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

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“God forgives unconditionally.”

When John the Baptizer was sent to “prepare the way of the Lord”, he preached repentance. (John 3:1-12)  According to the gospel of Mark, the first thing Jesus preached was, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14)

Jesus instructed his disciples to go to the brother who has sinned against them, show him his fault, and hope he listens—or repents; if not, he outlines more steps to take. If after all that, the sinning brother still won’t listen, he is to be treated as a “pagan” (non-believer). (Matthew 18:15-17)  Jesus further told them, “If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. (Luke 17:3 emphasis added) Repentance as a qualification for forgiveness is a major part of the framework of the Bible in both Old and New Testaments.

A second condition for forgiveness is that the sin must be forgivable.  Jesus said, “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit (calling the Holy Spirit’s ways evil) will never be forgiven, he is guilty of an eternal sin. (Mark 3:29, 30) John said, “There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.” Since he didn’t specify which sin that is, I can only conclude that he referred to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

So no, God’s forgiveness is not “unconditional.” However, in his mercy he may occasionally grant forgiveness without repentance just as he “sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

Forgiveness is often confused with God’s love.  Followers of Jesus are to love each other, their neighbors, those who insult or persecute them and their enemies—that would seem to be everybody.

They say, “Everything that happens God’s perfect will, since he’s sovereign.”

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Yes, God is sovereign—ruler of all but that does not mean that everything that comes into our lives is good or from him.  The Bible makes it clear that we have an enemy, Satan who would like to “devour” us (1 Peter 5:8) and who comes to “steal, kill and destroy”. (John 10:10)  We are to resist the devil and he will flee,” (James 4:7) If the things of the devil are good and God’s perfect will, why is it that we are instructed to resist and “put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-18), which includes a shield to “quench the fiery darts of the devil”?  We would be resisting God’s will!

No, God in his sovereignty allows these works of the devil to come through so we can fight them off (Judges 3:1-4)! We’re to fight the devil not people! (Matthew 5:39)!

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

They say, “The Bible say parents must spank their children.”

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Spare the rod and spoil the child. Proverbs 13:24

This is a true Scripture quoted to cause Christians to believe that they must “spank” or “cause pain” to their children who don’t do the right thing–or in many cases to excuse abuse. But this Proverb was a “wise saying,” not a command, given during the Old Covenant or Mosaic Law and is not repeated in the New Covenant or its record in the New Testament.  It in no way relates to “Fathers do not exasperate your children.” (Ephesians 6:4) or “love believes all things…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

We teach children that hitting is not the way to resolve issues; then we hit them.

While it’s true that a qualification of being an elder is to be one “whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient,” the same passage also states that a qualified person is not to be a “striker” (literal Greek translation). Titus 1:5-7

When a large child on a playground hits or in other ways hurts a smaller child, what do we call the larger child?  Right.  A bully.  We tell them to go pick on someone their own size.  Yet many teach that a man who is five or six times larger than a small child should hit the child when he or she doesn’t live up to expectations.

Rather, Jesus said that children are very valuable to him and should be cared for and not caused to stumble:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! Matthew 18:1-7

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They say, “It’s impossible to keep the Law of Moses.”

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In the 21st century and every century since 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple—yes, since sacrificing at the Temple is a large part of the Law Moses gave (from God) to the Hebrews.  However, to say that it was always impossible is to overlook a number of passages in the New Testament:

Elizabeth and her husband (the parents of John the Baptizer) were upright, “observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly”. (Luke 1:6)

The “rich young ruler” said he had kept all the commandments since his youth. (Mark 10:17-23)

Paul said that he, himself, had been blameless in regard to the Law. (Philippians 3:5,6)

But those who followed Jesus learned “a new and better way” in the New Covenant of following Jesus’ teachings and coming under his atoning grace.

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They say, “You’ve got to yell at the devil.”

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“You’ve got to yell at the devil to let him know you’re mad so he’ll know you mean it!”

