The 9 Lies of Religion
“I came into the world to testify to the truth,” said Jesus. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).
Strong words, Jesus. Put them on your Facebook page and you’ll get flamed.
“Jesus, how dare you claim to have the inside track on truth? Why must we take sides? How ungracious. How divisive. What gives you the right? Who do you think you are?”
Jesus testified to the truth because only the truth can set you free. Religion, on the other hand, keeps you bound with half-truths, bent-truths, and damnable lies.
By religion I mean the universal quest for self-improvement. I am talking about the religion of the snake who said, “Do this and you will be like God.”
The lies of religion are contemptible because they throw shade on the good news and enslave those whom Jesus loves. Here are nine of the most diabolical lies ever preached:
1. God is keeping score
“He’s making a list and checking it twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty and nice.”
The picture of God as a bookkeeper is at odds with the one Jesus gives of God as the forgiving father.
Religion says, “God is recording your sins on video-tape.” But the good news declares, “Love keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor 13:5). God is not recording your sins (2 Cor 5:19) and he does not treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10).
“But didn’t Jesus say he might blot our names from his book?”
No, Jesus said he wouldn’t blot our names. The only thing God promises to blot out are your sins (Is 43:25), and he did that already. Why? Because he loves us and wants us to come home.
2. God is mad at you
“Sure, God loves you but he’s also mad at you. You have to balance his kindness with his sternness.”
Heard that one? It sounds Biblical, but it isn’t.
The Bible proclaims, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Everything he does is an expression of his love for you. If the wrath of God scares you, then you have the wrong picture of wrath because there is no fear in love (1 John 4:18).
The gospel truth is that God was angry with your sins but he poured out all his wrath on the cross (Rom 8:3), and he is angry no more. As the hymn says, because of Jesus the wrath of God has been satisfied.
3. God is punishing you
“God scourges his children and burns the rest.”
Uh-huh. So how many people did Jesus scourge? How many people did Jesus punish? If it’s not true of the Son, it’s not true of the Father (Heb. 1:3).
The truth is that God doesn’t scourge his children, but he trains and instructs them as a father trains the son in whom he delights.
Religion wields the big stick of punishment to compel proper behavior, but in Christ you are eternally unpunishable! “The punishment that brought us peace was on him…” (Is. 53:5). As Spurgeon said: “How shall the Lord punish twice for one offense? If Christ took my sins and stood as my substitute, then there is no wrath of God for me.”
4. God makes you sick to teach you things
“God gave you cancer to teach you character.”
No he didn’t. God is certainly able to redeem our suffering, but he doesn’t give us sickness in the first place.
Under the old covenant, people got sick as a consequence of breaking the law (Deu. 28:15–28). But Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law that we might live healthy and abundant lives.
Religion says God teaches us with sickness, but Jesus says he teaches us through the Word and the Holy Spirit. The truth is that Jesus took sickness off people; he didn’t give it to them.
5. God gives and takes away
“Your baby died because God needed another angel in heaven. God took your job because you were enjoying it too much. Your car was stolen because it was an idol.”
Heed these damnable lies and you won’t resist the thief when he comes to plunder you.
Religion loves to quote Job because the man was self-righteous (Job 32:1-2), but he was also bitter (Job 27:2), and suicidal (Job 7:15) and spoke a lot of rubbish (Job 42:3). “Job is an ignoramus. He talks utter nonsense” (Job 34:35, MSG). Why listen to Job when you can listen to Jesus?
The truth is that Jesus came so that you may have life to the full. God gives good gifts and he never takes them back (Rom 11:29).
6. God might reject you
“Unfruitful branches are broken off and cast into the fire. Consider the Jewish branches that were broken off on and be afraid!”
Yet Jesus never said God breaks off unfruitful branches and nor did Paul.
Religion says, “You have to get on fire for God, or Jesus will vomit you out.” Not true. You are the body of Christ and Jesus doesn’t vomit out body parts.
Religion says work hard and God may accept you, but the truth is that in Christ you are 100% acceptable. Nothing can make you more or less pleasing to God than you already are.
7. God can be bought
“Grace is free but you have to prove you were worth it. God wants your service, your sacrifice, and your money.”
The endless appeals for sweat and coin are a hallmark of DIY religion. “Jesus died for you. What will you do for him?” It’s an anti-Christ message that prostitutes the love of God by putting price-tags on the priceless.
A holy God cannot be bribed and your Father’s love cannot be bought. You cannot pay for salvation, sanctification, or any of the blessings of God. The truth is that all the blessings of God are ours in Christ (Eph 1:3). We are not blessed because we give but because he gives.
8. God can’t be trusted
“You have to maintain your place in the kingdom by bearing fruit, pursuing holiness, and being a productive Christian.”
Nothing will kill your faith faster than the lie that says, “It all depends on you.” This is serpent theology: “If you fast, pray, give, and do a hundred other things, you’ll claw your way into the throne room. You’ll be a self-made god.”
The truth is that you are saved by grace and kept by grace. You can trust Jesus that the good work he began in you he will carry on unto completion (Php 1:6). You don’t stand on your promises to God, but on his awesome promises to you.
