Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

Don't believe everything you hear from the pulpit. Here are some of the popular heresies in our day.

Key Points:

  • #1 Every Christian can and should speak in tongues and needs to in order to be saved. The Bible teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not through speaking in tongues (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:30).
  • #2 Christians can lose their salvation (Ephesians 1:4; 2:8-9; Jude 24). (See excursus 1 below for more.)
  • #3 It is God’s will that every Christian be healthy and wealthy. Jesus’s death on the cross is for salvation from sins, not delieverance from worldly peril (Matthew 1:21). And countless faithful Christians (including Paul; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10) suffered physically.
  • #4 Christians can “claim,” “decree,” or “speak” something into existence. This is a misreading of Romans 4:17. Humans do not have the power to manipulate God merely by speaking. Even when we pray fervently, he is sovereign and his hand is not forced.
  • #5 Legalism. This is the idea that a lot of rules and regulations – and following them closely – will please God. Legalism says things like, “Real Christians don’t have tattoos… Real Christians never miss a church service.”
  • #6 Hyper-grace. This is the idea that because we’re saved, we can do whatever we want and God’s okay with it. This is an abuse of the freedom God has given us (Romans 6:2).
  • #7 Hell is not real and God is too good to send anyone there. Jesus speaks about hell as does the closing chapters of Revelation. (See 2 Thessalonians 1:9.)

Quote This:

Hebrews 5:14 (NIV) But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Have you had experience with any of the teachings listed in this topic? What happened?
  3. Is there anything you strongly agree with in this topic? Why?
  4. Is there anything you strongly disagree with in this topic? Why?
  5. Why do you think some of these teachings can be spiritually dangerous? Explain.
  6. What can you do to help correct false beliefs among people you know? Give an example if you have one.
  7. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

Excursus 1

Though it is obvious that not all Christians will agree with the list of false teachings in this topic (namely, those who believe some of the things in the list!) the second point is perhaps the most controversial. Large bodies of Christians believe that it is possible to lose one’s salvation and do not buy into the counter-argument (often made by Calvinist or Reformed Christians) that if a Christian walks away from Christ it is because they were never really Christian in the first place. Not every teaching in this topic’s list of false teachings is equally controversial, though in the opinion of this topic’s author this one is the most controversial.

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