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When it comes to choosing a church, many people focus on the elements that feel immediately fulfilling—the music, the community, or an uplifting sermon. While these are valuable parts of church life, it’s even more important to dig deeper and discern whether the teachings align with scripture. Unfortunately, not all teachings are biblically sound. In fact, some might not only mislead but can even be spiritually harmful.
In this post, we’ll explore five common teachings in churches that should give you pause. One of them, in particular, should have you running for the door. Let’s take a closer look.
1. The “Just Believe” Trap
If you ever walk into a church and hear that all you need to do is “believe” in Jesus without further explanation, that should set off alarm bells. Now, don’t get me wrong, faith in Jesus is crucial. Scripture is clear that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). But the problem lies in how many churches interpret the word “believe.”
In Western culture, belief often means agreeing with something intellectually. Think about how we use the word—if someone asks you if you believe in unicorns, they’re asking whether you intellectually accept their existence. But that’s not what the Bible means when it talks about belief. The Greek word often translated as “believe” is pisteuo, which more closely means to trust or put your faith in something.
Simply acknowledging that Jesus existed or agreeing that He is the Son of God doesn’t capture the depth of the faith the Bible calls for. This watered-down version of belief misses the core message of surrender and trust in God that should guide a believer’s life.
Churches that reduce salvation to intellectual assent are oversimplifying and distorting the gospel. Remember, James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe—and shudder! True faith produces transformation, not just intellectual agreement.
2. The Apple Myth in Genesis
Another teaching that should cause concern is when a church perpetuates the idea that Eve ate an apple in the Garden of Eden. While this might seem like a harmless detail, it actually reveals a deeper issue—a lack of careful biblical study.
Genesis 3:6 refers to Eve eating “the fruit” from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, nowhere in scripture does it specify that the fruit was an apple. The original Hebrew word for fruit is peri, a generic term that could refer to any fruit. The idea that it was an apple seems to stem from popular culture rather than scripture.
This might seem minor, but when teachers don’t take the time to properly interpret even small details, it can point to a larger issue—they’re relying on tradition or assumptions instead of carefully studying the Bible. Carelessness like this can lead to misunderstandings about more significant doctrines down the road. As Christians, we are called to seek the truth diligently, not settle for commonly accepted misconceptions.
3. The Incomplete Teaching of the Prodigal Son
If your church only focuses on the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) without acknowledging the other parables in Luke 15, that should raise a flag. Too often, churches isolate this parable without exploring the full context.
Jesus starts Luke 15 with two other stories—the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. Both are critical to understanding the prodigal son’s message. The parable of the lost sheep emphasizes the shepherd’s responsibility to seek out the lost, representing religious leaders’ duty to care for those they have cast aside. Without the context of these earlier parables, the story of the prodigal son is reduced to an individual moral lesson rather than a more profound reflection on God’s pursuit of the lost.
If your church is only teaching the “highlight reel” of the Bible, they might be missing out on deeper layers of scripture that challenge and grow us in our faith. Don’t settle for shallow interpretations when God has given us a rich and intricate tapestry of teachings in His Word.
4. Misinterpreting “Your Body is a Temple”
Another common misinterpretation comes from 1 Corinthians 6:19, where Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” Some churches will use this verse to preach about diet, exercise, and quitting smoking. While those are all good things, they completely miss the point of the passage.
Paul isn’t talking about physical health here. He’s addressing the Corinthians’ involvement in sexual immorality, specifically with temple prostitutes. The plural “you” indicates that Paul is referring to the collective church body as a single temple. The focus here is spiritual health, not physical fitness. The church, as a whole, must remain pure and holy as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
If your church reduces deep spiritual teachings to surface-level self-improvement tips, they’re missing the richness of the message. Scripture calls us to something much more profound than just better habits—it calls us to be spiritually united in Christ.
5. End Times Prophecy Tied to Current Events
And now for the teaching that should make you run for the door: any church that claims current events fulfill Revelation’s prophecies. The book of Revelation is a complex piece of apocalyptic literature, written in a style that would have been familiar to first-century Christians. It wasn’t meant to be a coded message predicting future world events but a source of comfort for persecuted Christians under Roman rule.
When churches claim that modern events like wars or political unrest are fulfilling the prophecy of Revelation, they’re engaging in dangerous misinterpretation. This kind of teaching leads to fear, confusion, and poor decision-making among believers. The primary purpose of Revelation is to offer hope by reminding Christians that Jesus ultimately triumphs over evil.
Trying to apply Revelation to specific news stories is a distraction from the text’s true message of enduring hope and faithfulness in times of trial. If your church encourages sensationalism or paranoia around Revelation, it’s time to look for a new spiritual home.
Conclusion: Seek Sound Teaching
If you’ve encountered any of these teachings in your church, it’s worth pausing and considering whether the church is rooted in sound biblical interpretation. The Bible is a complex, beautiful text that deserves careful study and reflection. Churches that distort or oversimplify scripture can lead believers away from the truth.
If you’d like to dive deeper into understanding scripture and ensure you’re being guided by biblically sound teaching, check out this resource by Brandon Robbins: 5 Bible Study Strategies. His insights can help you navigate these complex topics with clarity and confidence.
The next time you’re sitting in church and hear something that doesn’t quite sit right with you, take the time to study the Bible for yourself. And if you come across any of the teachings mentioned above, it might be time to reconsider whether that church is the right fit for your spiritual growth.