9. God doesn’t really love you
An angry God that keeps score, punishes you with hardships, makes you sick, and threatens to cast you aside, is not a God of love. He’s an idol made in our own fallen image, a perversion that reveals our fear and insecurity. Remove the religious mask and you will find it is Satan who is constantly accusing you and finding fault with you.
The God that Jesus revealed is nothing like this! “God is your Father in heaven who loves you and holds nothing against you! God doesn’t want to crush you, he wants to hug you and hold you and rejoice over you with singing, for you are the apple of his eye!
The gospel truth is that God loves you unconditionally, no strings attached. He doesn’t love you because you are good or kept the rules. He loves you because he is your Father. Period. Amen. The end.
What if I have bought into these lies?
Listen to the damnable lies of religion and you will bear the bad fruit of fear and doubt. You will lose your peace, joy, and freedom and end up anxious, insecure, and fallen from grace.
What’s the remedy?
Jesus said those who love truth recognize his voice. So fix your eyes on Jesus, get settled in his love, and let nothing move you.
Remain in your Father’s embrace and you will never be seduced by the lies of dead religion.
——-
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Awsume as always. My favorite is we are saved by Grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone for God’s glory alone according to scripture alone (so far, so good). Then here comes the Ten Commandments, and more law… kinda confusing? Like saying it is free for ten dollars.
Hi everyone I just want to say thank you I’m so sick I the dishonesty in this world all i crave is truth no lies it’s just leadin to corruption I am so happy so find somewhere of honestly and good people thank you so much for being true b eautys of gods kingdom I hope you all live a great a wonderfull life and thank you with all my heart 🙂
Your Teaching Is Good, And This Is Plain Truth,
This is not plain, please explain, Point 3. You said God does not scourge His Children. But the scripture say’s differently. Totally opposite. Hebrews 12:6. Dont know what you are getting at, by denying this.
Click the link under point 3 for more.
This is not plain, please explain, Point 3. You said God does not scourge His Children. But the scripture say’s differently. Totally opposite. Hebrews 12:6. Dont know what you are getting at, by denying this.
Still wondering why you refuse to post this post. Is it because you will be seen as at fault? Remember James tells us to confess our faults, one to another. With a caveat, you shall be healed! We all have faults, I have faults!. Be wise. Thanks
Click the link under point 3 (above) for my response to your question.
Tom Check out scourge in a Strong’s concordance about that Hebrews verse. It doesn’t mean beat or harm like we have been led to think of the word. The definition sounds a lot like a harsh verbal chewing. Ya’ know that good ‘ole stern parental lecture 😉 Found that out when I was researching stuff about parenting and discipline.
To say “God doesn’t scourge his children” can’t be accurate…
Please direct any comments on Hebrews 12:6 to this article on that passage. Thanks.
Here are a couple more:
The Holy Spirit gives you the power to stop sinning.
When Jesus told His disciples that they would do greater works, He was speaking to everyone in the church
God’s wrath poured out on Jesus at the cross is another religous lie.
#9. Damnable and really bad theology. We often have zero idea what Love is. Thanks brother.
Religion is used in the same way as politics this was done on purpose to subject us. There is a Creator but He is intelligible (as the Universe exist within him, rather than religion look at the mysticism surrounding religions and that is were one should start. Everything is mind.
Religion is used only for subjecting us? Maybe some “religions”, but actually, just the opposite, with the Christian religion as it was sent to free us from subjection! As Jesus partook of our own flesh so as to be a substation for us, to carry our sins to the cross, a substitute sacrificial lamb. He did this to”… deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” No, the only reason for “pure religion” is deliverance from subjection! One can see this with (having) the mind of Christ. Hebrews 2:14,15, James 1:27, Philippians 2:5.
You the laity must obey and serve the clergy
If by that you mean the clergy is greater, remember the Lords words; “whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all”. As Jesus, our example, 1 Peter 2:21,22, came not to be served but to serve. Mark 10.
It would prove to be an impossible challenge to find the concept of clergy and laity in the New Testament. There are no such divisions found there. If however; you mean “clergy” to refer to “elders” and “leaders” then yes :
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
1 Peter 5:5
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
Hebrews 13:17
Unless of course those “elders” and “leaders” are not telling the truth. We can never obey lies.
“But Peter and John answered and said to them, (the Jewish elders and leaders) Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;”
Acts 4:19
I love escape to reality and I think this page will always bless me.
May bless this ministry.
“The kingdom of god is within you”, Luke 17:21 So why does everyone look outside themselves. ?Government is the big lie. If you want see god look in a mirror.
Interesting, but James Madison wrote; “If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary …” Well James, Jesus is King and Kings have subjects and thus a government, as in the “Kingdom of God”. Which rules the angels, and all the “host” of heaven. No, James, you are forgetting the 1/3 of the angels which rebelled from the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven and all Government are ordained of God , “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). For God Is the Source of All Authority. I would say, if you want to see God, look at a child, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Thanks
If God can’t be trusted to feed and clothe his children who starve and freeze all across the world with their children begging to a brazen sky, what makes you think he can be trusted to keep the promises that matter more? If God won’t cure a petitioner’s cancer and can’t even be bothered to tell them why not, what makes you think he talks to his sheep who are supposed to hear his voice? If Jesus couldn’t actually change the earthly situation in any measurable way, what makes you think heaven awaits us?