Recently a church member posted a one page list to our social account that was title "Some common beliefs that are NOT in the Bible." After reviewing the list I thought it might be helpful to provide a Biblical answer to each item. Although my comments are not exhaustive, I trust they will lay the foundation for further study.
To really understand the answer to this question we need to consider the impact of the fall in Genesis 3. When Adam disobeyed God sin entered the world and spread to the entire human race (Ps 51:5 ; Rom 5:12). It was this sin that infected man’s nature, the core of his being, separating him from God (Is 59:2). The result of this separation is man’s inability to respond to God in saving faith (Eph 2:1-3; Col 3:7). Theologians refer to this state as “total depravity.” In this state man is incapable of spiritually understanding the things of God (1 Cor 2:14). The things of God are foolish to the unconverted man (1Cor. 1:18). It’s no wonder that man is incapable of choosing his salvation.
For man to be saved God must act. Salvation is a monergistic (one person) work. It is God alone who miraculously regenerates the human heart (John 1:13; John 6:65 ; Eph 2:4; Titus 3:5). To see the kingdom of God and to respond to it, a man must be born again, born from above, given a new nature that is capable of responding to God (John 3:4). With this new, transformed heart, man responds to God in saving faith, which is itself a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9).
An altar call is the appeal that preachers make at the end of a sermon to encourage hearers to receive salvation. It usually includes a call to come to the front of the room where church leaders are waiting to offer counsel and guide them in the sinner’s prayer. The origin of the altar call can be traced back to the popular preacher Charles Finney and the second great awakening in the late 1800s. Finney believed that a man was capable of choosing God and that all man needed was the correct information and motivation. This led Finney to develop a system known as the “Anxious Bench” where people were called to sit on a bench at the front of the church and await salvation through prayer. This usually resulted in the person responding emotionally which Finney viewed as the moment of conversion. Later preachers such as Billy Graham popularised the altar call which was then adopted by many churches.
The altar call is based on the false belief that mankind is free to choose salvation. It relies on human reason and emotional manipulation which produces a false form of guilt. It usually lacks a clear teaching on sin, repentance, Lordship salvation and the cost of discipleship. The end result is usually a “false convert” who believes that their salvation is secure, based on the decision they made rather than a life of holiness founded on the finished work of Christ.
The sinner’s prayer is used in many churches and by many evangelists to lead a person into salvation. It is a prayer that is usually expressed by the evangelist and recited back by the unconverted. Once the prayer is complete, the evangelist usually declares the person a “saved,” child of God.
The problem with the sinner’s prayer is twofold. Firstly, the idea that reciting a prayer as the means of acquiring salvation is clearly unbiblical. Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded or even given an example of unbelievers being led in prayer. The command we see throughout Scripture is repentance and faith (Matt. 3:2). The Bible presents salvation as a response to the work of God on a man’s heart (Acts 2:37-38; Acts 16:14).
Secondly, the sinner’s prayer usually provides false assurance. The unbeliever considers the prayer to be the means by which they were saved and therefore base their salvation on the act performed. Salvation is based on the work of Christ and our response to this work. (Titus 3:5)
There is a sense in which the statement “Salvation is by works” is true. We are saved by works – the work of Jesus Christ and not our own (Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). The Roman Catholic Church and some cults teach that God has done His part in salvation and now we need to do ours. What they mean is that works are required for salvation. They base this on passages like James 2:26 “faith without works is dead.” What James is speaking about in his epistle is faith that is based on an empty profession. Notice in verse 2:14 James begins this section with a teaching on empty faith, “... if a man says he has faith.” A profession of faith which is not evidenced by a godly life is worthless. True saving faith is not based on works but is expressed in good works which God has prepared for His people (Eph 2:1-10).
Most Christians know of a family member or friend who once professed faith and was active in the life of the church but over time returned to their worldly lifestyle showing little or no interest in the things of God. This is commonly known as backsliding. A person has “slid” back into the world, not moving forward but backwards. Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 13:1-23 about the nature of saving faith. He told them the parable of the 4 soils. In this parable the “seed” is received by 3 of the soils for a time but eventually dies. Only the “good soil” receives the seed and it produces a harvest, illustrating true saving faith. One could say that the 3 soils were all “backsliders” but what Jesus teaches is that the 3 soils were never genuinely converted.
