Unbiblical Statements Christians Believe
We believe the Bible was inspired and authored by the Holy Spirit of God using human instruments. We also believe that God has preserved it in the King James Bible, and that It’s without error and fault.
However, there are many things that Jesus-following, Church-going, Bible-believing Christians believe that are completely unbiblical. How does this happen?
Often, we'll hear someone quote a statement that sounds nice to us, and we'll begin repeating it as though it's Biblical truth without ever researching it in the Scriptures. Several of these unbiblical statements have gained enough traction that many people believe they're actually Bible verses. Not only are the statements unbiblical; most of them teach the opposite of what the Bible teaches.
Here is a list of nine popular unbiblical statements that Bible-loving Christians tend to believe:
1. God helps those who help themselves.
This statement is actually anti-Gospel. Self-reliance and self-righteousness, or the attitude of trying harder and doing better actually gets in the way of the work of God.
Jesus saves those who die to themselves:
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)."
2. God wants me to be happy.
It's a common belief that God exists to be our "personal genie" waiting to give us our every wish. It's amazing how we will justify our sinful actions by saying, "God just wants me to be happy."
Happiness is tied to feelings and emotions that are often based on circumstances, and those change all the time. God wants us to be obedient to Him, trust Him, and know that everything He does is for our good, even if it doesn't make me feel "happy" in that moment.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)."
3. We're all God's children.
Although, God has created everyone . . . not everyone relationally belongs to Him.
Only those who have repented of sin, placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and possess the Holy Spirit of God inside of them can claim Him as their Father:
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:15-16)."
However, those who don't have Jesus as their Savior, nor have the Holy Spirit of God inside of them actually belong to Satan:
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:1-2)."
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1 John 3:10)."
4. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
The people around you may appreciate you staying clean, but this is not Scripture. Parents may use this unbiblical statement to motivate their kids to clean their rooms. However, I'd suggest using an actual biblical statement:
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. (Exodus 20:12)."
5. God won't give you more than you can handle.
Actually, all of life is more than we can handle. The point of living in a fallen world is not for us to try really hard to carry our heavy burden, but rather give-up, quit, and surrender to God, that's what faith is all about.
Everything is more than I can handle, but not more than Jesus can handle:
"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: (2 Corinthians 1:8)."
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)."
6. We all worship the same God.
Yes, there is only one true and living God:
"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. (Deuteronomy 4:39)."
However, He only accepts worship that comes through Jesus Christ, not Muhammad, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc:
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)."
7. Bad things happen to good people.
Often we place ourselves in the judgment seat of what is good and bad, or who is good and bad. The most popular way to make that judgment is by comparison. For example, Bob is a good guy, because he is not as bad as Sam.
However, according to the Bible we're all on equal ground because none of us is inherently good:
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)'."
8. When you die, God gains another angel.
Plain and simple. Humans are humans, and angels are angels. This remains so even in eternity.
In fact, angels are intrigued by the interaction between God and His "image-bearing" humans:
"Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12)."
9. We're all going to the same place when we die.
There are two possible destinations when we pass: Heaven and Hell.
However, only those who are in Christ will be with Him for all eternity when they physically die:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)."
The fact that many of us Christians believe these unbiblical statements shows our unfortunate overall biblical illiteracy.
Instead of swallowing popular statements hook-line-and-sinker; may we be like the Bereans in the Book of Acts.
Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
However, there are many things that Jesus-following, Church-going, Bible-believing Christians believe that are completely unbiblical. How does this happen?
Often, we'll hear someone quote a statement that sounds nice to us, and we'll begin repeating it as though it's Biblical truth without ever researching it in the Scriptures. Several of these unbiblical statements have gained enough traction that many people believe they're actually Bible verses. Not only are the statements unbiblical; most of them teach the opposite of what the Bible teaches.
Here is a list of nine popular unbiblical statements that Bible-loving Christians tend to believe:
1. God helps those who help themselves.
This statement is actually anti-Gospel. Self-reliance and self-righteousness, or the attitude of trying harder and doing better actually gets in the way of the work of God.
Jesus saves those who die to themselves:
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)."
2. God wants me to be happy.
It's a common belief that God exists to be our "personal genie" waiting to give us our every wish. It's amazing how we will justify our sinful actions by saying, "God just wants me to be happy."
Happiness is tied to feelings and emotions that are often based on circumstances, and those change all the time. God wants us to be obedient to Him, trust Him, and know that everything He does is for our good, even if it doesn't make me feel "happy" in that moment.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)."
3. We're all God's children.
Although, God has created everyone . . . not everyone relationally belongs to Him.
Only those who have repented of sin, placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and possess the Holy Spirit of God inside of them can claim Him as their Father:
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:15-16)."
However, those who don't have Jesus as their Savior, nor have the Holy Spirit of God inside of them actually belong to Satan:
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:1-2)."
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1 John 3:10)."
4. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
The people around you may appreciate you staying clean, but this is not Scripture. Parents may use this unbiblical statement to motivate their kids to clean their rooms. However, I'd suggest using an actual biblical statement:
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. (Exodus 20:12)."
5. God won't give you more than you can handle.
Actually, all of life is more than we can handle. The point of living in a fallen world is not for us to try really hard to carry our heavy burden, but rather give-up, quit, and surrender to God, that's what faith is all about.
Everything is more than I can handle, but not more than Jesus can handle:
"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: (2 Corinthians 1:8)."
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)."
6. We all worship the same God.
Yes, there is only one true and living God:
"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. (Deuteronomy 4:39)."
However, He only accepts worship that comes through Jesus Christ, not Muhammad, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc:
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)."
7. Bad things happen to good people.
Often we place ourselves in the judgment seat of what is good and bad, or who is good and bad. The most popular way to make that judgment is by comparison. For example, Bob is a good guy, because he is not as bad as Sam.
However, according to the Bible we're all on equal ground because none of us is inherently good:
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)'."
8. When you die, God gains another angel.
Plain and simple. Humans are humans, and angels are angels. This remains so even in eternity.
In fact, angels are intrigued by the interaction between God and His "image-bearing" humans:
"Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12)."
9. We're all going to the same place when we die.
There are two possible destinations when we pass: Heaven and Hell.
However, only those who are in Christ will be with Him for all eternity when they physically die:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)."
The fact that many of us Christians believe these unbiblical statements shows our unfortunate overall biblical illiteracy.
Instead of swallowing popular statements hook-line-and-sinker; may we be like the Bereans in the Book of Acts.
Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
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