Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. – John 17:17-19

The unbiblical beliefs of our age are a reflection of a culture that values feelings over facts. In this era, people are more likely to believe what they feel is true rather than what is actually true. This has led to a rise in false teachings and unbiblical beliefs that are often accepted as truth. These beliefs can be found in many areas, including politics, religion, and science. Unfortunately, these beliefs lead to confusion and division among people, as well as a huge lack of understanding of the Bible and its teachings. It is important for Christians to recognize the unbiblical beliefs of our age and to be aware of the dangers they can bring.

How Feelings and Emotions over Truth Impacts Society

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. - John 1:10

In recent years, there has been a fast growing trend of people placing more emphasis on their feelings than on facts. This unbiblical belief system has had a significant impact on society, leading to a number of negative consequences.

One of the most obvious effects of this trend is the rise of moral relativism. When people prioritize their feelings over facts, they are more likely to believe that there is no absolute right or wrong, and that morality is subjective. This has led to a society where people are more likely to make decisions based on their own personal preferences, rather than on what is absolutely right or wrong.

Another consequence of this trend is the rise of postmodernism. Postmodernism is a philosophical movement that rejects the idea of objective truth and instead embraces the idea that truth is relative and subjective. This has led to a society where people are more likely to believe that their own personal beliefs and opinions are just as valid as those of others, regardless of whether or not they are based on facts.

This trend has also led to a society where people are more likely to be swayed by emotional appeals rather than by facts and logic. This has had a particularly damaging effect on public discourse, as people are more likely to be swayed by emotional arguments rather than by facts and evidence. This has led to a society where people are divided along ideological lines, rather than being united by a shared commitment to truth and facts.

These unbiblical belief systems have had a significant negative impact on society. It has led to a decaying society where moral relativism is more prevalent, postmodernism is more accepted, and where feeling and emotion are more likely to be persuasive than facts, logic or truth.

Feelings and Emotions over Truth in the Church

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. - Matthew 22:37

In recent years, the church has seen a rapid shift in focus from Biblical facts to emotional feelings as the culture has crept into mainstream denominations. This shift has led to the acceptance of unbiblical beliefs and practices that have no basis in Scripture. I will attempt to examine some of these unbiblical beliefs and their implications for the church.

We have seen a rise of postmodernism/moral relativism in churches. This is dangerous, leading to the acceptance of false teachings and practices. It also greatly undermines the authority of Scripture, as it implies that our feelings and emotions are a better source of truth than the Bible. Feeling and emotions over truth has serious implications for the church. They seriously undermine the authority of Scripture and bring a lack of discernment in the church, as people are more likely to accept teachings and practices that are not based on Scripture.

This has led to worship changing in many churches. Many worship services have become so worldly that you would think you are in a concert hall rather than a church. More lights and smoke machines – less prayer and preaching. The preaching that you do hear, sounds more like a motivational speech than the teaching of God’s Word.

The church must remain focused on the truth of Scripture and reject any unbiblical beliefs that are contrary to it. There are still churches that have rejected the temptation to please people rather than pleasing God. I hope you attend one, or find one.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

It is important to be familiar with the Bible and its teachings. This means reading the Bible regularly and studying it in depth. It is also important to be familiar with the teachings of church history and its interpretation of the Bible. This will help to ensure that one is able to recognize unbiblical beliefs when they arise.

In an age where feelings are often given more importance than facts, it is essential to counter unbiblical beliefs with the truth of Scripture. The Bible provides a reliable foundation for understanding the world and our place in it. By studying Scripture, we can gain insight into God’s attributes, His character, and His plan for Christians.

The Bible is the only source of absolute truth. It is the inspired Word of God, and it is not subject to human interpretation or opinion, nor is it subject to change or revision. The Bible is consistent with itself. It is not a collection of random stories or ideas, but rather a unified historic and spiritual narrative that reveals God’s plan for humanity. The Bible is consistent in its teachings from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible is not subject to the whims of culture or the changing trends of society. The Bible is timeless in its teachings and can be trusted in any age.

By properly and consistently studying Scripture, we can gain insight into God’s character and His will for our lives. We can learn how to live in obedience to His commands and how to live in a way that honors and brings glory to Him. We can also learn how to counter unbiblical beliefs with the truth of Scripture. By studying the Bible, we can gain a better understanding of God, His will, and how to live in accordance with it.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
 they shall be as white as snow;
 though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
- Isaiah 1:18

Freedom isn’t free.