True saving faith begins with God’s work in producing a fertile receptive “soil” as it undergoes God’s regenerating work. Once the seed is planted in the good soil there is a guaranteed result – a harvest. In like manner, the person who comes to true saving faith will continue in the faith and produce fruit (Matt 7:19-23). If a person falls away, the truth is, they never fell forward to begin with. They never experienced genuine saving faith. “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” John 6:39
The Bible provides us with the historical record of mankind, beginning at creation (Gen 1:1) and ending with the final judgement (1 Cor 15). Within this historical record God comments on the nature of man after the fall (Gen 3). In Genesis 6:5 God’s declaration of man is “that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” In response to this wickedness God flooded the world, saving Noah and his family. Fast forward a few thousand years as Paul writes his epistle to the Romans. He condemns all under sin in chapter 3:10–18, both Jew and gentile, none are immune. Time has not undone the effects of the fall. The moment Adam ate of the tree, sin entered the world and sin passed to all men (Rom 5:12).
In Psalm 51:5 King David expresses his own sinfulness, which we all share, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Man is not born good or neutral to sin, but corrupted by sin from birth. We then lived out this sinful nature by continuing to sin.
Nowhere in the Bible are we called to accept Jesus into our hearts. Jesus is the sovereign ruler over all (Col 1:15-20), He is king of kings and Lord of Lords (Phil 2:10). As God and sovereign ruler of the entire universe, Jesus does not need our acceptance, we need His. In repentance we turn from our sin to God, asking Him to receive us (Luke 18:13; Rom. 15:7). God accepts us when we come to Him on His terms – in repentance and faith (Luke 13:5).
Slain in the Spirit is a phrase that is familiar to pentecostals and charismatics but quite foreign to churches in the reformed faith. It refers to a so-called, physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and confirmation of personal salvation. Being “slain in the spirit” usually happens at church services or religious meetings where some members of the congregation respond to the preacher by falling down or having outbursts of “ecstasy.” Churches and individuals who believe in these expressions cite John 18:6, Acts 9:3-4, and other scriptures to support their view. All of which are taken out of context and twisted to support an idea foreign to the life of the church found in the Bible. If one studies the book of Acts, which presents a history of the early church, there is no evidence to support the idea of being “slain in the Spirit.”
Like “being slain in the spirit”, “name it and claim it” is another pentecostal/charismatic idea that has no Biblical basis. The “name it and claim it” movement believes that the words we speak have power. They believe that by speaking prosperity and power, “naming it” and then “claiming it” – truly believing it will take place, you can control the world. They would say one has the power to speak things into existence.
The concept is completely unbiblical and places the focus on the physical rather than the spiritual which is condemned in Scripture. (Rom. 8:13; 13:14; Rom. 13:14; Gal. 6:8)
This is another erroneous belief promoted by the pentecostal and charismatic movement. They believe that man has the power, through the words we speak to “bind” satan. They base their belief on Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew 16:19 and 18:18. What these groups fail to understand is Scripture can mean whatever you want it to mean when you pull it from its context. In the passage listed above, Jesus is speaking to His disciples in the context of church authority. Christians have the authority to declare a person’s sins forgiven (John 20:23) on the testimony of God's word. They also have the authority to declare judgement on a person who rejects the gospel. If the angel Michael refrained from dealing with satan (Jude 1:9) who do we think to have more power than him? “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
What we have here is another twisting of God’s word by the pentecostal and charismatic movement. They promote the idea that man has the power to decree and declare. This is similar to their belief in “naming and claiming,” where they promote the idea that the words we speak have power. Mark 11:23-24 is used to support the idea of “decreeing and declaring,” which, if understood correctly, provides no support for their argument. The context of this verse is Jesus speaking to his disciples about the faith (Mark 11:22) and prayer (11:24). Faith is in view in this verse and not decreeing & declaring. It is God who has decreed and declared. All we need is to trust in Him through His word.
Jack Hayford, an advocate of this idea writes, “Pleading the blood of Jesus is a heaven-given resource that grants us a licence to stand in dominion over the works of hell.” The word-faith movement that promotes this idea believes that faith is a power. They assert that if we pray with enough faith, God guarantees what we ask for, usually relating to worldly possessions, health and prosperity. This is total nonsense. There is no Biblical command or example in all of Scripture that suggests we should “plead the blood”. It is another bad invention of man that reduces God to a magic genie. We are to live each day praying and trusting in God for His provision and at all times giving thanks (Col 3:17).
Here is another man made concept that falsely promotes man’s authority over the physical and spiritual realms. The concept, which is popular in the pentecostal and charismatic movements, is based on Mark 3:27. In this passage it is Jesus who is speaking about His authority over Satan and His power to perform miracles. There is no command or example in Scripture for Christians to “bind satan” or “binding the strongman.” Christians are called to resist the devil, not to bind him (James 4:7 ).
