed yet has no fear of God before his or her eyes.
The Bible clearly tells us that among God’s people there are wolves that wear sheep’s clothing (Je. 23:14; Ti. 1:10; Re. 2:2).
... most ordinary sinners do not happily indulge evil urges, nor do we feel good about having them. We feel ashamed and guilty, rightly so (Ro. 7:19-21). These things are not true of the evil heart.
Below are five indicators that you may be dealing with an evil heart rather than an ordinary sinful heart. If so, it requires a radically different treatment approach.
1. Evil hearts are experts at creating confusion and contention.
They twist the facts, mislead, lie, avoid taking responsibility, deny reality, make up stories, and withhold information.
Below are five indicators that you may be dealing with an evil heart rather than an ordinary sinful heart. If so, it requires a radically different treatment approach.
1. Evil hearts are experts at creating confusion and contention.
They twist the facts, mislead, lie, avoid taking responsibility, deny reality, make up stories, and withhold information.
(Ps. 5:8; 10:7; 58:3; 109:2-5; 140:2; Pr. 6:13-14; 6:18-19; 12:13; 16:20; 16:27-28; 30:14; Jb. 15:35; Je. 18:18; Ne. 6:8; Mi. 2:1; Mt. 12:34-35; Ac. 6:11-13; 2 Pe. 3:16).
2. Evil hearts are experts at fooling others with their smooth speech and flattering words.
But if you look at the fruit of their lives or the follow through of their words, you will find no real evidence of godly growth or change. It’s all smoke and mirrors. (Ps. 50:19; 52:2-3; 57:4; 59:7; 101:7; Pr. 12:5; 26:23-26; Ro. 16:17-18; 2 Co. 11:13-14; 2 Tm. 3:2-5; 3:13; Ti. 1:10, 16).
3. Evil hearts crave and demand control, and their highest authority is their own self-reference.
They reject feedback, real accountability, and make up their own rules to live by. They use Scripture to their own advantage but ignore and reject passages that might require self-correction and repentance. (Ro. 2:8; Ps. 10; 36:1-4; 50:16-22; 54:5-6; 73:6-9; Pr. 21:24; Ju. 1:8-16).
4. Evil hearts play on the sympathies of good-willed people, often trumping the grace card.
They demand mercy but give none themselves. They demand warmth, forgiveness, and intimacy from those they have harmed with no empathy for the pain they have caused and no real intention of making amends or working hard to rebuild broken trust. (Pr. 21:10; 1 Pe. 2:16; Ju. 1:4).
5. Evil hearts have no conscience, no remorse.
They do not struggle against sin or evil—they delight in it—all the while masquerading as someone of noble character. (Pr. 2:14-15; 10:23; 12:10; 21:27, 29; Is. 32:6; Ro. 1:30; 2 Co.11:13-15).
They do not struggle against sin or evil—they delight in it—all the while masquerading as someone of noble character. (Pr. 2:14-15; 10:23; 12:10; 21:27, 29; Is. 32:6; Ro. 1:30; 2 Co.11:13-15).
If you are working with someone who exhibits these characteristics, it’s important that you confront them head on. You must name evil for what it is. The longer you try to reason with them or show mercy towards them, the more you, as the Christian counselor, will become a pawn in his or her game.
They want you to believe that:
1. Their horrible actions should have no serious or painful consequences.
When they say “I’m sorry,” they look to you as the pastor or Christian counselor to be their advocate for amnesty with the person he or she has harmed. They believe grace means they are immediately granted immunity from the relational fallout of their serious sin. They believe forgiveness entitles them to full reconciliation and will pressure you and their victim to comply.
The Bible warns us saying, “But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord (Is. 26:10).
The Bible tells us that talking doesn’t wake up evil people, but painful consequences might. Jesus didn’t wake up the Pharisee’s with his talk nor did God’s counsel impact Cain (Ge. 4). In addition, the Bible shows us that when someone is truly sorry for the pain they have caused, he or she is eager to make amends to those they have harmed by their sin (see Zacchaeus’ response when he repented of his greed in (Lk. 19).
Tim Keller writes, “If you have been the victim of a heinous crime. If you have suffered violence, and the perpetrator (or even the judge) says, ‘Sorry, can’t we just let it go?’ You would say, ‘No, that would be an injustice.’ Your refusal would rightly have nothing to do with bitterness or vengeance. If you have been badly wronged, you know that saying sorry is never enough. Something else is required—some kind of costly payment must be made to put things right.”1
As Biblical counselors let’s not collude with the evil one by turning our attention to the victim, requiring her to forgive, to forget, to trust again when there has been no evidence of inner change.
They want you to believe that:
1. Their horrible actions should have no serious or painful consequences.
When they say “I’m sorry,” they look to you as the pastor or Christian counselor to be their advocate for amnesty with the person he or she has harmed. They believe grace means they are immediately granted immunity from the relational fallout of their serious sin. They believe forgiveness entitles them to full reconciliation and will pressure you and their victim to comply.
The Bible warns us saying, “But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord (Is. 26:10).
The Bible tells us that talking doesn’t wake up evil people, but painful consequences might. Jesus didn’t wake up the Pharisee’s with his talk nor did God’s counsel impact Cain (Ge. 4). In addition, the Bible shows us that when someone is truly sorry for the pain they have caused, he or she is eager to make amends to those they have harmed by their sin (see Zacchaeus’ response when he repented of his greed in (Lk. 19).
Tim Keller writes, “If you have been the victim of a heinous crime. If you have suffered violence, and the perpetrator (or even the judge) says, ‘Sorry, can’t we just let it go?’ You would say, ‘No, that would be an injustice.’ Your refusal would rightly have nothing to do with bitterness or vengeance. If you have been badly wronged, you know that saying sorry is never enough. Something else is required—some kind of costly payment must be made to put things right.”1
As Biblical counselors let’s not collude with the evil one by turning our attention to the victim, requiring her to forgive, to forget, to trust again when there has been no evidence of inner change.
Proverbs says, “Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips” (Pr. 25:19). It’s foolishness.
The evil person will also try to get you to believe
2. That if I talk like a gospel-believing Christian I am one, even if my actions don’t line up with my talk.
Remember, Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Co. 11:13-15). He knows more true doctrine than you or I will ever know, but his heart is wicked. Why? Because although he knows the truth, he does not believe it or live it.
The Bible has some strong words for those whose actions do not match their talk (1 Jn. 3:17-18; Je. 7:8,10; Ja. 1:22, 26). John the Baptist said it best when he admonished the religious leaders, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Lk. 3:8).
If week after week you hear the talk but there is no change in the walk, you have every reason to question someone’s relationship with God.
Part of our maturity as spiritual leaders is that we have been trained to discern between good and evil. Why is that so important? It’s important because evil usually pretends to be good, and without discernment we can be easily fooled (He. 5:14).
When you confront evil, chances are good that the evil heart will stop counseling with you because the darkness hates the light (Jn. 3:20) and the foolish and evil heart reject correction (Pr. 9:7-8). But that outcome is far better than allowing the evil heart to believe you are on his or her side, or that “he’s not that bad” or “that he’s really sorry” or “that he’s changing” when, in fact, he is not.
Daniel says, “[T]he wicked will continue to be wicked” (Da. 12:10), which begs the question, do you think an evil person can really change?
DLG NOTES
As a pastor, I have thrown out the lifeline to those who have committed terrible sins against God and His people, then I have extended the hand of forgiveness and fellowship to those who have taken steps of reconciliation.
My compassion has sometimes been misrepresented as weakness or inconsistency.
On the other hand, my commitment to truth, justice and equity has caused some people (sometimes the same people as in the other group) to call me callous and vengeful, hardhearted and self righteous.
I have lost parishioners, friends and even family because I have stood firmly on the word of God, which required me to staunchly resist those who would not turn from their wicked ways, and has also enabled me to tenderly receive a lost sheep back into the fold, when they returned in humble submission.
I will suffer more broken relationships in the future, because I know that unrelenting sin is on the increase and people are being held captive by an evil and wicked heart. Still, I hope that faithfully following the way of God will win some folks back into a right relationship with God and His church.
REQUEST
I hope that you will take the time to read the previous post concerning "5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart." I say this because there are some folks who have hardened their hearts for such a long time that SUDDEN DESTRUCTION will come to them, and that without remedy.
NOTICE, it would be good for each person to ask his/her pastor for a personal evaluation, and then act on that counsel.
GOD SAYS,
Hebrews 3:12-15
(12) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
(13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
(14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
(15) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.