A pretender is a person who make-believes; puts on a false show or a fake person. When we were kids, we would pretend to be other people, like cops and robbers, Ken and Barbie, or cowboys and Indians. Unfortunately, some adults are still pretending. We have grown accustomed to putting on a false front for others, to the point where we believe we are the real deal, but newsflash: there will be “No Pretenders in Glory”.

     Pretenders are those people who love the spotlight. They have a desire for this world to puff them up, to say “Look at me!”. They do not believe that who Christ created them to be is enough. We need to heed Galatians 1:10 that says, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

     The pretenders are those who are one person on Sunday, a flawless person on camera, or someone different in front of a crowd all the while not living their genuine selves. This is a dangerous and foolish game people play. Matthew 7:20-23 warns us of the consequences of being an imposter. It says, “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”

     Finally, Jesus said in Mark 8:36 says, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Could it be y’all that a pretender really has a heart issue? It is time for the real Christians, the real men and women of God to take their positions in Christ because there will be “No Pretenders in Glory”.