Many narcissists claim to be Christians. When it fits their purposes, they may pray, attend church services and be knowledgeable in scripture.
People with grandiose views of themselves needing admiration from others have an exaggerated ego and need others to adore them, yet God will not indulge this behavior; yet He can transform their character from within out.
Table of Contents
1. Self-centeredness
Narcissism is a mental condition characterized by an over-inflated sense of self-importance, need for admiration, lack of empathy for others and entitlement feelings. Additionally, feelings of envy or jealousy towards more successful individuals than yourself as well as arrogant and exploitative behavior towards others to advance oneself can accompany this condition.
Asthma can have devastating repercussions for your health, relationships and finances if left untreated – it can even lead to financial collapse, emotional upset and feelings of inadequacy. Recognizing this kind of behavior early and finding solutions to prevent its severity are crucial steps toward recovery.
As soon as someone starts gaslighting you, lying to you, or using other narcissistic tactics against you, the first thing to remember is that their actions are driven by self-centeredness – they don’t love you or God in return.
Oft times, these individuals will claim to be Christians simply to advance their agendas. While they will answer an altar call or attend church when it fits with their agendas, but are unwilling to sacrifice narcissistic tendencies for more Godly principles and treating people with kindness – which explains why change can be difficult for them.
2. Lack of empathy
At first glance, it may be easy to assume that one of the primary characteristics of narcissism is an absence of empathy; while this is often true, differentiating between real empathy and fakery within narcissism is key in understanding its nature.
Narcissists often show motor empathy by mirroring another’s body language or facial expressions in response to his/her feelings; this makes them appear compassionate during the love bombing phase of a relationship, yet lack the capacity for cognitive empathy which involves understanding a situation from someone else’s point of view and acting accordingly in ways that benefit both parties involved.
Compassionate empathy involves feeling both regret and remorse for one’s actions; unfortunately this rarely occurs among narcissists; instead they use false compassion as a weapon to manipulate and control others.
Codependents who stay with narcissists to fill their own egos with “narcissistic supply” may be especially vulnerable to manipulation by these individuals. While codependents may believe the narcissist will eventually change through God, remembering they require an internal shift that cannot come without having given something up — something narcissists cannot provide.
3. Self-righteousness
Narcissists often show signs of self-righteousness, also referred to as sanctimoniousness or sententiousness or holier-than-thou attitudes. They boast about their morality while having difficulty taking criticism or acknowledging any weaknesses. Such characteristics often stem from childhood abuse or neglect leading to hardening of the heart.
The Bible contains plenty of guidance for how to avoid self-righteousness, from verses in particular to personal experiences from Christians who struggled with it themselves. People typically develop this trait because they want to become God themselves – an impossible goal according to Scripture.
People with this character flaw often think they’re doing good by helping others, which can be true; but they misinterpret this act as serving God instead. Furthermore, they don’t understand that love doesn’t boast or brag – as evidenced in 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 ESV – therefore narcissists need to realize they must serve Him by loving others and allow their hearts to be opened by the Holy Spirit so they can accept feedback on their own behavior and give appropriate responses when asked for feedback on themselves or given feedback on themselves from loved ones in order to fully serve God and serve Him and give feedback in return.
4. Anxiety
Narcissists lack an ability to assess both sides of their behavior objectively, only seeing what supports their self-view as being positive and undesirable by others. Therefore, they don’t understand why people might dislike or oppose them and tend to take credit for all that’s positive while attributing blame elsewhere for any negative aspects in relationships.
Nihilists often have an insatiable need to feed their ego, which allows them to feel contented and satisfied when fed by others. Their sense of entitlement often increases dramatically due to this need.
They may show the symptoms of narcissism, including an exaggerated sense of self-importance; arrogance; need for admiration; envy of those more successful than them and lack of empathy toward others. In extreme cases, these people can even turn into Jekyll and Hyde characters: charming, confident leaders who appear strong for Christ then suddenly attacking verbally or emotionally later on.
God doesn’t fear sinful people and He can work to transform their lives through his Holy Spirit. Those codependent with narcissists should set healthy boundaries to prevent further manipulation from this person.
5. Self-aggrandizement
A narcissist doesn’t believe in God and has no desire to change. They may appear Christian on the surface – attending church regularly and doing good deeds for glory – yet they remain unchanged inside by Christ; doing things their way with no regard to others, prioritizing themselves over other individuals’ needs, and getting what they want from others as part of a self-serving lifestyle that goes against biblical teachings.
These people seek attention and approval from others and cannot handle criticism or disappointment well. They believe they deserve only the best, often lying about their needs and wants in order to get what they desire. Unfortunately, many exhibit very selfish and cruel behaviors learned in childhood due to abuse or neglect.
They may believe God to be a loving being who can assist them, yet don’t realize He can transform their lives or that His principles apply equally to everyone – not just them. Their prideful focus on themselves contradicts what the Bible describes as love (Romans 12:8-10). Furthermore, they don’t recognize they’re breaking Jesus’ commands to deny ourselves and take up our crosses.
6. Self-deception
Narcissists struggle with handling criticism and disappointment well. Their joy lies solely in receiving unquestioned affirmation and approval; when faced with rejection or criticism they often take defensive positions or blame others; furthermore they find it hard to comprehend what love really means (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-6).
Narcissists will frequently seek to hide their insecurity and lack of self-worth from others by deceiving themselves, much like how smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol may temporarily mask these issues – however when used regularly it can quickly become harmful and addictive –
Narcissists often engage in self-deception that leads them to believe their sinful actions are acceptable, yet God’s word tells us otherwise; He sees all forms of sinfulness as sin and all will be punished (Romans 6:23).
If you are dealing with a narcissist, seek God’s comfort and peace for them and yourself. Leave their change up to Him while you focus on developing spiritually with Him – He always loves you no matter how someone treats you! Remember that no matter what narcissist does or says against you – He still loves you.
7. Self-centeredness
If someone is always competing with others and striving to outdo or overshadow them, this could be a telltale sign they’re self-centered. These individuals typically show little regard for other people’s feelings while prioritizing their own needs and desires over those of others. Furthermore, self-centered people often blame others for their problems while taking no personal accountability for their own actions.
Selfish people can have difficulty showing genuine kindness to those close to them, including family. They can find it hard to comprehend other’s emotions or recognize when someone needs assistance and can often become very demanding of those in their presence.
Self-centered individuals may find it hard to recognize or accept their limitations and become resentful toward those around them who do not share the same goals and viewpoints, leading them down an unpredictable path that can eventually turn destructive. Such behavior may strain relationships or lead to destructive patterns.
God loves all people and He can change even the most narcissistic individual; however, in order for that transformation to occur narcissists must change their hearts and become willing to let go of selfish ways in order for true salvation to take place. If you know anyone struggling with narcissism pray for them and ask God to show them His way.
