Witnessing to a Possible False Convert

Witnessing can be challenging. How much more so when the person you’re witnessing to claims to be a Christian, but the evidence of their life does not reflect what the Scriptures teach? The following questions and answers will help you navigate these situations with humility.

How do you witness to someone who “accepted Christ” as a child but hasn’t attended church as an adult and doesn’t think he needs to?

The person has almost certainly had a false conversion, so you need to speak with him the same way you would speak to any other unsaved person. Don’t feel intimidated by the fact that he has made a profession of faith. If it was genuine, he would be obedient to the Word of God. I wouldn’t even address the experience. Simply ask for his thoughts on the afterlife and ask whether he thinks he’s good enough to go to Heaven. If he does, take him through the Law. If he speaks of salvation by grace, and that’s what he is trusting in, ask him when he last read his Bible. If he is into the Word daily, tell him that it’s important that he gets into fellowship, and then pray that he does. You can’t do much more than that.

“Most people in the United States think that they are “Christian.” They think a Christian is someone who believes in God, or who isn’t of another religious persuasion.”

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When you ask strangers whether they are Christians and they say they are, but you suspect they may be false converts, how can you arrive at the truth concerning their salvation?

Most people in the United States think that they are “Christian.” They think a Christian is someone who believes in God, or who isn’t of another religious persuasion. So, ask if they have been “born again.” If there is the slightest hesitation, be suspicious. Since some people believe they’ve been “born again” many times, you may want to say something like this (in a very friendly tone): “I love to hear how people come to know the Lord. Would you mind sharing your personal testimony?”

Two other probing questions are, “Do you consider yourself to be a good person?” (false converts usually do), and “When did you last read your Bible?”

What do you say to a “Christian” who has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other?

I would ask him when he last read his Bible; does he think that he’s a good person, etc. If he is reading the Word daily and seems to have a good understanding of salvation, I would gently let him know that he should pray about how he presents himself. He should be without reproach, and not even eat meat if it offends a brother. Tell him that what he is doing is offensive to you and it may be a stumbling block to others. He is also defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit by abusing it with known poisons.

How would you witness to someone who has grown up in church, knows who God is and what Christianity means, but says that he has too much fun sinning and will just accept Christ later so he can go to Heaven when he dies?

This person lacks a fear of God. As always, this traces itself back to idolatry. As a child he was probably taught that Jesus is your buddy and the celestial problem solver, and then in church heard the message of the modern gospel. He needs to have the fear of God put into him. Take him through the Law, speak of future punishment, and point out that God may kill him before he makes his decision to “accept” Christ. Put him on the witness stand; show him that he is a devious criminal who is about to be executed and sent to an everlasting and fearful Hell.

Do it in love and in gentleness, but reprove and rebuke him, with all longsuffering and doctrine. Tell him what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21–23, and remind him about how God called a man a fool because he put off his salvation, and trusted that he had many days ahead of him (see Luke 12).

What do you do when a Christian friend is falling out of the will of God? He knows the Ten Commandments, but doesn’t see anything wrong with what he is doing and gets angry when I try to talk to him about it.

I assume you are saying that he is willfully getting into sin. This is a sign of a false conversion. I would send a loving letter, saying that you are deeply concerned for him. I would suggest that you first read 1 John chapters 1–3 and Matthew chapter 7.

Adapted From The Blue Book on Evangelism