The idea of “heaven invading earth” has been popularised by Bill Johnson of Bethel. Bill Johnson is well known for his aberrant theology and this is a case in point. Heaven invading Earth is the idea that God grants power to mankind. It promotes the idea that believers have power from heaven to make changes on earth. This is completely unbiblical. God has not gifted men with power to change this world, the power lies in the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 1:18). The power that Christian has is in the Holy Spirit who equips us to resist sin and to live holy lives.
The pentecostal and charismatic movement is known for calling down fire or asking that fire would fall like rain. The idea is that God’s Holy Spirit would fall on the congregation. The problem with this view is that it has no Biblical support. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:3) which was a promised historical/biblical event that was prophesied in the Old Testament (Joel 2:28-32). To claim that this is a recurring event in the life of a believer is untrue.
This concept is so far-fetched it is surprising that any one actually believes it. To think that you have the power to move or control nature and your spiritual surroundings is simply absurd. The promoters of this concept have introduced new-age spirituality into Christendom. God does not give man power to control the atmosphere or his spiritual surroundings. What God does provide believers with is a new nature that is capable of responding rightly to God. This new nature requires our attention as we grow in holiness (sanctification). This is the command to Christians, be renewed in your mind - put off sin and put on righteousness. (Col 3:1-17)
The pentecostal and charismatic movements will agree that the Canon of Scripture is closed. They affirm that God has revealed Himself and His plan for redemptive history in the Bible but contend that He still speaks prophetically to individuals today. This idea has led pentecostal and charismatic churches to go so far as to identify individuals as prophets and apostles who speak “prophetically” for God. They claim that the test of a prophetic revelation or words of knowledge is to compare what is received with Scripture.
The “prophetic” test that they defend is redundant. Why do we need people to tell us what the Bible already says? God’s word is all we need and all that God has given (2 Tim 3:16-17). We also need to remember Hebrews 1:1-2. The times have changed – God once spoke through prophets and miracles but now speaks to us through the revelation of His Son. The revelation of Jesus Christ is found in the written word.
God has designed human beings with emotions and feelings. These emotions and feelings are experiential and a result of a subjective state of mind. No two emotions or feelings are identical, they differ based on person, circumstance and situation. Understanding this, we need to consider whether God can be experienced and whether the Holy Spirit’s presents can be sensed.
If we asked 5 people whether they felt God we might get 5 different answers due to emotions and feelings being subjective. The only place we can really turn to for an answer is the Bible, God’s objective standard.
The Bible never speaks of God being felt. When God appears those to whom He appears know for certain that they are in His presence. Examples are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Samuel, David, all the prophets, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, Paul. We do not experience God in emotions of feelings and nowhere are we called to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Our emotions and feelings change as we engage our minds in Biblical truth and respond in faith.
This falls into the same category as “Shifting in the atmosphere” above.
God has spoken to us in His Son is what the writer of Hebrews records (Heb 1:1-2). This directs us to the “word of Christ” (Col 3:16; Rom 10:17) which is the Gospel – the Scriptures. All that God intended to communicate to man has been recorded in His word. He does not speak audibly to man as He did to the prophets. In Romans 10 Pauls says that faith comes by hearing and then he goes on to commend the preaching of the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 1, the power of God lies in the Gospel preached. So God speaks to us through the preaching of the Gospel, by which He draws men to Himself. If God were to speak to individuals audibly, it would undermine His promise to accomplish salvation through preaching (1Cor. 1:21)
There are many people who believe that God continues to heal the sick through people who have a “gift of healing.” There are healings in the Bible but they are not as numerous as some might think. In the New Testament, outside the healing of Jesus in the gospels, and the healings of the Apostles, Philip and Stephen, there are no physical healings.
The majority of healings were performed by Jesus for a specific reason. Peter stood up at Pentecost and declared in Acts 2:22: “...Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs…“ and in Acts 14:3; 15:12 the Apostles speak of signs that were done as testimony to the gentiles. God used miraculous healings to testify to the world that Jesus and the apostles were His messengers, the same way God validated Moses before the children of Israel (Ex 4). God does not heal through men today because God has provided us with His full revelation which is preserved for us in His written word.
The Bible states that a believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). Christians are God’s children and His Spirit dwells in us (Rom 8:4-5). At the moment of conversion a Christian is sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) and united to Christ. We are part of His body, the church (Col 1:13; 1:21-23). The Bible never speaks of the Holy Spirit abandoning a person or allowing dual occupancy.
These type ministries are popular among pentecostals and charismatics who focus on delivering people from “satanic oppression.” They seem to be open to providing their “services” to believers and non-believers. Regarding believers, see “Christians can be demon possessed” above. With respect to unbelievers, Christians are never commanded to deliver people from satan or cast out demons. We are called to love our neighbour and preach the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation (1 Cor 1:17-18).
