There is tremendous pressure in today’s world for preachers to deliver “powerful” messages. In sincerity, many preachers have been forced to depend on church traditions rather than on the Word of God. Some erroneous doctrines have found their way into our sermons as a result.
Our duty as leaders is to properly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). If our message is one of myth, those under our leadership will never be transformed.
The students at Levites Bible College realised, after graduation, that some of the doctrines they had been taught were more of “church tradition” than of Christianity. Below are the seven biblical myths that every pastor should avoid.
1. Money Is the Root of All Evil
This is contrary to the Biblical teaching. The correct phrase is “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) Money, by itself, is not evil; it is the inappropriate love of it which causes sin. In addition, Hebrews 13:5 tells us to shun the love of money. Money is a means to an end, which we can use both for good and for evil. The question lies not in the money, but in our hearts.
Money is useful for ministry and for assisting others (Luke 16:9). The problem does not lie in having money, but in loving money more than God and putting it before God. An incorrect view of money may lead people to adopt a poverty mentality.
2. Adam and Eve Ate an Apple in the Garden
There is nothing written in the Bible about Adam and Eve eating an apple. In fact, they ate from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:6). The kind of fruit is not stated in the Bible at all. What actually happened is disobedience to God’s command (Genesis 3:1-7), leading to death (Romans 5:12).
Sin and redemption are the themes in this part of the Bible. Disobedience is the theme, not what kind of fruit. Distortion of the biblical account can lead to a misunderstanding of its true message.
3. God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
This saying does not appear in the Bible. Rather, the Bible tells us that God helps those who trust in Him. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9). God strengthens the weak (Isaiah 40:29).
This myth encourages individualism over faith. The Bible makes it evident that God rewards those who are humble and trust in Him (James 4:6). We are supposed to trust God in all things.
4. Cleanliness is next to godliness
While this phrase may be true, it is not biblical. God cares about the condition of our hearts more than anything else. According to 1 Samuel 16:7, “the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In Matthew 5:8, Jesus also states, “blessed are the pure in heart.”
The truth of holiness comes from within, not external cleanliness. It is easy to use this fallacy to stereotype people.
5. The Three Wise Men
The Bible does not speak of three wise men; it speaks of three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1-11). There is no mention of how many wise men there were. The wise men came to see Jesus not at the manger but in a house (Matthew 2:11).
Therefore, Jesus must have been a little older than an infant when the wise men came to visit him. We should be careful not to incorporate into our teaching traditions practices that are not mentioned in the Bible.
6. Prosperity is Indispensable for Becoming a Successful Pastor
It is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). He stated that life is much more than food, and the body is much more than clothing (Luke 12:23).
True success is godly righteousness, not material prosperity. Faithfulness is God’s definition of success (1 Corinthians 4:2). There were many faithful men in the Bible who did not enjoy prosperity.
7. Success Is Equal To Money
Some think that for a pastor to be successful, he needs money. But Jesus Christ and his disciples did not live luxurious lives (Matthew 8:20). The truth about success is that it is being faithful. It has nothing to do with being rich.
Riches cannot prove one’s acceptance by God. Success is when one fulfils God’s mission and remains obedient to Him. Being wealthy takes away one’s focus on God’s agenda.
How to Study Theology the Right Way Biblically
The way to avoid such mistakes is to study the Bible rightly. This requires the right interpretation of context and language. Some learners at Levites Bible College have discovered that studying the Bible requires mastery of the skill. Some students have enrolled in further learning once they realised that knowledge comes only from good teaching.
Are you prepared for more depth in theology?
Register for our next batch at Levites Bible College. Classes are held both online and in person. In English and Yoruba. You can make payments safely using Paystack (foreign currency and Naira allowed).
Empowering the unlikely, equipping the called.
