Self-styled Christians

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6: 43-49)

Anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus and then does not try to do His will is actually a self-styled or phony Christian. In other words, they are persons who says they are Christian, but lead lives far from the Gospel. More than deceiving others, these people deceive themselves, because in reality they use the Word of the Lord for their own benefit. They end up believing themselves to be better than what they actually are and risk of not repenting in time. Let us ask the Lord to preserve us from vainglory.