No.  Man’s anger doesn’t serve God. (James 1:20)  It’s the authority and name of Jesus that cast out the devil. Jesus “drove out the spirits with a word” (Matthew 8:16) Nothing fancy or loud, most likely “Out.” Some demons though, Jesus said, need extra prayer for a person to drive them out—not extra noise or anger. (Mark 9:28, 29) Simply “resist the devil and he will flee.”

Perhaps more importantly are some little-known Scriptures that emphasize our need to respect celestial beings—even the devil.

Jude said, “In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand…” Jude vs 8-10

Peter said, “Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand.” 2 Peter 2:10, 11

So, it’s not a good idea to teach children cute songs that mock the devil such as the one saying, he “can sit on a tack.”

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They say, “Jesus didn’t say we shouldn’t defend ourselves.”

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Oh, but he did.  When Peter sought to defend Jesus against those who came to arrest him by cutting off a man’s ear—Jesus told him to put away his sword. (Matthew 26:52). Jesus later told Pilate that if his kingdom were of this world his servants would fight to prevent his arrest. (John 18:36)

Jesus also said that if you draw the sword you will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52)

Do not resist an evil person (Matthew 5:39)

Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)

Love your enemies. (Matthew 5:44)

How can you overcome evil with good when you only mirror evil back to a person?  When one returns evil for evil, evil increases.(Further discussion is beyond the scope of this blog but trusting God for our protection or other eventual positive outcome is the only response Jesus accepts from his followers (John 8:31).

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They say,”God wants his people to be rich.”

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Not exactly.

Jesus told people to sell everything and follow him? (Luke 12:33) Why did he say to not store up treasures on this earth? (Matthew 6:19) Why did he say that it’s very hard for a rich man to enter heaven? (Matthew 19:33

No, earthly riches are not to be the goal of a follower of Jesus but seeking his kingdom, which will at times cost us everything we’ve got.  Of course, I must point out that neither did Jesus say that he wants us to be in poverty since he continually pointed his followers to taking care of those in need.  In fact, the early church “were no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34) because they took care of one another. Jesus said that he came to preach good news to the poor–keeping them in poverty is not good news!

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What does it mean to “fall from grace?”

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“To ‘fall from grace’ means to sin so badly that there’s no forgiveness big enough to cover it.”

Not at all. The term, “fallen from grace” comes from Paul’s admonition to the Galatians to resist being put under the Law of Moses.

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4

Anyone who tries to be justified by the Law is relying on the Law and not grace.  You can’t have it both ways—the Law or Jesus. So, to “fall from grace” is to seek God’s approval by attempting to live up to the Law—even following the Ten Commandments. Such behavior results in being “alienated from Christ,” a serious matter. Paul quoted Deuteronomy (27:26) in saying that anyone who tries such a thing is under a curse because they then have to keep every one of the 613 parts of the Law (which, in fact, has been impossible since 70 AD when the Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans—a vast number of the requirements involve Temple/Tabernacle worship).

“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Galatians 3:10

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10

In no way should this be confused with obeying Jesus’ teachings. Many people mistakenly believe that since we are “under grace,” to expect anyone to be obedient to Jesus’ teachings is to put them under “a bunch of rules and regulations” and is “works righteousness.”

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They say, “As Christians we don’t need to please God because he’s already pleased with us.”

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Not exactly.

It’s true that we come to God the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus who paid the penalty for our sins and Jesus is definitely pleased with Jesus. However, that’s not where it stops.

The New Testament often urges us to do what’s pleasing to God.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Romans 14:17,18

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 1 Timothy 5:4

So, we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.   2 Corinthians 5:9

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 1 Thessalonians 4:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God,because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, Colossians 1:9-11

They say, “It’s a sin to be sorrowful.”

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“It’s a sin to be sorrowful since the Bible says we are to,”rejoice in the Lord always.”

Is it true? No.

The Bible does instruct us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4) but every admonition in the Bible doesn’t have a reverse formula as though we were working mathematical equations.  Jesus himself expresses great sorrow on a number of occasions (Luke 19:40-42, John 11:34-36, Matthew 26:37-39) yet was without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Paul taught that we are to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15)

The Bible makes the distinction, however, between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. 2 Corinthians 7:11

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