For these perilous times, for the men and women who serve the cause of freedom around the world, Bibles for our Military.

Get one of these important resources now!

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
You can help support this website by visiting and purchasing from our affiliate links.

The Lie: Evolution/Millions of Years

This anniversary edition is an even more powerful, eye-opening book for the church!

Ken Ham once again takes the lead in pointing out the looming precipice that thousands of church leaders are rushing toward; a denial of the full authority and accuracy of the Bible from its very first verse. Originally published in 1987, The Lie took a bold stand which became prophetic. Ken warned the church about the destructive effects of compromise with evolutionary/millions-of-years ideas. He warned that compromise in Genesis would undermine Scriptural authority in the culture and erode confidence in the infallibility of God’s Word. Today, Christians increasingly doubt the Bible’s reliability. So then do those who are considering placing their faith in Jesus, the Creator.

The issues are of critical importance when you realize that today we have Christians not only confused when it comes to Genesis and the age of the earth, but now even the reality of hell, Adam as a real person, and Christ’s own words about creation, marriage, and more. One compromise just leads to another—and it has to end if we want to leave a legacy of faith to future generations!

“Now that I have updated, revised, and expanded The Lie, I believe it’s an even more powerful, eye-opening book for the church—an essential resource to help all of us to understand the great delusion that permeates our world! The message of The Lie IS the message of AiG and why we even exist! It IS the message God has laid on our hearts to bring before the church! It IS a vital message for our time.”
     — Author Ken Ham, CEO/President of Answers in Genesis–USA

Get this important resource now!

Purchase Answers in Genesis’ most popular resources at great sale prices— shop today!

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
You can help support this website by visiting and purchasing from our affiliate links.

Lie

We’re no longer strangers to God when we become Christians. But now we’re strange to the world. A lot of Christians don’t understand that concept as well as they should, I don’t think. We still, you know, we’re supposed to be strangers in the world, but we still want the world to love us. We still want that approval from the world, we still want applause. We still want people to look at us, you know, in a special way. Is that just part of that sinfulness in us, that we want to exalt ourselves?

 So well, you know, it’s a tricky thing because, remember, Jesus says, in Matthew 5:16 , “let your light shine before men that they might see your good works”. And those have to be works that are pleasing in the sight of the Father. So there is a place where we should have a desire, in fact in the book of Acts you read, even though the Pharisees and the religious elite were oppressing and opposing the Apostles, the scripture says that they had favor among the people. So there’s that balance between wanting applause.

And I think this is something a lot of Christians don’t understand. We don’t want the world to applaud us , but the scripture says we are to conduct ourselves in a way that the world doesn’t necessarily hate everything we do. Now, that’s such a fine line there. How do we do that? And that’s the balancing act. So we live righteously, but we never make it our goal to make people dislike us. You know, the phrase that many people use, and we all do it in there are times when it’s appropriate.  Well, that’s the way it is, you just have to get over it. You know, that’s true. But that attitude can make people dislike you and not have anything to do with your Christian faith or your Christian commitment. So, so we have to, we have to watch ourselves and things like that. But if all we want is the applause of the world, so I guess the way you would say it is that we take both the applause and criticism. When we have conducted ourselves appropriately, and the world finds what we have done, satisfactory, then we say, amen. But when we have conducted ourselves properly and the world hates us, we say, Amen, you know, I think it was, I’m thinking it was Spurgeon who said, you should only believe half of what people say when they praise or criticize you. You deserve less of the praise and more of the blame than what we’re willing to admit.

I stand in a pulpit and I say homosexuality is a sin. That’s true. It needs to be said. But I can say it in the nicest way possible and still invoke the world’s wrath; because of the message. And I think we have to be careful that we’re just not setting out to make people dislike us, because that seems to fly in the face of what Jesus said about let your light shine, that they see your good works and glorified your Father in heaven. By the way, the only people that are going to really glorify God in heaven for those good works are people coming to Christ. So that somehow our works are being used by God to draw people to Christ, and not just driving people away, which will also happen. For me, it’s a very involved complex. How do we stay true to scripture without intentionally driving people away?

I guess the verse you mentioned, that people see our good works and then they glorify Christ. That’s the focal point of it. That’s the purpose, that we glorify Christ. Now we need to be doing good works so that people say, well, they’re doing a good work. But if Christ is not being glorified, then we’re missing the mark.

