An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others. Imposters may not start off with impure motives. Fear of what others may think initially often results in a chameleon effect, blending into environments so you’re not rejected by your peers. When an individual successfully deceives and tricks someone for the first time, an imposter is conceived. Imposters of faith come into play by preying on gullible Christian churches, going on a power trip when challenged or questioned.
For many imposters (seducers, deceivers, and false leaders) have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge (confess, admit) the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in bodily form. Such a one is the imposter (the seducer, the deceiver, the false leader, the antagonist of Christ) and the antichrist, 2 John 1:7.
One of my favorite books is the Handbook for Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Ed Murphy. The most powerful aspect of this book is a series of case studies, testimonies of how people ended up addicted, beaten or ravaged by poor choices they made in life. If I recall correctly, one of these is from an elder of a megachurch who tried to inform the leadership of a specific sin. After following the Matthew 18 principle, no one believed him as an imposter of faith had won the power struggle within this church.
Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand]. 13 But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves, 2 Timothy 3:12-13.
During the Summer of 2020, the BLM movement attached itself to inner circle churches across the country. While Paul calls Christians to be color blind in Colossians 3:11, the Old Testament warned Israel about adding and subtracting from the Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2. Due to political pressure, some churches across the country have drifted from the Bible to embrace progressive policies. If money is involved, imposters of faith blend faith into our culture and society to avoid scrutiny. If you find yourself struggling with this syncretism, study Jesus words in Matthew 24 so that your love for God won’t grow cold.
by Jay Mankus