I’ve thought about this many times too, and it really does make you wonder. While salvation is by grace through faith and not by works or outward behavior (Ephesians 2:8–9), Scripture also makes it clear that genuine believers will have a heart for Christ and a growing desire to speak of the things of God. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34).
So when someone consistently shows no interest in Jesus, no love for His Word, and no desire for fellowship with other believers, that’s not a small issue; it’s a serious red flag. Real faith produces real fruit, conviction of sin, a transformed life, spiritual growth, and a desire to follow Christ.
That’s why we should be concerned when a person claims to be a Christian but shows no hunger for God or evidence of being born again. Jesus warned, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). A profession of
faith without a changed life is not
biblical salvation, it’s
deception.
And today, that deception is everywhere.
Many false teachers promote a version of Christianity that leaves people convinced they’re saved because they repeated a prayer or made a vague commitment, but never repented, never submitted to Christ, and never experienced transformation. These teachers strip the
gospel of its power, removing the call to
repentance and
holiness. Jesus warned of “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15), and Paul warned that many would follow “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6–9). Sadly, that’s what we’re seeing all around us: false converts who were never truly born again because they were never given the true gospel.
We’re not called to pass final judgment on anyone’s soul, but we are commanded to test everything by Scripture and to speak the truth in love. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” (Jude 1:23). If someone you care about shows no evidence of
salvation, the most loving thing you can do is confront them with the truth,
pray for them, and point them to Christ. Don’t ignore the signs. Eternity is on the line.
This may help:
True & False Conversion