“Since Jesus was a Nazarite he didn’t drink alcohol.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

Is it true? No.

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Jesus was a Nazarene—from Nazareth, not a Nazirite (a particular vow of Judaism that did not allow a man to even eat grapes or raisins—so no wine, not even Welch’s grape juice, or cut his hair). Jesus not only drank wine, but he also created a whole lot of wine at the wedding in Cana, after everyone had already had a lot to drink.

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Mark 1:9

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite,they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.” Numbers 6:1-5 and on through verse 21.

The giving of the instructions for those taking a Nazarite vow includes not being near a dead body; Jesus was often near dead people though they didn’t stay that way. If he’d been a Nazarite, he would have had to shave his head every time.

“The church isn’t  a building.” “The church is in the office, the marketplace, the school—wherever the individual is.”

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Is it true? No.

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The word translated as church in the New Testament of the Bible is “ecclesia,” a decision making body. While it’s true that the building isn’t the church, and the church can be any type of building, home, even a tent or a tree to gather under, individuals in the office, marketplace, school, etc. are not, by themselves, the church. The gathering of believers to worship, fellowship and learn together is the church.

“I’m not called to missions.”

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Is it true? No.

Maybe.

Maybe you’re not called to leave your life in your home country behind to live overseas and learn a new language, or even leave your previous life behind and work as a volunteer to support those who do go. It is a hard life though it can be rewarding. But every Christian is called to be part of the spreading of God’s Kingdom, whether through prayer, financial support or moral or logistical support. Jesus addressed his Great Commission to all his followers. However, there are many more who are called to go, who hang back and talk themselves out of it.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

“They say, “The Holy Spirit doesn’t do miracles anymore.”

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 Is it true? No.

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Why wouldn’t he?

Why wouldn’t he? The Bible, which people rightly point to as the final authority, never says that miracles have ceased or would no longer necessary. They can only point to I Corinthians 13:8, which says, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.For we know in part and we prophesy in part,but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.” But they don’t believe that knowledge has passed away. They say that the “completeness” refers to the canon of Scripture, the final agreement of the number of books in the Bible, particularly the New Testament—but what about the Resurrection, the final judgment and New Jerusalem, aren’t those rather the completeness Paul referred to? Yes. And if prophecy disappears when the Bible was “finalized,” then a good part of the Bible would disappear as well, since a lot of it is prophecy.

Paul was speaking, not of the gifts of the Spirit “passing away,” or their being unimportant, but of the ongoing need of love as a “way” of life and of operating in the gifts of the Spirit. He went on to say that the Corinthians—and by extension, all believers should “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy” (I Corinthians 14:1). Do not quench the Spirit. I Thessalonians 5:19

The only way that healing or miracles of protection would no longer be needed is if we were in New Jerusalem in the new heavens and new earth, where there’s “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4). As long as people become ill, are injured are in pain or die, as long as there is spiritual warfare, miracles are still needed.

Many say that since they don’t see any miracles, miracles can’t exist—as though they themselves were the defining authority of what exists. One would have to be hiding in a cave to miss the many healings that the Holy Spirit has done through the ages and continues to do. Lesser known, but still happening, are the miracles of multiplying of food, and of supernatural protection from bandits..

I have personally been supernaturally healed, and even raised from the dead, so I am an eyewitness that these things have not “passed away.”

They say, “When Jesus said we are the salt of the earth he meant we’re to preserve the culture.”

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Is it true? No.

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The Bible interprets itself. It says that salt is a sign of the Covenant; God isn’t particularly interested in preserving human cultures, his mission is to spread his culture–the Kingdom of Heaven. Followers of Jesus are to be a sign to the world of the Kingdom of Heaven—and how to get there (John 8:31,32)

Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings. Leviticus 2:13

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17

Cultures are set on earthly things. But the ultimate citizenship of followers of Jesus is in heaven.

Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Philippians 3:19-21

They say, “God’s love is unconditional.”

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Is it true? Not exactly.

The word unconditional doesn’t appear in the Bible—I checked several translations. And yes, sometimes there are things that aren’t said directly but are nevertheless true. But when I ask people what Scripture they base this on, they mostly point to God’s love for Israel—that doesn’t include everyone, which is a condition. Some quote John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” This verse, rather than saying it doesn’t matter how you live or what you do, God still loves you, it speaks of a general love.  God loves the world so much that he was willing to put his Son through suffering and death—and resurrection, to offer salvation to those who would believe and obey.

The Bible is full of “if—then” statements such as,

 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:19

Jesus’ replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”  John 14:23,24

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

God’s love isn’t mushy or shifting, but rock solid for those who believe in Jesus and follow his teachings.

They say, “Most of Jesus’ teachings were before the cross so they don’t apply to us.”

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Is it true? No.

If it were, how could one be a Christian at all if not by following Jesus teachings?

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

If Jesus’ teachings don’t apply to us, then we can’t be his disciples—Christians, or know the truth and be set free by it. How sad and empty that would be!

Yes, a few things Jesus said were specific to the situation but the truth is, we are to follow Jesus’ teachings in order to be his disciples, which results in knowing the Truth and in freedom..

They say, “If a church doesn’t have a fancy building, they must be a cult.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / 1 Comment

Is it true? No.

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The first churches—until the late 200’s, met in homes and did not have separate buildings. It takes hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars to build, buy and maintain church buildings, taking resources away from proclaiming the gospel. In many countries, church buildings make the Christians there a target for persecution and terrorist attacks; in those settings, house churches or night meetings in the woods work better, are closer to the original church and are no less real.

They say,“God has people be sick so that they can witness to the doctors and nurses.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

Is it true? No.

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Really? Are medical personnel a breed apart from the rest of the world so that none of them are Christians? That none of them witness to each other? That they never go to community events or even have Christian family members, and no one but sick people to speak to them about Jesus? In fact, many medical workers are Christians.

Yes, God will turn anything for our good as Romans 8:28 says, but he’s a good father, and good fathers do NOT make their children sick. When human fathers do this, they end up in jail—or worse.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

They say, “We don’t know what the unforgivable sin is.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

Is it true? No.

Yes, we do know. Jesus told us.

Jesus said it plainly that the only sin that can’t be forgiven is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. But what is that? Since the Bible interprets itself, we have to look at the context. The Pharisees were saying that Jesus did works of the Holy Spirit by the power of the devil. So, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit would be to attribute the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil. Very dangerous!

Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” Mark 3:28-30