Right.

Listen to the entire episode and more HERE.

strangers

You said before, that the disciples were expecting a political leader.

 Do you think that that modern Christians get caught up in that same thing, where they’re looking more so for a political leader than they are for the Savior of the world? 

Yes. And, this is unfortunate, that a lot of Christians blur the lines between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of men. And, especially in political issues, we look at the political party, or the political candidate to be almost a Messiah type figure. And we certainly want our leaders to to care about and reflect our values. But we cannot look at them as though they have the power to fix everything for everybody, and that that’s exactly what God wants done. And they get behind the candidate too much from a purely Christian perspective. Now, that takes some unpacking we don’t have time for. I do not want anyone to think I’m advocating for not getting involved in politics. But we have to be careful there. And the other thing I see in that respect is the number of people who want to constantly date the coming of Christ based upon geopolitical events. When Russia invaded Ukraine you automatically began hearing people say that this proves that next week, the Lord’s coming. And that kind of stuff. And it is that tendency for us to look at a political solution, rather than a transformation of the heart.

You know, you and I were talking before we began, about the issue of abortion and the Supreme Court justice and all that. And this is a point needs to be known. Yes, we continue to speak up against abortion. It is the taking of the human life. But politics won’t solve that. It must be a change of a person’s heart. Abortion was illegal before 1973. There are some places that if I’m not mistaken, for example, Brazil, it’s illegal in Brazil, or it was a few years ago. It was illegal, and yet they had the largest rate of abortions in the world. So politics is not the final answer. And I think, Jesus was hinting at that. You need to understand there has to be a transformation of the heart, just a change of leadership in the houses of power and earthly kingdoms.

And of course, that transformation can only come from one place through, Christ Himself.

Right.  

Listen to the entire episode and more HERE.

blur the line

Marcion was a Christian heretic who lived in the 2nd century AD. Marcion rejected the Old Testament and the teachings of the Jewish God, and instead embraced a new God, one of only love and mercy. He also rejected the idea of the Trinity and instead taught that there was only one God. Marcion’s teachings were condemned by the early Church Fathers and he was excommunicated from the Church. Despite this, his teachings had a lasting impact on Christianity and his ideas can still be seen in some modern Christian denominations.

Exploring the Life and Teachings of Marcion, the Heretic

Marcion of Sinope (c. 85-160 CE) was a Christian theologian and teacher who is best known for his heretical views on the nature of God and the teachings of Jesus. He is considered to be one of the most influential heretics in early Christianity, and his false teachings had a profound impact in the development of Christian theology.

Marcion was born in Sinope, a port city on the Black Sea in what is now modern-day Turkey. He was the son of a wealthy ship-owner and merchant, and he was well-educated in Greek philosophy and literature. He was also a student of the Jewish philosopher, Philo of Alexandria.

His teachings were based on his interpretation of the New Testament. He believed that the God of the Old Testament was a cruel and vengeful deity, while the God of the New Testament was a loving and merciful God.

Marcion rejected the idea of the Trinity, believing that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three distinct entities. He also rejected the idea of original sin, believing that humans were born innocent and only became sinful through their own actions.

His teachings were deemed heretical by the early Church, and he was excommunicated in 144 AD. Despite this, his teachings continued to spread and influence Christian thought. His teachings were particularly influential in the development of Gnosticism, a religious movement that emphasized the importance of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.

Marcion’s teachings have been both praised and condemned throughout history. While some have seen him as a heretic, others have seen him as a visionary who helped to shape the development of Christian theology. Whatever one’s opinion of Marcion, it is clear that his teachings had a profound impact on the development of Christianity.

The Impact of Marcion’s Heresy on Early Christianity

Marcion’s heretical teachings had a profound effect on early Christianity. He rejected the Old Testament and the teachings of the Jewish God, instead advocating for a new religion based on partial teachings of Jesus Christ. This was a radical departure from the traditional Christian beliefs of the time, and it caused a great deal of controversy. Marcion’s followers were excommunicated from the Church, and his teachings were condemned as heresy.

His teachings also had a significant impact on the development of Christian theology. He rejected the idea of a single God, instead advocating for two separate gods: one who was responsible for the Old Testament and one who was responsible for the New Testament. This dualistic theology was a major departure from traditional Christian beliefs, and it had a lasting impact on the development of Christian theology.

