Do not accept biblical half-truths as truths!

Today I spent a boring two hours in the doctor’s waiting room listening to two Christians arguing about something they really knew nothing about. The discussion got a little heated. I thank God they did not get me involved and I tried to stay as far away as I could.  Since one was a follower of Apollo C. Quiboloy, the founder and leader of The Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the other was a follower of Iglesia ni Cristo founded by Felix Y. Manalo neither would have been interested in what a Catholic had to say, since they do not believe we are Christians.

I stated they knew nothing about what they were talking about not to be rude, but because they only knew what their CHURCH LEADERS had told them. Every time they began a topic they would say, “Our church believes” or “Pastor Apollo said” or “They said on INCTV”. I did not hear them say one time “I believe”. But, of course they are obligated in both of those churches to believe what the leaders teach or be put out.

About the only thing they had in common, but did not agree on, were they both believe that THEIR church is the only true church - the fulfillment of biblical prophecy concerning the reestablishment of the Church.

These are only partial or half-truths they have been told - everything happens for a reason, God helps those who help themselves, God won’t give you more than you can handle, God said it, I believe it, that settles it and love the sinner, but hate the sin. These were not the only half-truths these ladies had been fed by their religious leaders.

It is important for us to examine these and other half-truths for ourselves regardless of what our religious leaders have taught us. I think they sometimes hurt people. I think they lead people to conclusions about God that are not only untrue, but turn people away from God. I know there had to be some people in that waiting room today that were turned off to Christians and Christianity because of those two women. There were several Muslims in that waiting room. The ladies may have boosted their own personal egos, but they accomplished nothing for God or Christianity.

Some of these half-truths are used by religious leaders to avoid careful thinking about complex issues. Some are used to justify their own biases or prejudices. It is important to read any Scripture in the light of its context and the Bible’s broader message. It is not enough to find a passage or two to support a particular view. We should interpret all Scripture in the light of Jesus’ life and teachings, as well as with the help of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom of scholars, and our own intellect and life experiences. If you only believe what you have been told then you really know nothing.

What do you think non-Christians think of Christians when they hear one Christian telling another, “You are not a REAL Christian because you are Catholic” or “You only have some of the truth, not all of the truth because you ignore tradition"? I prefer to say “I respect what you believe, but I have a different interpretation of that Scripture and either of us could be right.” When you take a stand that your interpretation or your denominations interpretation or your church leaders interpretation is the only TRUE interpretation you are PLAYING God. My bishops and priest are wrong lots of time and my Pope is wrong sometimes. No one is always right. If someone can convince me I am wrong I am willing to change.

Sunday after Sunday Christians are hurt and many eventually leave the church because they hear religious leaders say God loves you and will protect you and keep you from harm. Believe me there are religious leaders in every denomination teaching that. There is some truth to their teachings, but they fail to point out that the rain falls on the good and the bad. When people are hurt they generally blame God not their religious leader or their denomination for only teaching half-truths.

It is a shame that many Christians are not given the freedom to question their religious leaders when they have experienced what they are saying not to be true in their lives or they have studied Scripture and interpret it differently. It is the responsibility of the religious leaders to let their people know they are free to question any and all things they say – of course in a polite way.

One of the biggest half-truth that is taught Sunday after Sunday is accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and life will be smooth sailing from then on. God did not promise that so why do many religious leaders say He did. God only promise to be with us at all times, good and bad. He did not promise to prevent any bad from ever happening to us.

I think God requires more than just an altar call where you kneel down and say ‘yes’ for us to become and stay a Christian. We must understand what we are doing and be committed to change. The Christian life is not easy; there is a price to pay. My friend at Community Gospel Church use to teach that altar calls and saying ‘yes’ was enough and he could prove it because so many in his church came and left once made whole again. He claimed they no longer needed the church. His membership was like a swinging door. I suggest they left disappointed and found that his teachings did not work in real life.  

I had a person come to me that had left the church when she was a teenager because she had been led to believe the Christian walk was a guarantee from adversity. She ask me, “Where was God when I was raped, where was God when my mother died of cancer my senior year in high school, did He abandoned me or is there no God?” As I stated earlier half-truths cause unnecessary pain.

When religious leaders and denominations take stands against groups of people (gay, women, divorced, etc.) and prevent them from having full participation in the church they are not leading people to God they are pushing people away from God. It forces people who want to be active in church to keep secrets and feel guilty. Jesus loved and loves the poorest of the poor. He spent time with the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and the people with the worst reputations, and loved them unconditionally, contrary to the culture they were a part of. God wasn't God of only the rich and powerful, but also God of the outcast and enslaved. He freed oppressed people and stood for the rights of the downtrodden.

It is OK to doubt your faith from time to time and challenge your religious leaders. In fact, doubting your faith and asking questioning helps your faith grow. Many times I have been told that I am not a Christian. People have said my ideas were "heretical" "UN-biblical" and couldn't believe that I was allowed to continue in ministry. That is okay with me. I have never asks anyone to believe as I believe. I have only asks people to think for themselves and not turn off their brain when they enter the church. I am not going to teach something I do not believe without offering alternative views. I will teach what my denomination wants taught and preface it with the statement ‘this is what the Church teaches’. Besides I do not answer to people I answer to God when it comes to my religious beliefs.

You have to know what and why you believe.  Just saying I believe it because that it is what my preacher, priest or religious leader said should not be sufficient for you to believe. If you cannot explain why you believe it you do not know it. Parrots can repeat what you say over and over and will not challenge you, but have no real understanding of what they are saying. Are you a parrot?