In the landscape of modern Christianity, there is often a catastrophic confusion between those who are battling the flesh and those who have never truly entered the New Covenant. Religion often uses the same brush to paint both, leading to unnecessary condemnation for the child of God and a false sense of security for the religious professor.
To walk in Kingdom authority, we must rightly divide the Word and distinguish between a “struggling believer” (a son in the house) and a “false convert” or “apostate” (one who professed faith but never possessed the nature).
The Nature of the Struggling Believer
A struggling believer is a born-again child of God who possesses a new nature but is currently wrestling with the “concupiscence” of the flesh or a “sin consciousness”. Their struggle does not indicate a lack of salvation, but rather a lack of maturity or a misunderstanding of their identity.
- A Sealed Spirit: The believer is permanently sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.
- New Nature vs. Old Actions: They may struggle in the flesh, but they possess a recreated spirit that cannot sin.
- Grief over Sin: For the true believer, sin is inconsistent with their new identity; it grieves their spirit because they have become a “partaker of the divine nature”.
- Immaturity, Not Rebellion: Much of what is called “sin” in a believer is actually the “stumbling” of a child learning to walk, not the rebellion of an enemy.
- Covenantal Security: Even in a backslidden state, the believer remains a son who abides in the house forever.
The Reality of the False Convert (The Apostate)
A false convert, often referred to in scripture as an “apostate,” is someone who has “tasted” the things of God but has never been transformed by them. They sit among the brethren as “spots in the love feasts,” claiming the name of Christ without ever receiving His life.
- Professing Without Possessing: They have made a verbal profession of faith but never experienced the “Kainos” creation or a change in nature.
- Works as a Substitute for the Blood: On the day of judgment, they will point to their works, casting out demons or prophesying, rather than the redemptive blood of Jesus.
- No Internal Transformation: They may exhibit external “moral improvement” or religious “behavior management,” but their heart remains unchanged and independent of Christ.
- “I Never Knew You”: Jesus’ verdict for the false convert is not “I knew you and then forgot you,” but “I never knew you”. They were never part of the family.
- Legalistic Roots: Often, these individuals sit under a “fear-based” gospel that produces lawbreakers rather than sons.
The Litmus Test: Identity and Response to Grace
The primary way to distinguish between the two is their response to the Finished Work of Christ.
- The Believer’s Response: When a struggling believer hears the message of Grace, it resuscitates their spirit and empowers them to leave their life of bondage. They serve God because they are sons who love their Father.
- The False Convert’s Response: A false convert often recoils at pure Grace, calling it a “license to sin” because they have no internal nature to restrain them. They only understand “law” and “works” because they are still slaves to their old nature.
Conclusion
If you are struggling with sin today, the very fact that you desire to be free is proof of your new nature. An apostate doesn’t worry about whether they are an apostate; they are comfortably independent of God. You are a son, and you are sealed. Your struggle does not undo the cross. Stop looking at your failure and start looking at your Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who has saved you to the uttermost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a “struggling believer” become a “false convert”?
No. A true believer is a new creation; they cannot be “un-born”. A false convert was never saved to begin with, whereas a believer is eternally secure.
What happens to a believer who dies while struggling with sin?
They go to heaven. While they may suffer a loss of eternal rewards and regret the wasted opportunity on earth, their salvation is gift-based and blood-sealed, not performance-based.
How can I help a struggling believer?
Remove the “stones” of condemnation and preach the “Goodness of God”. Remind them that they are not under law but under grace, which is the very reason sin shall not have dominion over them.
Why does Jesus say He “never knew” some people who did miracles?
Because their faith was in their own religious works, prophesying or casting out demons, rather than the Finished Work of Christ. They were workers of “lawlessness” because they operated outside of a faith-relationship with Him.
This article is part of a series answering difficult questions about grace and the New Covenant.