7 Signs of a Wicked Heart

What are the signs or marks of a wicked heart? What does the Bible say about the signs of a wicked person?
In the Bible, the word “wicked” is mentioned more than 300 times in the Old & New Testament combined.

The word wicked or wickedness is defined as the following:
A state or condition of evil that focuses on the violating of God’s laws or standards;
It is a willful and deliberate disregard for righteousness, truth, justice, honor, virtue and godliness;
It is a mental state, behavior or lifestyle that is malicious in thought, intent and action;
It is the embracing of evil, sinfulness, depravity or criminality

Therefore how can you discover the signs of an evil person? What are the traits of a person with an evil heart?

7 Indicators of a Wicked & Evil Heart

1. A Wicked Heart Does Not Fear God
A wicked heart does not fear or revere the Lord, nor respect His existence and Biblical law. Instead a wicked person will delight in committing evil because he/she has no regard for God’s authority and the spiritual consequences of his/her wicked actions.
Psalm 10:4 says: In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek Him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Proverbs 10:27 says: The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.

2. A Wicked Heart is Deceitful
A wicked person has a culture of lying or deceitfulness. He/she will always try to manipulate people in order to control them. Evil hearts are good at fooling others through smooth speech and flattering words. Therefore dishonesty, misinformation, hypocrisy and manipulation is like second nature.
Psalms 7:14 says: Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
Proverbs 11:18 says: The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

3. A Wicked Heart Promotes Chaos, Division & Confusion
Wicked people will promote confusion and division amongst people who ought to be united. A wicked heart thrives and benefits from the chaos and division of others.
Romans 16:17-18 says: I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Proverbs 12:5 NLT says: The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

4. A Wicked Heart Has A Seared Conscience
A wicked heart has difficultly expressing remorse for wrong-doing or expressing empathy and sympathy towards others. Wicked people tend to have a damaged or corrupted moral compass. Their conscience cannot restrain them or convict them because their minds are darkened by evil.
Proverbs 4:19 says: The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
Jeremiah 17:9 says: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

5. A Wicked Heart is full of Pride & Narcissism
Wicked people can be conceited and very narcissistic. A wicked person will always come first at the expense of others – including the weak. All of the plans of the wicked, no matter how damaging to others, are implemented solely to benefit themselves because a wicked heart is motivated by greed or personal appetite and personal glory.
Psalm 10:2-3 says: In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.

6. A Wicked Heart Enjoys Inflicting Pain on Others
Wicked hearts have a cruel mindset. Wicked people enjoy plotting evil or pain on others. They feel a sense of cruel satisfaction and accomplishment when they inflict suffering on others, including the innocent.
From malicious gossip & slandering, to performing acts of witchcraft, a wicked heart will do almost anything to witness the misfortunes of others.
Psalm 37:12 says: The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
Psalm 37:14 says: The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

7. A Wicked Heart Is Quick to Run to Evil Solutions
Proverbs 21:10 says that “the soul of the wicked desires evil” meaning that a wicked person is inclined to take pleasure in evil behavior or to pursue after evil as opposed to seeking after righteousness.

John 3:19-20 says: And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

What is the Fate of the Wicked?

A wicked person has all the traits of the Seven Things That God Hates which are mentioned in Proverbs 6:16-19.
God does not take wickedness lightly and His eye is constantly on the wicked if they do not repent. Many times the Scriptures reveal there are grave spiritual consequences for people who live a lifestyle of evil and wickedness.

For example, Proverbs 21:7 says: The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.

Psalm 145:20 says: The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

There can be many situations in life where it seems as if the wicked are prospering and thriving in the world (Job 21:7). It may also appear as if the wicked face no immediate or future consequences.
However, God’s word says that we are not to envy or fret because of the wicked, as God promises to eventually punish the wicked and execute His justice in His own time (Psalm 37:7-10).