Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

There are so many things that are being said in the religious world today that go against what God has revealed to us in His word. Don’t believe everything you hear just because your preacher said it was true. I encourage you to be like the Bereans in that they “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Let’s consider a few common myths that are said today:

As long as your religious you are acceptable to God

We live in a country where we have the freedom of religion and the right to worship as we choose. “Attend the church of your choice” has become a popular slogan. “Be sure to worship in your local church, synagogue, mosque or temple” says the public service announcement. The main idea behind these types of slogans is that it does not really matter who or what you worship as long as you are religious. The trouble is the Bible does not teach this.

On this very issue Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me ‘Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:21-23). Did you notice that these are religious people whom Christ rejects? They even call Him “Lord.” Yet, according to Jesus, they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. What is the standard then? Jesus said, “he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” I fear for those who are unconcerned about their religious views and beliefs because they will be in for a sudden and terrible awakening on the Day of Judgment.

God is just a prayer away

This is a prominent idea in the world today. This is the idea that God is standing by, anxiously waiting to hear the prayers of anyone who come to Him, regardless of their standing with him. It does not matter what they believe, whether they have obeyed the gospel or not, or if they believe at all for that matter. According to this phrase, it does not matter how you live, or how you approach Him. God not only hears but answers all those who pray to Him—as far as this idea goes.  Yet, when we look into God’s word we see that prayer is a privilege of those who are right with Him. Sin separates us from God. Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.” From that verse it does not appear that “God is just a prayer away” from the wicked. Please do not misunderstand me. I am thankful for anyone who decides that they want to turn to God and it is true that anyone can come to God. Peter said, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). But did you notice that there are conditions to this? It’s found in the phrase, “anyone who fears Him and does what is right.” I have known people who have absolutely no fear of God and no desire to do what is right. They live lives that dishonor God, yet have heard the phrase, “God is just a prayer away” and have come to believe it.

All you have to do is believe

This is the one that is widely believed and taught in many religious circles today. This is the idea that all you have to do is simply believe in God and that Jesus Christ died for your sins you are saved. Nothing else matters. According to this belief it does not matter how you live as long as you believe. Those who teach this will turn to John 3:16 where it says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” After reading this, they will say, “See, all you have to do is believe!” But what about the other things said in John 3? Before verse 16, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The phrase “born of water” is a reference to water baptism. Also many are not away that after verse 16 Jesus says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Or what about when Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Before His ascension, Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned”    (Mark 16:16).  James is very clear belief alone is dead (cf. James 2:14-26). The idea that “all you need to do is believe” is very popular today, but it is false and needs to be exposed.

God is a God of love. He would never punish someone in hell forever.

The Bible does indeed say, “God is love”       (1 John 4:16).  But it also says that he is a God of wrath. Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18). Paul also went on to write, “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” So we have a God of love and wrath. How do these two harmonize? That is the message of the gospel. The same God whom Jesus revealed in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” is also a God of justice. He must punish those who do not believe and practice evil. He does not want to punish them. Peter wrote that God does not “wish that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But do not be misled. The wrath of God exists and will be aimed at those who do not obey Him. Ultimately, if they reject God, they will spend eternity apart from Him in eternal destruction.  Paul wrote when “Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might”