False Doctrines In Christianity Today

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"I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR THAT MY CHILDREN WALK IN TRUTH" [3 John 1:4] Many well meaning yet mis-taught Christians and others who claim to be Christians are preaching lots of things that sound 'good' on the surface but at the root are anything but true. Some of these lies (modern unscriptural ideas about Christianity) are discussed below as a wake-up call to all true born-again Bible-believing disciples of Jesus Christ.

LIE #1: God wants his children to be financially prosperous.

Matt 6:19-20 - "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal"

Luke 18:22 - "Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

Matt 8:20 - "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

First and foremost, a Christian should be content in all things and should be overjoyed with the tremendous spiritual blessing of salvation that Christ paid such an enormous price for.  God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust.  Some Christians will have more money than others and some with have better health than others.  It is all a matter of God's sovereign will, as to whom He blesses, in what way, and at what time.

See also: The "Prosperity Gospel"

LIE #2: If you have enough faith God will give you whatever you ask for.

James 4:3 - "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

1 John 5:14 - "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us"

God is not a genie in a bottle. He does not perform miracles based upon the power of our minds.  A true and faithful Christian will be thinking primarily about giving and serving and not about what they can get from God.

See also: The "Prosperity Gospel"

LIE #3: Don't speak out against sin or against error because you might offend someone or you will be guilty of being legalistic.

Gal 4:16 - "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Jude 1:3 - "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

Luke 17:3 - "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

1 Tim 5:20 - "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

Matt 15:12-24 - "Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

Matt 24:10-11 - "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."

Rom 6:1,2 - "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

2 Pet 3:14 - "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

John 7:24 - "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

Jesus spoke out against sin. John the Baptist spoke out against sin.  Paul spoke out against sin.  All the Old Testament prophets spoke out against sin.  Speaking out about sin and error is a primary way of keeping the Church pure and keeping it focused on the biblical way of living. Similarly, if a parent ignored or continually overlooked the disobedience of their children, it would be a sign that they hate their children: "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."  [Proverbs 13:24 ]

See also: The Need Of the Hour - To Contend Earnestly and Legalistic Or Antiseptic?

LIE #4: Unity is more important than doctrine.

Psa 138:2 - "... thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

2 Tim 4:3-4 - "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Division amongst true believers is not a good thing. Believers should be committed to working out disagreements and studying doctrine to be sure all are in harmony with scripture. However, unity at the expense of truth is an act of treason against God and His word.

See also: Warnings About Ecumenicalism

LIE #5: Christians should work together with whoever is pro-family and pro-life.

2 Cor 6:14-17 - "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord"

We must realize that all who name the name of Christ are not necessarily Christians.  Many folks say they believe in Jesus and do various "good" works, but do not know the true Gospel of salvation by grace alone through the completed work of Christ alone. This includes most, if not all Catholics and many so-called evangelical Christians.  A true believer's primary concern should be that no stumbling blocks get in our way of preaching the truth of scripture.  A social ministry or social cause is never more important than the spiritual ministry of preaching the Gospel.  You can feed all the poor in the world and if they do not hear and believe the gospel they will end up in hell for all eternity.

See also: The Social Gospel - What is it and is it biblical?

LIE #6: It is OK for a woman to be a pastor or to have teaching authority over men in the church, especially if there is a shortage of qualified men.

To that claim I ask: "How can a woman be the husband of one wife?"...

1 Tim3:2 - "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach"

Titus 1:6 - "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly."

1 Tim 2:12 - "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

See also: Doing Church - the Bible way, Leadership Issues

LIE #7: God loves everybody.

Psa 5:5 - "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity."

Psa 11:5 - "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth."

Rom 9:13-15 - "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy"

Rom 9:21-23 - "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory"

Who are we - whose minds are corrupted through and through by sin - to tell God what is fair or whom He should love?  Yet many professing Christians think that the idea that God would hate any of His creatures or would predestine any of them to Hell is a awful God.  Rather, we should say that God is a wonderful God to think that He would humble Himself as a man and would subject Himself to the agony and humiliation of the cross to save even a single rebellious sinner such as you or I. 

See also: Who Does God Love?

LIE #8: Jesus died for everyone.

Matt 22:14 - "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Mark 13:20 - "... but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days."

John 15:16 - "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you ..."

Acts 13:48 - "... and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."

John 1:12-13 - "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Eph 1:4-11 - "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will"

2 Thes 2:13 - "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth"

If Jesus died for everyone, then everyone's sins are paid for and no one will be in Hell. But if that is the case, then why did Jesus warn so many people about Hell and why does the Bible say that Hell will be full of many rebellious sinners?

See also the document: Who Accepts Whom? and: Free Will - A Slave

LIE #9: All babies and small children that die go to heaven because God would not condemn anyone who has not reached 'the age of accountability'.

Psa 51:5 - "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."

Psa 58:3 - "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."

