Faith vs. Religion

10 Common Myths About Christianity That Jesus Exposed As Religion.

Jesus and the movement he created with his disciples are probably the most acknowledged moments told in history. Who would have ever thought that a man born in a manger would grow up to be the living son of God and recruit fishers, a tax collector, a prostitute, and other low-class followers to change the world forever? A movement like this is told through stories we read from the holy bible. In today’s world, over 20 million copies of the holy bible are sold in all languages. There is power from God almighty and what he has done since the beginning. What is the approach of the message of the bible and why does our world refer to this one word “Religion?”

What is religion, and why does this term define Christianity? According to Merriam-Webster.com, religion is defined as

“a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.”

 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion

So, in so many words, religion can be defined as a set system based on beliefs and practices made by an organization by a God. I can understand why society believes that Christianity is some form of religion. It’s a culture in the beliefs of one true God who took on a human form, died, and rose again to offer freedom to his followers. So, therefore, his followers must surrender their life to him to receive the gift of salvation. Many assumptions are given about Christianity and the relevance of what it speaks on. As much as we can speak on this as a religious organization, is this what Jesus had in mind for his movement? Today in this post, we will tackle 10 common myths society has had about Christianity and see how the bible approaches them.

Myth 1: “I have to get my life in order if I want to accept Christ as my savior.”

Truth: There are no requirements to Christianity; come as you are and let God do the changing. 

A substantial religious misconception about Christianity is what people believe they need to do to become a Christian. In John chapter 3, when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus on the discussion of salvation, he says about the topic of becoming born again. However, Nicodemus had no idea what the Lord was talking about becoming born again, but Jesus’ simple statement was becoming a new creation with God. Later after the passing of Jesus, in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, Peter tells the crowd that gathered to “Repent and be baptized.”

What does this mean? Based on scripture, being born again is not getting everything in your life together and then going to Jesus. It understands that you are a lost sinner who doesn’t have your life together and knows that Jesus is already the solution. There is always the question: what do I need to do to be saved? Salvation is just one decision away, and it’s a process of significant change over time. So why is there the command to repent and be baptized? Repentance is turning away from your sinful ways and becoming a new creation. Allow God to be the reason your life turns entirely around. Religion is trying to do everything yourself without the help of your creator.

Myth 2: “There are some things I need to give up If I want to convert to Christianity.”

Truth: While some things might require a change in your life, Christianity is about crucifying your old habits and not about legalizing your salvation. 

The scary thing about religion is doing so much, to feel like it’s never enough. Religion cares about standing out to God by what you choose to do or not do. In many words, religion wants to look more obedient and holy. The biggest question so many people ask when they get saved is what I should give up? The bible is not too specific regarding materialistic objects, certain daily habits, certain cultures, or anything that is quite common in our human world today. The bible is clear on what to avoid and to prepare for battle against, and that’s the flesh. Every human being is born with a spirit and a flesh, and both are in constant battle with each other.

While the spirit is designed for good, it rivals the flesh, which is selfish and is programmed to desire evil (See Galatians 5:6). What needs to be determined is what a person is living by in their daily walk with God. Are they walking by the spirit or walking by the flesh? If someone is walking by the flesh, they will sin in the flesh. Also, if they entertain something in the flesh, their mind and heart will form a nature towards it. What am I talking about? In Matt 15, after the Pharisees rebuked the disciples for not washing their hands to the standards of the tradition, Jesus exposed their legalism in standing out in their tradition but not identifying the destruction of their hearts. He says in verses 18 & 19, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. Out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”

Our fleshly desires can create a lifestyle of sin based on what we feed our flesh. So there begs the question, do I need to give up watching certain movies, listening to music, or hanging out with certain people? The answer in the form of a question is, does this ignite your flesh? It is not sinful to partake in certain things here in the world, but remember what you feed yourself will be a reflection of your heart. The Pharisees were so invested in their religion that their hearts became full of self-righteousness.

Remember Jesus also stated, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matt 16:24 NIV

Myth 3: Salvation is a work based process to get you closer to the grace of Christ. 

Truth: Salvation is a free gift and doesn’t need to be based on works but on complete surrender.

A common trait of religion is taking a lot of action with very little heart. It’s putting in work in so many different ways for someone but not taking the time to spend time with them. In Luke 10:38-42, when Jesus entered the home of Martha and Mary, both sisters had different approaches when he entered the house. Martha found it very important to cook, clean, and make their home presentable to Jesus, while Mary just needed to sit down and listen to him as he spoke. Martha, out of frustration, vented to Christ about her working alone in the house and demanded that her sister Mary give her a hand. Jesus responded by saying, “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Today our world is curious about what gets God’s attention, and in our church today, so many people are living with the mindset of Martha. We know God and his presence, but we feel obligated to serve fervently at our church, attend every prayer meeting, boldly speak the gospel, or take extreme action for Christ. None of these things are bad, but is this the primary resource we connect to the Lord? God does see works you do daily or weekly, but what if he cared about something more simple than that. Martha and Mary were just like the prodigal son and his older brother; the father loved his son so much and was so happy that he returned and surrendered his heart. In contrast, the older brother was offended because his actions and obedience didn’t give him a festival. We should not hold other people accountable because they are not living by the same standards as us. God honors what you are doing, but your salvation comes from the love he already has for you. Choose to live in surrender to God today.

