In our previous articles regarding the condemned house, we briefly touched on Love. We discussed the importance of Trust in rebuilding our hearts. And we discussed the damage of Fear on our hearts.
How do lies affect all of this?
- Christian lies build fear. They multiply it. Left on their own, they can and will destroy a heart by feeding the fears that reside there.
- Christian lies betray trust. They hold it back. They keep it from being able to be built and strengthened.
What are Christian Lies?
The lies I speak of are the concepts we're taught growing up in which the Bible or Church is used to support, but which are actually dangerous untruths. For example...
Women are subservient, and must obey their husbands and serve them.
Yes, there are Bible verses which support submission by a wife to her husband... just as there are verses which support the reverse as well. The truth some of us aren't taught is mutual submission, and is a truth which leads to healthy, strong relationships for both husbands and wives. It does not involve the wife being barefoot and pregnant, expected to do her husband's every wish.
It is acceptable to rape or otherwise hurt your wife.
This again plays into those lies of women being property of men. Because the Bible states that if a man rapes a woman he must marry her, some people actually teach that it is ok to rape her. Again, the truth is women are a creation of God, created equal to (though obviously different from) men, and must be treated as wonderful creations of our Lord.
Women cannot have any authority over men.
Again, a lie. Women in the Bible held many different positions of authority, and Jesus acquainted himself with many different women, and even had some as disciples. They were never treated as less than a man.
If you love your children, you won't withhold physical punishment from them. The Bible gives permission to beat children.
I've heard the Proverbs verses used and abused to allow beating of children, molestation of children, a complete stripping of rights and free thinking of children, turning them into obedient little robots. Lies! The Bible tells us, as parents, to use authority to teach our children in the way of the Lord; to discipline (not necessarily punish them) them so they grow up with good morals.
If you do not follow every commandment all the time, you are going to hell!
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying we shouldn't try to follow the commandments. We should try. We should try to be good, loving people. But the truth is, we are human, and we will mess up... repeatedly.
Love means judging others, consistently pointing out all their flaws; reminding them they're going to hell.
Love means love. Love means helping others. Love means giving the shirt off your back and the shoes off your feet to those less fortunate. Love means embracing those who are marginalized, bringing them into the fellowship of Christ. Love means accepting people even if they're sinners (after all, you are one too... as am I... and that person over there...)
If something bad happens, it's punishment for your sins.
Imagine being told your dog died because you didn't eat all your vegetables. Your friend broke her leg because you didn't clean up your room. Imagine being a child and having your brother beat right in front of your eyes, and being told it's your fault this happened.... that God is punishing him for something you did.
Lies built this house
I'm sure this list could easily be expanded upon. These are simply some of which I have been taught - mostly during my childhood. And, I'm sure many of you will argue with me regarding whether or not some of these are lies. After all, there is some form of biblical support for each of them. Anyone with a Bible and concordance can find verses to support almost any topic.
But for me, they are lies. They are dangerous lies which kept me from God for so many years. How could I love a God who sanctions child abuse? Or rape? How can I trust in a God who beats another child because of a small mistake I made? Who takes the life of a child because of me?
Houses must be built on Truth!
A house built with these lies will come tumbling down. Hearts built with these lies with forever live in distrust and fear. And what really makes these lies so dangerous? They are built falsely using the Bible. The Bible! God's own Word. God gave a man permission to rape me; my parents permission to beat me! Those lies... oh how they stick with a person, even after you've recognized that they are quite possibly lies.
Houses... Hearts... must be built on God's Truth. We must turn to our Bibles, read the Words ourselves, and recognize that we have a loving God - not a God whom sanctions such actions. God loves His creation - all of His creation...
men, women, children.
You. Me.
May God bless you all with the wonders of His Truth and Love!
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