I hate Christian sayings especially one I say a lot!

One of my irritations is Christian sayings. As my wife and I talked last night about writing a book about our journey (btw, anyone willing to buy one if we write it?), Michelle told me not to put those stupid Christian sayings in our book. I know, I say stupid, but I am just being clear how I feel about them. I have such trouble with them because most of them are a flat lie! Many of them put the work of God on the essence of man or they lie about God. Here are a few that are flat WRONG!

"If God closes a door, He will open a window"

No where in the Bible does it say that God opens windows of opportunities. Jesus uses the word door because they are passageways to something else. Windows are letting the breeze in, helping someone escape or for burglars to break in. The devil steals and is a burglar, so maybe that open window was his doing? The only reason you will find anyone climbing through a window is because they are trying to escape whatever is in the house?

"God will never give you more than you can handle"

Now this one is hard to argue some days because I think God is about pleasing me and making my life more comfortable. If I can't handle it, it must not be from God right? Wrong with a big Wrong. Miles Stanford puts it best "God is not interested in helping you become stronger because He knows if you become stronger, you will exalt yourself! Instead, He wants to be your life. He wants to be the one who does the work through you because He is exalted in His work!" Many times God puts us in situations that make us need Him because we have exalted ourselves to a dangerously worshipful place.

"God does for those who do for themselves"

Totally self exalting statement. It says the only way you get Grace is if you do right. Can I tell you that good people think they are good. If they think they are good, there is no need for Grace. God gives Grace to whomever He wants. Oh and did I mention that the word Grace is connected with the word favor! They are the same word intertwined. God will always be good toward you even when you are not good back to Him!

But the one that is killing me today is one that I have said so many times. So here is my open shame!

"I love watching people STEP from death into life"

I say this when after I preach, people respond to Jesus and Jesus gives them the faith to believe in Him! The problem is not being excited about someone finding salvation from their sin, it is in the wording of the statement. DEAD PEOPLE CANNOT MOVE! No one steps from death into life, but many are giving life to continuously walk in life! There is a necessary resurrection that happens before people continue into life. Without Christ we are dead, but if Christ has given you life, you are alive. It all rests in His work toward us! I know, some might say what's the big deal. I believe the big deal is that we can take credit for what only Jesus Christ can do. This is dangerous because it quickly will turn into self-righteous idolatry. If everything Christ does for us is to bring us to Himself, then He is the point of His work. He is the object that most satisfies. He is the object that will not fail our adoration. It is all about Jesus and we cannot take credit for what He has done.

So maybe I need to start saying "I love when Jesus brings people from death into life and they find rest in Him!" Wait, that maybe be an issue too ....


Thanks for letting me rant a little and know that this is not about picking on anyone but fighting against low views of a Highly Loving God!