Unbiblical Statements That Ignorant Christians Believe

One of the greatest gifts that God gave mankind was the Holy Bible because the Bible is literally God revealing Himself, and communicating Himself to mankind in written word. Anything and everything that we know about God comes from these Holy Scriptures, and they contain the totality of what we need to know about becoming a Christian, and everything that we need to know about living the Christian life.

Orthodox Christianity teaches that the Bible was inspired and authored by the Holy Spirit of God using human instruments. It also believes that in it's original languages of Hebrew and Greek; it is without error and fault.

However, there are many things that professing Jesus-following, Church-going, Bible-believing Christians believe that are completely unbiblical.

How does this happen? As I always note, most professing Christians have never even read the entire Bible!

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!

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 Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would 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.

The "good things" in Matt are the Holy Spirit in Luke. God blesses us with His Spirit if we love Him and ask!

• Matt 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
• Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

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)."

• James 4:4 ... 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.
• 1 John 2:15 Love not the world , neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

3. We're all God's children.

No, some are children of the devil...

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, followed Him in obedience, and possess the Holy Spirit of God inside of them can claim Him as their Father: "But you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15b-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 were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-2)." "By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10)."

4. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

The saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” does not appear in the Bible. The expression is an archaic proverb found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts. Its debut in the English language, in a modified form, is found in the writings of philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon. In Advancement of Learning (1605) he wrote, “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.” Almost two hundred years later (1791), John Wesley made a reference to the expression in one of his sermons in the form we use it today. Wesley wrote, “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness." Most notably, however, is that it was part of Poor Richard's Almanac, written by Benjamin Franklin in 1732.

The people around you may appreciate you staying clean, but this is not Scripture. Parents may us this unbiblical statement to motivate their kids to clean their rooms. However, I'd suggest using an actual biblical statement: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12)."

5. God won't give you more than you can handle.

The common scripture used for this belief: 1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

2 Cor 1:8 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: 
-=- the truth of what fake Christians are unable to bear -=-
1 Cor 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

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. Every thing is more than I can handle, but not more than Jesus can handle: "Come to me, all who labor 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 today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:39)." However, He only accepts worship that comes through Jesus Christ, not Muhammad, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)."

Can I be saved if I'm a Muslim, or a Jew, or a Buddhist?

7. Bad things happen to good people.

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

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: 'None is 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: "It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look (1 Peter 1:12)."

9. We're all going to the same place when we die.

There are two possible destinations when we pass: In the place of rest (under the Altar in the bosom of Abraham, where there is a "bright spring of water"), or in a place of torment. However, only those who are in Christ will be with Him for all eternity when they physically die: "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)."

Where Do We Go When We Die?

10. The truth will set you free.

This is actually true, but not in the way most people believe when they say it.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

It's obedience that will cause us to be free FROM SIN...

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

11. You reap what you sow.

Matt 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

The only way this statement is true is that we will reap what we sow concerning God. If we believe and obey we will be rewarded with eternal life!

12. What goes around, comes around.

Matt 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Again, it's only what we do concerning God that matters. This is a Hindu/Buddhist belief: Karma... NOT Biblical!

13. Do our rights come from God. People say, "It's my God given right".

Our God given rights are humility, love, patience, kindness, longsuffering, forgiveness, etc... what do you think is your God given right?

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

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. When they heard Paul preach, they wanted to research the Scriptures themselves to authenticate what he was saying: "The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17:10-11)."