11 Simple Evidence That You Are Not A Christian [1 John Teaching]

If you really want to know if you are a believer or not, read the book of 1 John. It tackles real practical evidence of being a Christian or not.

As I went through the epistle, these are top 11 evidence that I gleaned to prove someone is not a Christian (Very soon I will deal with the evidence of being a Christian from 1 John).

The Apostle John was writing to encourage believers to focus on the fundamentals and also warn them against the false teaching flying all over.

He wrote with the following objectives:

• SIN: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)
• DECEPTION: “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.” (1 John 2:26)
• ETERNAL LIFE: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, [a]and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)

“You are either a Christian or you are not a Christian; you cannot be partly a Christian. You are either “dead” or “alive”; you are either “born” or “not born”.”

— David Lloyd-Jones

Let’s dive in…

#1. You Walk In Darkness (1:5-7)

The first evidence you are not a Christian is that you walk in darkness. John simply says that God is light and in Him is no darkness (1:5). So anyone who claims to walk in fellowship with God and yet walks in darkness, is a liar (1:6). In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul questioned what communion light has with darkness. None at all! A person who walks in darkness is not a believer.

#2. You Say You Have No Sin (1:8-10)

The next evidence that you are not a Christian is that you sin and deny you do. It was only Jesus who was tempted in every way but never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). All of us as believers do sin. In verse 10, John says that if we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar and the truth is not in us. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus said that we should pray that God will forgive our sins as we forgive others who sin against us (Matthew 6:12). Until we get to heaven, sin is still with us.

#3. You Don’t Keep His Commandments (2:3-4)

John’s third evidence is about disobedience. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:2 that before we were saved, we were children of disobedience. Our father was Satan. John says anyone who claims to know God but disobeys His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. Jesus said if we love Him, we should keep His commandments (John 14:15). A clear sign you are not a Christian is when you hear the word and it passes through the other ears. You are not a keeper and doer of the word.

#4. You Hate Your Brother (2:9-11;4:8; 4:20)

In evidence four, John teaches that anyone who claims to walk in the light and hates his Christian brother is in darkness (2:9, 11). For the believer, whether he sins against someone or someone sins against him, he must forgive the person and move on in love. Jesus said in Matthew 5:23 that if you are on your way to give an offering on the altar and remember you have a rift with a brother, put your offering where you are and go back and settle the matter. This is not easy but it’s a commandment from our Master which He has given us power to do. If you consistently hate your brother, it shows you are not Christian in the first place. A transformed heart walks in love.

#5. You Love The World (2:15-17)

This is my favourite. I remember so well a sermon I did on this text. John is saying here that he who loves the world (the devilish system that works against God) does not have the love of the Father. John gives us details as in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life being worldly things people love and prove they are not of God. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 that we must rather love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. There is no place for the world to occupy in your heart if you are fully submitted to God.

#6. You Deny Jesus Christ (2:22-23)

He who denies the Son of God as Christ (the anointed One) is antichrist. If you deny the Son, you deny the Father as well. Jesus came in the name of the Father (John 20:21). He said that He who accepts Him accepts the Father (Matthew 10:40). Denying Jesus is rejecting God’s gift of salvation to save sinners from their eternal damnation. The Son of Man came to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). If you deny Him now, He will deny you before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Our Christology has to be biblical and true.

#7. You Sin (3:8-9)

Does this contradicts evidence 2? Not at all! John uses sin in various ways. A believer sins but does not sin unto death. An unbeliever is a natural born sinner and continues in that lane for life. John says in verse 8 that they follow their father’s (the devil) nature of being a sinner from the beginning. Romans 6:20 says those who live in sin are slaves to sin. A Christian is slave to righteousness which is from God (Romans 6:18).

#8. You Don’t Practice Righteousness (3:10)

The 8th evidence is about righteousness. The Bible says righteousness is a gift from God (Romans 5:17). The Apostle John says anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God. In fact, it separates them from the children of God. He pinned it down to say that not loving a brother is unrighteous. Jesus said in Matthew 5:20 that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. If you practice unrighteousness like those people in Romans 1, you are not of God.

#9. You Are Not Generous To A Brother (3:17)

Sometimes I hear people say that they don’t feel like giving to someone in need because they have not heard from God. I am wondering what voice they want to hear again since God has said in His word that we must be good to people and that what our left hand does must not be seen by our left hand (Matthew 6:3). We must learn to give freely as He gave us. The early church in Acts shared what they had with each other (Acts 4:32-24). The love of God in them moved them to share what they have. If you hold back and purpose in your heart not to give, you are certainly not of God. 

#10. You Do Not Confess That Jesus Has Come In The Flesh (4:3)

The key heresy John was combating was people who were teaching that everything of the body was sin but everything of the spirit was holy. Therefore if Jesus came in the bodily flesh, then He cannot be truly holy. They flatly denied Christ’s incarnation which is a major doctrine of our faith. If Christ did not come in the flesh, then He does not qualify to atone for our sin. The Bible teaches that Jesus was born 100% divine and 100% to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

#11. You Don’t Have The Son (5:12)

The last evidence that someone claiming to be a Christian is not so is when he does not believe in the Son. Eternal life is in Christ Jesus. Acts 4:12 says that there is no name given under heaven by which men can be saved. The only name is Jesus Christ. If we reject Him, we don’t have life.

The evidence of being a Christian is like pregnancy, you cannot hide it. It will show up. Much so, if you are a false convert, it will show in your life. God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will reap (Galatians 6:7).

Which of these are you familiar with? Share your thoughts.