In Proverbs 3:5-6 Solomon writes “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” The Scripture speaks of the uncovered as corrupted, those that have wicked hearts (Jer 17:9). Why would anyone want to be led by this type of heart? The believer has a new heart but is still prone to sin. As Christians we are called to trust God and His word and to not be led by anything else (Col. 2:8).
Many Christians believe that they are to tithe 10% of their earnings to the church. The idea of tithing was introduced in the church based on the tithing system found in the Old Testament. The Israelites were commanded to tithe a portion of their income/wealth to the temple and the Levitical priests. The tithe was a type of tax and was charged as a flat rate across the entire nation. If you combine all the tithes listed in the Old Testament, the average Israelite would need to pay approximately 25% of their income in tax, a lot more than the assumed 10% church tithe popular today.
It's worth noting that the word “tithe” or “tithing” is never mentioned in the Bible relating to the New Testament church. There is no New Testament passage that commands tithing. What is mentioned is giving to the church freely in the form of a free will offering. There are 3 characteristics of Christian giving that are pleasing to God: 1. Planned giving “On the first day of every week” (1Cor. 16:1-2), 2. Proportionate (1Cor. 16:2) “as he prospers”, 3. Cheerful giving (2Cor. 9:7). It is better to consider giving to the church as an offering as it is an act of worship and not a church tax (tithe).
Many people believe that evolution is a scientific fact but the truth is that evolution is a theory. It is not based on science but speculation. Scientific facts are based on experiments that can be tested, repeated and evaluated. Evolution cannot be tested, repeated or evaluated - assumptions are made which are not scientific but theoretical. Evolution is received on the basis of faith – it is a belief system.
God has recorded His process of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. He created the heavens and the earth in 6 literal days and although Christians cannot prove 6 day creation, they receive it by faith (Heb 11:3). Christian also believe that the geography studied today is consistent with the historical record found in the Scriptures.
Christians are often reprimanded by the world that the Bible teaches them not to judge anyone. The concept that Christians are not to judge others is based on Jesus teaching in Matt. 7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” What Jesus was addressing in this passage is self-righteous, hypocritical judgement. Jesus does not teach that we are not to judge. There are many passages where Christians are called to be discerning, to confront a brother's sin (Matt. 18:15), to expose sin in the world (Eph. 5:11), and to reject false teachers(Matt. 7:15). All of these actions require the Christian to judge.
There are many churches that preach a prosperity gospel that promises the unbeliever health, wealth and success in salvation. This is a false gospel and is the opposite to what Jesus taught. Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom (Matt. 19:23). In Luke 12:16 Jesus told a parable of a man who stored up treasures for himself and eventually lost his soul. All the promises God makes to Christians are spiritual. This is not to say that God does not provide for His children, He does. God cares for His children and gives them what they need (Matt 6:25). But, there are no promises that by surrendering your life to Christ that God promises health, wealth and success. We are called to surrender our lives to Christ (Matt. 16:25) and follow Him and not money. (Luke 16:13)
The Bible never speaks of being drunk in the Spirit. We are called not to be drunk on wine but to be filled with Spirit (Eph 5:18). To be filled with the Holy Spirit results in the Christian teaching and encouraging one another (Eph 5:19). We are called to be sober (1Th 5:6; 2 Tim 4:5; 1 Pet 1:13). Acting drunk and attributing the behaviour to the Holy Spirit is sinful and has no Biblical basis.
There are many modern churches that have adopted the egalitarian view, that men and women are equal and that the Bible makes no distinction in the roles that they have been assigned. Those that take this view cite verses that speak of God not showing partiality (Acts 10:34; Gal. 3:28) They often refer to the verses that specifically prohibit women pastors as cultural verses, not applicable for today (1 Tim 2:11-12).
The problem with this view is that it is unbiblical. The Apostle Paul wrote his epistle under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet1:21) and therefore his instruction is God’s instruction. In 1 Timothy 2:12 Paul states “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” Here we have clear prohibition, women are prohibited by God to teach or exercise authority over men, which is part of the role of a pastor. In verse 13-14, Paul then gives the basis for this command, “For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” The reason Paul gives for the prohibition is based on a creation ordinance. In the beginning God designed man as the head (Eph 5:23) and woman as the supporter (Eph 5:24). This is God's model from the home and for the church.
In addition to this, the role of pastor can only be undertaken if a person is an elder (Titus 1:5). The position of elder is restricted to males (Titus 1:6).
The writer of Hebrews in his encouragement of Christian hospitality states, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Theologians believe the author of Hebrews was making reference to Abraham's reception of the angels in Genesis 19. Should we expect angelic visitation today? The Bible does not teach that we are to expect “visitations” from God or from angels. We are commanded to find all we need in Jesus Christ (Col 2:1-10). God has given us His Son, His Spirit and His word, there is nothing more that we need. He calls us to live by faith and not sight (Rom 1:17)
Roman Catholics are known for praying to Mary and the “saints.” The Bible is clear on the subject of prayer, there is one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus taught the disciples to pray to God, our Father (Matt. 6:9) and to pray in His name (John 16:26). All other prayers, including those to Mary and the “saints” are idolatry.
Some churches within the pentecostal and charismatic movement teach that by giving money to the church you are sowing a seed that will produce a financial harvest. They promote the abhorrent idea that in the measure you give, you will be rewarded. Jesus warned against the deceptiveness of riches (1 Tim 6:10) and that man cannot serve 2 masters (Matt. 6:24). God does promise us riches and success in salvation. He promises us the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, peace and joy. The Bible teaches that we are to give to the church as an act of worship, not expecting anything in return. See “tithing” above.
Paul speaks extensively on the unity of the church in Ephesians chapter 4. In this chapter Christians are commanded to bear with one another, to live peaceably and to ensure unity in the body. What unites the church is the doctrine that Paul conveyed in chapters 1-3. Unity is based on truth and the moment a person deviates from truth, division occurs, which Paul preached against (1 Cor 12:25). It is worth noting that Paul rebukes the church in Galatia because they were accepting a false gospel (Gal. 1:6). In this epistle Paul speaks of confronting Peter over truth and unity (Gal 2:11-21). Biblical truth produces unity and without it there can be no unity.
There is some truth to this statement in that God promises that whatever trial or temptation you are facing, He will provide a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). The statement is also incorrect in that God does give us more than we can handle on a human level but promises to sustain us in His power (Phil 4:13).
This phrase can only clearly be understood in its context. If it is being used as motivation to encourage a person to act and not wait on God then there is some truth to it. We do not “let go and let God” but pursue God’s will as revealed in Scripture and in faith trust the Lord. When the phrase is used in the context of salvation it reveals a false understanding of the gospel. In salvation God helps those that are incapable of helping themselves. We see this in Ephesian 4:4 “But God” – man is dead in his sin with no way of helping himself, “But God” redeems the helpless sinner.
In our current culture the church is treated more like a business than a “living organism” described in Scripture (a body). Given this business mindset some churches are now engaged in professional training of staff in “schools of ministry.” If we look to Scripture for the model of ministry we do not see any business training but rather a commitment to studying and teaching the word of God (1 & 2 Tim; Titus). Men are called to leadership and should be disciplined and trained within the context of the church.
There are some people who believe that the Bible is a mysterious book with hidden messages. Some even believe that there are hidden codes in the text. Theologians often speak of the “perspicuity of Scripture”. What they mean by this is the clarity and simplicity of Scripture which makes it accessible to all men. This is not to say that all of Scripture is easy to understand but that God has communicated to us in an open and clear manner. He has not hidden things from us. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16. It is also worth noting that Moses reveals in Deuteronomy 29:29 that the hidden things belong to God and all that has been revealed is for us. God has revealed all He interred to reveal in His word and not hidden things from us.
New age beliefs, mysticism, paganism and spirituality are all idolatry which God condemns. God requires that you worship Him alone (Mat 22:38) and that you believe in His Son (1 John 5:12). It is Jesus Christ whom Christians worship and follow. To introduce anything else into Christianity is to move away from salvation by grace alone through faith alone (Eph 2:8-9). Everything else apart from Jesus Christ may look like religion but it achieves nothing (Col. 2:23)
Christians are called to be separate from this world. God has moved believers from being in this world to being citizens in the kingdom of His Son (Col 1:13). We are called to love God and not this world (1 John 2:15). We are called to follow Christ, to keep our eyes on Him (Col 3:1). The Christian worldview is opposed to the secular view of this world (1Cor. 1:18).
Although Christmas and Easter not spoken of in Scripture they serve as a wonderful reminder of Jesus birth, death and resurrection. Some Christian believe that we should not celebrate Christmas and Easter as they have pagan or secular origins. The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy states “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” 1Tim. 4:4-5 There are many things that the church has adopted over the century that do not have their origin in Scripture. Church building, pulpits, offing plates, pianos, guitars, speaker systems, recordings, grape juice are not found in the Bible, yet the church uses these to the glory of God. So Christians are free to celebrate Christmas and Easter if received with thanksgiving.
Author: Yorke Hinds