First of all, who says you have to reach an age of accountability to be a sinner?  God declares that we are born with a sin-sick (unredeemed) soul, thereby making us unfit to be in His presence.  God sovereignly determines which infants, children and adults He will ordain to eternal life no matter how short their lives may be.  Perhaps He has even ordained that all who die in infancy will be among the elect. But that should not be the concern of the Christian.  A believer's attitude about what God does should always be: "not my will, but thine, be done." And let us not forget the words of Christ in Matthew chapter 20: "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." [Matthew 20:15-16]

See also: The Sovereignty Of God and The God Nobody Knows

LIE #10: Signs and wonders are evidences of being a Christian - a true child of God.

1 Cor 12:30 - "Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?"

1 Cor 14:11 - "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me."

Matt 12:39 - "... An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas"

It is not tongues speaking or any other miraculous signs that confirm our conversion to Christ. True signs of salvation consist of a changed attitude about God and sin as evidenced by a love for holiness (John 14:21, Heb 12:14), for the brethren (1John 3:14), the lost (Matt 5:44) and biblical truth (John 18:37).

See also: Are You Filled With The Spirit?

LIE #11: You can commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit if you question the source of someone's tongues utterances, tongues interpretations, or messages from God.

1Thes 5:21 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

1 John 4:1 - "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

Rev 22:18 - "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book"

A wise servant of Christ will always question things when the Spirit in him prompts him to do so.  Shame of those who try to discourage believers from testing the Spirits and prove all things.

See also: What's All This Talk About Tongues? and A Scriptural Perspective of Tongues

LIE #12: We should not question someone's salvation.

1 John 4:1 - "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

Matt 7:15-16 - "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits."

2 Cor 13:5 - "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

What's wrong with questioning someone's salvation? Will we hurt their feelings? Isn't better to urge people to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith than to give them a false sense of security by not questioning their salvation when we continually see bad fruit in their lives?

See also: Am I Saved?, Does God Love You?, Are You Born Again?, Be Sure!, Does Your Religion Satisfy God?, Is Christ YOUR Lord?, Only Two!, Have You Been Born Twice?, How Can A Person Know For Sure?, and Why Good People Do Not Go To Heaven

LIE #13: God doesn't mind if we use religious statues, pictures or medallions as aids to worship.

Exo 20:4-5 - "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them"

Deut 29:17 - "And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them"

Psa 135:15-18 -"The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them."

1Cor 10:14 - "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry"

2 Cor 6:16 - "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?"

1John 5:21 - "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."

Rev 9:20 - "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk"

See also: The idols of Catholicism and Pictures Of Christ - For What Purpose?

LIE #14: You can get yourself saved anytime you want just by saying a prayer telling Jesus that you accept Him as your Saviour.

Acts 15:8 - "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us"

Jonah 2:9 - "Salvation is of the LORD."

Mat 7:21-23 - "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."

Mat 18:3 - "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Matt 15:8 - "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."

Luke 13:3 - "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

John 3:3 - "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

The Sovereign God of the universe is in charge of salvation, not the rebellious sinner.  The idea that God is a "gentleman" who will not force anyone to accept Him is a human invention that puts the sinner in the driver's seat and God on the sidelines waiting to see when the spiritually dead sinner will do.

See also: What The Gospel Is And Is Not

LIE #15: God doesn't care what we expose ourselves to (music, radio & TV programs, movies, reading material, etc.) as long as it has a positive message.

James 4:4 - "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Psa 101:3 - "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes"

Deuteronomy 7:26 - "Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing."

See also: Does it matter what I look at?

LIE #16: You can lose your salvation.

Rom 5:11 - "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

John 3:18 - "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

1 John 5:13 - "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

John 10:28 - "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

Jude 1:24 - "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy"

See also: Eternal Security & Backsliding

LIE #17: Evangelism is only an activity for Christians who have that gift.

2 Cor 5:20 - "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

James 5:20 - "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

Mat 10:32-33 - "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

See also: Helps for sharing the true Gospel and Why Christians Must Share The Gospel

LIE #18: Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, 7th Day Adventists and Roman Catholics are all members of legitimate Christian churches.

Rev 22:18 - "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."

The Mormon church has added the Book of Mormon, The Jehovah Witness Watchtower organization has created the corrupt New World Translation bible, The Adventist churches have added Ellen G. White's writings, and the Catholic Church has added the Catholic Catechism, all of which are used to elevate the teachings of these organizations above the Holy Bible. The Bible teaches salvation by God's grace alone!

See also: Why I Am Not A Mormon

Summary:

So what do you do if you are in a church that preaches any of the above lies? The Bible says we are to be our brother's keeper and to convert a sinner from the error of his way (James 5:20). So we must graciously and gently bring error to the attention of those who are preaching it. There are two problems in most conventional churches that prevent correction from occuring:

• the leaders and teachers are perhaps not saved so they cannot know the truth and cannot receive it unless God opens their blind eyes

• the church has a clergy/laity distinction that gives the laity (the average church member) the impression that they are not to question or correct the clergy (pastor/elders/teachers) who are somehow infallible or above correction. The use of sermons to teach the congregation is a very good method church leaders use to prevent the congregation from asking "annoying" or embarrassing questions. Whereas, interactive teaching environments promote a healthier, safer teaching forum if the hearers are free to make comments, ask questions and offer correction.