Myth 4: Christianity is Hateful.

Truth: Jesus has called us to love one another and carry each other’s burdens. Christianity is meant to be a movement of conviction, not condemnation. 

The biggest misconception of Christianity today is understanding the concept of conviction and condemnation. Neither concept has good taste, but both have different intentions and results. How can we know the idea of both approaches? Conviction is identifying the action, motive, thought, or approach and choosing to deal with the situation healthily and morally. While condemnation may have a similar approach, it has something else in mind based on the case. Condemnation wants to hold the judge’s mallet, slam it hard, and yell guilty. When are mistakes made against us? How easy is it for people to receive extreme consequences?

In John 8, when Jesus encounters the woman caught in the act of adultery, this story shows how you can determine the difference between conviction and condemnation. When Jesus was with his disciples, and a crowd of Pharisees with locals dragged a woman caught in adultery, everyone was ready to stone her to death. What’s unique about this story was how Jesus approached the women’s mistake, which technically was done to him and God the father. He drew right in front of the people who were demanding Jesus to give the word to stone her, but all he said was, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Like that, everyone threw down their stone, and Jesus approached the woman, asking where her accusers were. When she responded that there was none, he said, ” Neither do I condemn you, Go and sin no more.”

Christianity sometimes gets a bad rap from believers locked on religion when they present the gospel to others. Religion condoms for not following the rules. In contrast, Christianity was meant for people to be redeemed by grace from the one who ultimately has a say on what needs to be done. So many Christians want to play the role of Christ and tell other people that they are going to Hell or that Jesus will only love them if they stop sinning. However, like this woman caught in the act of adultery, his mercy for us is far greater than anything that saves us from an eternal hell. When he told the women to go and sin no more, it was you’re forgiven; now turn away from your sin and move forward.

Myth 5: Jesus was only a prophet who came to earth and was not the son of the living God.  

Truth: Jesus was the ultimate promise God made since the beginning of time, and he is the only way to reconcile man and God. 

One common false doctrine that is going around in false versions of Christianity is that Jesus should only be looked at as a prophet and not the true solution to salvation. So therefore, people, we’ll change up bibles, scriptures, and anything to frame Christianity in their way. This is religion at its finest, and you can refer to groups or movements that reframe Christianity as cults. There are a handful of verses in the bible that refer to Jesus as the Messiah ( See Hebrews 2:14-15, John 1:1-2 14-15, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 2:10-11, Daniel 7:13, John 3:16 etc.). Cults are a dangerous religious act that even Jesus warned about in Matthew 16 when he asked the disciples who they believed he was since different people had different views on him, including just a prophet.

Today, by the enemy’s influence, there are many false and unbiblical versions of Jesus floating everywhere. Some don’t view him as the Messiah, some like the last myth who portray him as a God full of hate and wrath with no mercy, or some try to connect him to modern culture and excuse the concept of sin. All you have to know is that Jesus is the one true Messiah who was foretold in the times of the old testament and is here to show love and gratitude to anyone. All he is asking for is a simple close-knit relationship with you because he is the one who was meant to save you from all of the world’s troubles.

Myth 6: Christianity was meant for certain people who are meant to be pastors or prophets, but I don’t think God has that in mind for me. 

Truth: The natural beauty of Christianity is that God has so much in mind for everyone and the sad reality is no one realizes what they are capable of; instead, it regards if God wants you to be a pastor or not. 

One misconception the church has done a great job at entertaining is that Christianity is a position-based movement. I’ll personally admit that there are pastors with a high following, prophets who are gifted in the spirit realm, evangelists who know how to build a deep connection with people, or even worship singers who know how to effectively release the anointing from the power of the Holy Spirit. The question is, how do you think they got there? Do you believe that God stood on the throne and had a random list or purposely only chose the few people who were obligated to lead or serve? Why does Jesus say in Matthew 9:35-38 that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few? Christianity is the ultimate way to develop self-growth and reach full potential. Some people go to church wondering if God has purposely chosen them when they have already been selected since they were in their mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5).

Some believers who you may see on your local television, on the streets spreading the gospel, singing a masterpiece, or even your big or small church pastor are the few workers who took on the call God placed in their life. The destructive reality of other religions is only a few are chosen and favored while others are neglected or even murdered. This is why the only true foundation of Christianity is a relationship with Christ. The influence of the Pharisees was hard to follow because most of their tradition and rituals did not fully involve building relationships with others. This is why it was easy for them to condemn and shame others and build on a self-righteous attitude while Jesus was out recruiting disciples and healing the sick and rejected to place them on their true calling of life.

Myth 7: The Holy Spirit is ……….?

Truth: The Holy Spirit is a spiritual form of God with an unlimited realm for everyone to access.

