The Lies We Christians Let Slip…

I regularly find myself faced with a situation where I have to defend my faith based on the gullibility of some ‘Christians’ like these ones in Kenya who seemingly believed their pastor brought Jesus back to earth just for their church service…

This is when unbelievers call us out like… Is this your faith? Are these your ’Men of God’? 

And I find myself shaking my head speechless because those antics actually deserve all the scorn they receive. 

Still, it is easier to recognize and call out the apparently unscrupulous acts of such imposters pandering miracles to the gullible and vulnerable than it is to recognize the fallacies adopted into our own everyday words and actions as Christians.

For instance, several people believe the practice of circumcision is widely accepted as right because it is ‘Christian’ despite the fact, the bible clearly shows this is a Jewish tradition which new Gentile believers were told they did not need because of their salvation no longer depended on such rituals.

Then there are some popular ‘Christian’ idioms which are completed unfounded. How often did you hear/say the phrase “salvation is personal”? We thought we were being profound with it and often used it to disavow needing to concern yourself with someone else, after all, “we should all carry our own crosses, right? Well, no. Even Christ had someone to help him with the cross to Calvary and we’re called upon to take care of each other. It’s not a competition for salvation we are all to help each other in the body of Christ.

Finally, one of the most popular idioms yet ‘the Lord helps those who help themselves’. Admittedly one of my favorites, because after all, it makes sense right? Even the gospels say to those who have more will be given ????

Yet this often is often twisted to justify human attempts to earn/deserve what God gives for free. Such that Christians are told/or feel they need to do more to win what God gives by grace. In so many ways we cannot help ourselves and it is God that must meet us where we are to save us.

I love how the following quote captures how this idiom misconstrues the gospel’s message: