4 Christian Sayings That Are Not In The Bible
You don’t have to look far to hear or read something that claims to be biblical that clearly isn’t. The internet is full of people claiming truth but in reality, are far from it. Most of us can recognize those untruths from a distance. However, there are some Christian sayings that are not in the Bible that many believe are.
In fact, some of these statements get used by Christians every day. Worse yet, people who decide to follow Jesus assume this is what he is offering.
Here are a few statements that are unbiblical that we need to rethink how we use.
God wants me to be happy
We elevate the value of happiness way above healthy levels in this country. Now being happy is not bad, but God’s first concern is not our happiness. God is more concerned with our holiness rather than our happiness. In other words, God is more concerned that we are in right relationship with him, rather than us being happy.
God is more concerned with our holiness rather than our happiness.
Craig Groeschel says it this way: “God doesn’t want you to be happy when it causes us to do something wrong or unwise.”
Too often we use our happiness as an excuse to get away with something we shouldn’t be messing with. God wants you to be in a right relationship with him. Will there be happiness there? Sure, at times. But as in any relationship there will be struggles and difficulties as well. Happiness should not be our top concern.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
I know, I know, I can hear you now, “But I read this in the Bible, it has to be true!” It’s not the verse that is wrong, but it’s how it’s applied. This verse is not a hype up verse to gain strength to do some human feat. This verse is not about getting enough strength to win your game or gain that promotion. Not that those are bad things, but what’s going on here is much deeper.
We read this verse like this: “I can do all things, that I want, through Christ who strengthens me.” What Paul actually means is this: “I can do all things, that God leads me to, through Christ who strengthens me.” Do you hear the difference? Paul is saying that regardless of your life circumstances God will sustain you in what he has called you to.
For more on reading the Bible in context check out: Stop Taking The Bible Out of Context
Everything Happens For a Reason
This phrase typically shows up following a tragedy. And I get it, we are trying to offer a little hope in a difficult situation. But I just can’t believe it. It doesn’t add up. And the Bible seems to paint a different picture. Just take a glance at the story of Job.
We are grasping at straws trying to make sense of a confusing and out of control world. The truth is, in this world crap happens. Life is hard. People die. Relationships end. Our health deteriorates. And God is not up there causing these things to happen.
I know I just painted a rather bleak picture. And while I do not believe everything happens for a reason, I do believe that God takes the mess of this world and gives it reason. I have seen it time and time again. God takes the worst of situations and turns it into something beautiful. God takes our mess and points us to the hope in Christ.
God Won’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle
I used to tell myself this whenever I was tempted or was just facing some difficulty. I’d tell myself this only to give in to temptation a moment later or throw in the towel the next day. Most of my life has been more than I can handle.
Instead of thinking God won’t give us more than we can handle, we need to give up and let God help us. Listen, there will be things in your life that are more than you can handle, but it’s not more than God can handle. God doesn’t call us to a life that we are capable of living. He calls us to a life that we are only capable of living with Him.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says come to me when you are tired and burdened. Stop trying to do life on your own and let Jesus help you.
Here’s the bottom line of this article. Our beliefs need to be rooted in the Bible. Though they may sound good, these Christian sayings are not in the bible. They aren’t rooted in anything. They are hollow, empty. And when you tell them, believe them, they will eventually let us down. Because they aren’t true or are half-truths. Instead, we should base our life on what God has said.
I want to hear from you! What saying do you hear people say that is not in the Bible? Drop a comment down below!
Resources For Reading The Bible
To help in this journey we need good resources to help us understand the Bible better. Here are a few good ones that will help.
I really appreciate what you said about “happiness.” I have been going through a long period of depression and so the thought of “happiness” is on my mind a lot. Sometimes I try to remember what happiness feels like and of course I cannot. I suppose it means different things to different people. I think you are right-God is concerned with our holiness rather than our “happiness.” I think true happiness (a happy life) is more likely to result from the pursuit of a holy life. I don’t think God wants us to be sad. I think he does in fact want us to be “happy”, but His definition of happiness is different from ours. Just because something gives you pleasure doesn’t mean it is what God wants for you.
why are you trying to do the work of the Holy spirit. We don’t what your mind interpretation of God’s word.
Great article! The power of God is amazing!!
Some mega-church leaders are promoting these “happiness” ideas. We are aware because it comes into our homes via television. However, I’m sure there are mini-church pastors who believe this, as well. Beware!
Thank you for this!! Amazing
Great quotes and applications. Yes, we did tend to use those “out of (Biblical) context” vs what was intended (or what the Bible doesn’t even say).
GREAT post. Loved the part about Him wanting us to be holy more than happy. God has never commanded us to be happy, He DID command us, however, to be holy “as He is holy.”
http://www.thedivinepresence.wordpress.com
Well said! (Although at first I struggled with your take on my life verse, Phil 4:13, but I can see your point!)
I would add one more to your list: Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good.” People quote that all the time, but leave off the “rest of the story”. “All things work together for good TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” The promise is only for followers of Christ (and we may not see the good until eternity).
Keep wrestling with Phil 4:13. I certainly am not the definitive answer to it. It’s an interesting verse and worth thinking/praying about.
Romans 8:28 Very true! We like to read parts of verses but not the whole thing!
The God doesn’t give you more then you can handle infuriates me!… I went through a really rough time a few years ago and people would say that to me all the time and I wanted to scream in their face that YES He gives you more then you can handle so that you learn you NEED HIM! He teaches us that we can handle anything when we rely on Gods strength and comfort but not that we can handle it on our own. I did a blog about that exact thing a few weeks ago. Glad someone else sees it the same.
I have been told that too in the worst of times. A similar one I hear is “God gives the toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.” Same message and still not true. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for your insights. I think Christians are particularly good at over-simplifying complex matters by spouting empty cliches and platitudes, mostly because I think we’re afraid of life’s messiness and mystery that we can’t explain. Christ did nothing of the sort – he entered into humanity’s mess and struggle with compassion.
I think we need to be okay with saying “I don’t know”. Too often when we don’t know we just try to make a quick exit. Jesus seemed to embrace the awkward moments.
There are lessons to be learned in every circumstance, I trust in our Father to help me grow in strength and to either learn the lessons He has laid before me (or) to understand that which we accept, is meant to be a lesson for someone else. We may not appreciate or even learn the lesson for years – but there are things He is teaching us. Happiness? If we seek Him, He does provide for us all things in life – which does include happiness. We can’t put God in a box when He overflows, when we seek Him, we will find. When we open our hearts, mind and soul – we find all of these things, In God.
Reblogged this on Using God's Word in Everyday Life and commented:
It is so easy for people to take what people say what is written in the Bible instead of us just examining it ourselves. Being a Christian is not a passive exercise but an active on. We must strive to learn what is written in the Bible ourselves so that we could apply what is written in it to our lives.
Thank you for sharing!
I believe if people actually were to understand holiness as to God’s standard and not their own….then there will be true happiness. This is what I strive for each day, by serving others. Thank you for sharing!
Spot on! True happiness is found in God. It’s not selfish it’s found by serving others. Thanks for stopping by!
My son and I just had a conversation on this subject a few days ago. It was the phrase that is so common now days, especially in Christian women’s circles, but I guess it is getting to the youth, too. He said, while we were discussing some misbehavior on his part, “But Mom, the Bible says that God wants me to love and take care of myself.” That is not in the Bible – we already love ourselves too much. The whole Bible (or at least the vast majority of it) is written to teach us how to love ourselves less, and God more. By doing so, we end up loving ourselves – God loves flipping things around, doesn’t He?!
It’s crazy how that works. When we focus on God and not ourselves we end up getting the better deal for our lives. But when we focus just on ourselves we end up with nothing. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
apauper2 Says: “4 Christian Sayings That Aren’t in the Bible”, acknowledgeed and agreed! Thank you Jeffery, hope you listened to the program “Fear or Faith” and go to Plain Truth Ministries website, I’m sure Greg Albrecht would love to hear from you! http://www.ptm.org/
Thanks for stopping by and checking us out!
Thumbs up to that! 🙂
Friend, God Bless you, I totally agree with you on all the points you made, I just had a suggestion which crossed my mind when I read your message in the first point, “God is more concerned with our holiness rather than our happiness.” But isn’t it the fact that when we do God’s work no matter how much trouble comes, we get a joy a happiness to sustain or humane limitations, and to over come them by the power of the Love of Jesus Christ? And when its over, God really makes us happy in more ways that we can think?
So I think God wants us to be happy, that is why he calls us to do his will, ultimately we are his children, and which father says to his child I want you to follow my rules and regulations, but not with this hidden clause inside that if you do these you will be happy? As Proverbs 3 says “My son, do not forget my teaching,but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.”
Just a thought friend.
Hallelujah
Peace be with you
And God Bless you abundantly.
Spot on! I think if we put our holiness before our happiness we will get both. But when we strive for happiness first we get neither. Thanks for pointing that out!
Hallelujah. Its God who did. Praise be his name.
Overall this is great. Do disagree on one minor issue. Everything does happen for a reason. God is sovereign and therefore nothing that happens is out of his control. We may never know the reason something happened. I’m thinking of the people involved in the genealogy of Jesus. I seriously doubt Rahab had any idea the role she would play in history. I also doubt that while her life was spared, the total destruction of Jericho made much sense at the time.
I agree nothing is out of God’s control. However I do not believe that God is causing everything to happen. I believe God put the world into motion and a lot of what happens is a result of the world not God directly. I think God does cause things to happen. But sometimes stuff happens. Look at the story of Job, God allowed it to happen but did not cause it.
I appreciate your thoughts and adding to the conversation!
You keep calling out the story of Job but there was a reason he went through what he did also Beloved. God was showing the Devil that Job wasn’t faithful to Him only in the good times but was welling to be faithful during the rough times as well. Now, did Job know this, no, and did God feel the need to explained this to Job, again no. However, thank be to God He did explain it to us for moment just like this. No matter how crazy this world seem to be God is always in full control.
So we are not saying that God caused everything bad to happen because we know that’s not true. Most of our hardship is brought on by our own sin, other times it is brought on by the sins of others, and still there are times of hardship that are brought on for a time of testing. However nothing and I mean nothing can happen without God allowing it in. Read 2 Samuel 16: 5-13 and see what our big brother David had to say about it. He didn’t say oh well bad things happen for no reason. Sucks to be me! Everything that happens, happen for a reason it’s a cause and effect. So you’re right God isn’t to blame for the mess of this world but sinful man. However, we must remember always “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” and that’s biblical.
God Bless you Beloved
You are right, nothing can happen without God allowing it. However because God allows something doesn’t mean He caused it. We cannot know for sure this side of heaven either way. However I see a lot of people that claim God causes all things. And I think a lot of times He’s not causing it, but he is allowing it.
Then just know all things are allowed to happen good/bad and that when it happens Yahweh is there to comfort or strengthen us if we ask in which we should ask. All that happens will have a positive/ negative effect depending on who we turn to or rely on Yahweh or ourselves.