If Christianity had a common myth, it would be the concept of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was on earth in preparation for his death, one statement he gave to his disciples was the coming of the Holy Spirit (See John 14:16, Luke 11:13, & Acts 5:32). While there is proof of the existence of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. There are so many speculations on who the Holy Spirit is, what are the signs and wonders of his presence, and how he operates in the spirit realm. Some believe the Holy Spirit is just a way to contact the spirit realm, some believe he is all about speaking in tongues or performing signs and wonders, and some believe that the Holy Spirit is real with limited resources; in other words, only available at certain times.

My grandfather always used to say the best way to present the gospel to other religions or views of Christianity is to demonstrate the power of the Holy Ghost. This is coming from someone who did not believe in God or the actual power he had till one day he encountered him face to face when he was going to divorce his wife for giving her heart to Jesus and decided to get baptized on their anniversary. The Holy Spirit is not just a spirit or realm we can connect with. He is a real human being that is more real than what he was on earth, who is the one person who will be up with you at 4 am when you can’t sleep, the person who will give you the strength to pray when times are hard. He is the one who is behind every decisive breakthrough and miracle that happens under your belt. That’s right, the Holy Spirit is Jesus unlimited; think of that celebrity you would like to meet in person but cannot because they are in another state and others view them the same way. The Holy Spirit is Jesus agreeing to meet with you anytime and any place and as long as you want.

Myth 8: The sinner’s prayer or getting baptized, which step do I need to take to become a Christian?

Truth: The surprising answer is both while there may be a variety of ways of the so-called “sinners prayer,” a form of repentance and baptism is the initial start for your salvation with Christ. 

The unanimous question many people have about becoming a Christian is, where do I start? While trying to understand the start of one’s salvation can be a little overwhelming, it’s not that complicated. In Acts 2, when the disciples experienced the presence of the spirit on the day of Pentecost, a large crowd witnessed it. Peter first told the group wanting to be saved, “repent and be baptized.” Later in the 2nd chapter, it says thousands were added to their number that day.

So many myths are floating around about the right way to salvation, and what does repenting and getting baptized look like? Some people believe repentance looks like saying a simple prayer known as the sinner’s prayer, accepting Christ into your heart, and then choosing to get baptized. However, some are against the sinner’s prayer, believing it isn’t relevant to salvation, and some believe baptism has certain obligations or limits. The truth is, we don’t need to legalize salvation or make it a complicated process, the bible is not too specific on a so-called sinners prayer, but the prayer of repentance is always necessary for God’s eyes. Baptism has no limits or rules; it’s laying down the dead man and becoming new in Christ.

Myth 9: I don’t think I should attend church because there are so many hypocrites. 

Truth: Church is not about a group of people coming together and having it all together; the church is about a group of broken sinners coming together and worshiping the one who has it all together. 

Why is the church looked down upon today and why do we see so many people avoiding it instead of embracing it? The reason is that we look down on others’ flaws and mistakes instead of our own, and if we do look at our own mistakes, we hide them from the people around us. Religion doesn’t have to be a constant practice to win God’s approval; it could also be how you view yourself as a believer and others around you. When I hear believers who decide to leave the church and have a relationship with Christ because there are so many hypocrites. My response to them is, you’ll still buy groceries at a grocery store even though there are probably countless hypocrites who attend that building?

Why did Jesus say in Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. In so many words, Jesus’ definition of a hypocrite was someone who felt an obligation to bring down others, and their mistakes, however, will not shed light on their own. The church has a purpose: to carry one another’s burdens and not set challenging expectations on believers (Galatians 6:2).

Myth 10: Christianity is a man-made religion with a God that doesn’t exist. 

Truth: The myth that will always be up for debate against Christianity is believing it doesn’t exist. Man didn’t make Christianity it was a movement created by a powerful being wanting a connection with his most incredible creation. 

What makes religion evil is not that it gives a false representation of God but denies his power and existence. Is it not a coincidence that most religions, movements, and cults create a religious structure against the foundation of Christianity? Even when Jesus was in this world with all the love and miracles he gave, religion went against his mission and denied his purpose here on earth. The Pharisees and religious leaders in Jerusalem created false beliefs about him. They even accused him of working through the power of Satan to perform his miracles (Matthew 12:24). What ultimately put Jesus on the cross? It was because people did not believe he was the son of God, so religion determined his fate.

Today, many religions deny Jesus as the God of the universe or him as the way to salvation. Why? It is because this world is being run by an evil force that will do anything to prevent the true gospel from getting out (2 Corinthians 4:4). The devil, also known as Lucifer, a former angel in heaven, started a rebellious movement against God almighty which drove him out of heaven and into Hell. Since the creation of man in Genesis 3, we can determine that his primary mission is to get you out of the glory of God and into a life of sin. How many times have we read in the bible of people, cultures, and movements worshiping false gods? Why are atheism, big bang theories, and new age religion accepted by the world, while Christianity still is being rejected by modern culture? If you are reading this and this myth applies to you, know that the God of the universe does exist and wants to have a relationship with you, and if you still have resistance, know he will make his return. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord!!