Is Everything You Were Taught Correct?

What ideas were ingrained in your mind when you were a child or began to grow as a Christian?

Were you taught that the church building is "God's House?" It isn't, you know (except in the sense that it is a building dedicated to God. His house on earth is our hearts.)

Were you taught that God is up in Heaven looking down on you, trying to catch you doing something wrong? He isn't, you know.

Were you taught that if you do enough good things they will outweigh the bad things you do and tht will cause God to accept you into Heaven? It won't, you know.

Maybe you were taught that the Bible was written so you would have a guidebook for living in a way that pleases God. It wasn't, you know.

Were you taught that the New Testament is built on the Old Testament? It isn't, you know.

Were you taught that the church is a building where people gather to worship? It isn't, you know.

Were you taught that God has given a list of Laws that good Christians follow to make Him happy with us? He didn't, you know.

 Were you taught that the Old Testament and the Old Covenant are the same thing? They aren't, you know.

Were you taught that the Jewish practices outlined and required in the Old Testament apply to Christians today? They don't, you know. (Yeah, that's right, they don't. Christ fulfilled every single one of them on our behalf. Then He put His New Covenant Law in our hearts.)

Were you taught that there is one proper interpretation but many applications of the Bible in people's lives. That's not true, you know. The Bible is not a group of laws, rules, philosophies or sayings that we must follow, it is God's revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption. It is not about you at all, it is about God.

Were you taught that sin is a list of things that you fail to do or do wrongly? It isn't, you know.

How many other doctrines and religious ideas can you think of that you were taught wrong about?

Were you taught that sin is any word, deed or thought that is not directly in the center of God's will, therefore we are hopelessly sinful outside of Christ? On that you were taught well.

Were you taught that the only way to please God enough to gain eternal life is to recognize that you are a sinner, repent of that sin and place your trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary? On that you were taught well.