{"id":3854,"date":"2017-06-05T22:17:30","date_gmt":"2017-06-05T22:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/?p=3854"},"modified":"2017-06-05T22:17:30","modified_gmt":"2017-06-05T22:17:30","slug":"5-indicators-of-an-evil-and-wicked-heart-by-leslie-vernick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/?p=3854","title":{"rendered":"5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart by Leslie Vernick"},"content":{"rendered":"
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5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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by Leslie Vernick<\/a><\/i><\/div>\n
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As Christian counselors, pastors and people helpers we often have a hard time discerning between an evil heart and an ordinary sinner who messes up, who isn\u2019t perfect, and full of weakness and sin.<\/p>\n

I think one of the reasons we don\u2019t \u201csee\u201d evil is because we find it so difficult to believe that evil individuals actually exist. We can\u2019t imagine someone deceiving us with no conscience, hurting others with no remorse, spinning outrageous fabrications to ruin someone\u2019s reputation, or pretending he or she is spiritually committed yet has no fear of God before his or her eyes.<\/p>\n

The Bible<\/a> clearly tells us that among God\u2019s people there are wolves that wear sheep\u2019s clothing (Jeremiah 23:14<\/a>; Titus 1:10<\/a>; Revelations 2:2<\/a>). It\u2019s true that every human heart is inclined toward sin (Romans 3:23<\/a>), and that includes evil (Genesis 8:21<\/a>; James 1:4<\/a>). We all miss God\u2019 mark of moral perfection. However, most ordinary sinners do not happily indulge evil urges, nor do we feel good about having them. We feel ashamed and guilty, rightly so (Romans 7:19\u201321<\/a>). These things are not true of the evil heart.<\/p>\n

Below are five indicators that you may be dealing with an evil heart rather than an ordinary sinful heart.\u00a0 If so, it requires a radically different treatment approach.<\/p>\n

1. Evil hearts are experts at creating confusion and contention.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They twist the facts, mislead, lie, avoid taking responsibility, deny reality, make up stories, and withhold information. (Psalms 5:8<\/a>; 10:7<\/a>; 58:3<\/a>; 109:2\u20135<\/a>; 140:2<\/a>; Proverbs 6:13,14<\/a>; 6:18,19<\/a>; 12:13<\/a>; 16:20<\/a>; 16:27, 28<\/a>; 30:14<\/a>; Job 15:35<\/a>; Jeremiah 18:18<\/a>; Nehemiah 6:8<\/a>; Micah 2:1<\/a>; Matthew 12:34,35<\/a>; Acts 6:11\u201313<\/a>; 2 Peter 3:16<\/a>)<\/p>\n

2. Evil hearts are experts at fooling others with their smooth speech and flattering words.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2019s all smoke and mirrors. (Psalms 50:19<\/a>; 52:2,3<\/a>; 57:4<\/a>; 59:7<\/a>; 101:7<\/a>; Proverbs 12:5<\/a>; 26:23\u201326<\/a>; 26:28<\/a>; Job 20:12<\/a>; Jeremiah 12:6<\/a>; Matthew 26:59<\/a>; Acts 6:11\u201313<\/a>; Romans 16:17,18<\/a>; 2 Corinthians 11:13,14<\/a>; 2 Timothy 3:2\u20135<\/a>; 3:13<\/a>; Titus 1:10<\/a>,16<\/a>).<\/p>\n

3. Evil hearts crave and demand control, and their highest authority is their own self-reference.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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. (Romans 2:8<\/a>; Psalms 10<\/a>; 36:1\u20134<\/a>; 50:16\u201322<\/a>; 54:5,6<\/a>; 73:6\u20139<\/a>; Proverbs 21:24<\/a>; Jude 1:8\u201316<\/a>).<\/p>\n

4. Evil hearts play on the sympathies of good-willed people, often trumping the grace card.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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. (Proverbs 21:10<\/a>; 1 Peter 2:16<\/a>; Jude 1:4<\/a>).<\/p>\n

5. Evil hearts have no conscience, no remorse.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They do not struggle against sin or evil\u2014they delight in it\u2014all the while masquerading as someone of noble character. (Proverbs 2:14\u201315<\/a>; 10:23<\/a>; 12:10<\/a>; 21:27,29<\/a>; Isaiah 32:6<\/a>; Romans 1:30<\/a>; 2 Corinthians 11:13\u201315<\/a>)<\/p>\n

If you are working with someone who exhibits these characteristics, it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

They want you to believe that:<\/p>\n

1. Their horrible actions should have no serious or painful consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When they say \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

The Bible warns us saying, \u201cBut 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 (Isaiah 26:10<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Bible tells us that talking doesn\u2019t wake up evil people, but painful consequences might. Jesus didn\u2019t wake up the Pharisee\u2019s with his talk nor did God\u2019s counsel impact Cain<\/a> (Genesis 4<\/a>). 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\u2019 response when he repented of his greed in Luke 19<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Tim Keller writes, \u201cIf you have been the victim of a heinous crime. If you have suffered violence, and the perpetrator (or even the judge) says, \u2018Sorry, can\u2019t we just let it go?\u2019 You would say, \u2018No, that would be an injustice.\u2019 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\u2014some kind of costly payment must be made to put things right.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Biblical counselors let\u2019s 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, \u201cTrusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips\u201d (Proverbs. 25:19<\/a>). It\u2019s foolishness.<\/p>\n

The evil person will also try to get you to believe<\/p>\n

2. That if I talk like a gospel-believing Christian I am one, even if my actions don\u2019t line up with my talk.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember, Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13\u201315<\/a>). 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.<\/p>\n

The Bible has some strong words for those whose actions do not match their talk (1 John 3:17,18<\/a>; Jeremiah 7:8,10<\/a>; James 1:22, 26<\/a>). John the Baptist said it best when he admonished the religious leaders, \u201cProve by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God\u201d (Luke 3:8<\/a>).<\/p>\n

If week after week you hear the talk but there is no change in the walk, you have every reason to question someone\u2019s relationship with God.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s important because evil usually pretends to be good, and without discernment we can be easily fooled (Hebrews 5:14<\/a>).<\/p>\n

When you confront evil, chances are good that the evil heart will stop counseling with you because the darkness hates the light (John 3:20<\/a>) and the foolish and evil heart reject correction (Proverbs 9:7,8<\/a>). But that outcome is far better than allowing the evil heart to believe you are on his or her side, or that \u201che\u2019s not that bad\u201d or \u201cthat he\u2019s really sorry\u201d or \u201cthat he\u2019s changing\u201d when, in fact, he is not.<\/p>\n

Daniel says, \u201c[T]he wicked will continue to be wicked\u201d (Daniel 12:10<\/a>), which begs the question, do you think an evil person can really change?<\/p>\n

[1] Tim Keller, Jesus the King<\/em>, page 172<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart by Leslie Vernick   As Christian counselors, pastors and people helpers we often have a hard time discerning between an evil heart and an ordinary sinner who messes up, who isn\u2019t perfect, and full of weakness and sin. I think one of the reasons we don\u2019t \u201csee\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3854"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3856,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3854\/revisions\/3856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.faithfellowship.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}