Marcion’s teachings also had a major impact on the development of Christian scripture. He rejected the Old Testament and instead advocated for a new canon of scripture. This new canon was known as the Marcionite Canon, and it included the Gospel of Luke, the Acts of the Apostles, and ten of Paul’s epistles. This new canon was widely accepted by Marcion’s followers.

Examining the Rejection of Marcion’s Teachings by the Early Church

The early Church was faced with a easy decision when it came to the teachings of Marcion. His teachings, which included a rejection of the Old Testament and a focus on partial teachings of Jesus, were seen as a threat to the traditional beliefs of the Church. As a result, the Church rejected Marcion’s teachings and declared him a heretic.

He also rejected the idea of the Trinity, believing that Jesus was a separate entity from God the Father. Marcion’s teachings were a challenge to the traditional beliefs of the Church, which held that the Old Testament was inspired by God and that Jesus was part of the Trinity.

The Church argued that Marcion’s teachings were contrary to the teachings of the apostles and the early Church Fathers. They also argued that his teachings were a threat to the unity of the Church and could lead to division and more heresy. The Church’s rejection of Marcion’s teachings was a significant moment in the history of the Church, as it set the tone for how the Church would respond to other heretical teachings in the future.

The Church’s rejection of Marcion’s teachings was a necessary step in order to maintain the unity of the Church and to protect the traditional beliefs of the Church. While Marcion’s teachings were seen as a threat to the traditional beliefs of the Church, the Church’s rejection of his teachings was ultimately a sign of its commitment to preserving the unity of the Church and protecting its traditional beliefs.

The Role of Marcion’s Dualism in His Heresy

Marcion’s dualism was a major factor in his heresy. He proposed a radical new interpretation of the Christian faith. He believed that the God of the Old Testament was a different deity than the God of the New Testament, and that the two were in opposition to one another. This dualistic view of God was at the heart of his heresy.

He argued that the God of the Old Testament was a cruel and vengeful deity, while the God of the New Testament was a loving and merciful one. He believed that the Old Testament God was the creator of the physical world, while the New Testament God was the creator of the spiritual world. This dualistic view of God was in stark contrast to the traditional Christian view of a single, unified God.

Marcion’s dualism also had implications for his view of Jesus. He believed that Jesus was sent by the New Testament God to save humanity from the wrath of the Old Testament God. He argued that Jesus was just a spiritual being, not a physical one, and that His mission was to bring salvation to humanity through his teachings and example.

Marcion’s dualism also had implications for his view of the Bible. He argued that the Old Testament was written by the Old Testament God and was therefore unreliable. He believed that the New Testament was written by the New Testament God and was therefore the only reliable source of truth. This view of the Bible is a stark contrast to the traditional Christian view of the Bible as a unified source of truth.

The Influence of Marcion’s Ideas in Today’s churches.

How does Marcion’s heresies influence the modern church? We can easily see them in a couple of situations.

First, we see the tendency to neglect the Old Testament. The proper way to study the Bible is to read it as a whole, comparing Scripture with Scripture. History, especially biblical history, has been lost in many churches. Many modern churches, like Marcion, believe that the God of the Old Testament was a different deity than the God of the New Testament. A Christ-centered church realizes the importance of both the Old and New Testament. Jesus Himself said to search the Old Testament to learn about Him, Luke 24:25-27. Some modern pastors such as Andy Stanley are following Marcion’s heresy of abandoning the Old Testament. They are abandoning the Word of God.

Second, the emphasis upon God’s love over all of His other attributes. God’s attributes don’t contend against one another for significance. His love doesn’t contradict everything additional He says about Himself. Love isn’t a commodity that God discovered in the New Testament, therefore abandoning His attributes of justice and wrath. There is no transition in God’s character. God does not change, Malachi 3:6 . “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”, Hebrews 13:8 . God is love, but He does not abandon His other attributes in favor of His love. We see many modern churches overemphasize God’s love and ignore His other attributes. That imbalanced view of God is the influence of Marcion’s heresies.

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, believers in Jesus Christ are to “give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” But does ‘everything’ include giving thanks to God when we suffer? Listen as Darrell Harrison and Virgil “Omaha” Walker look to Scripture for answers to that crucial question.

• “What God Ordains Is Always Good” – hymn arrangement by Josh Bauder (YouTube video)
• “We Complain Because We Forget” – blog article by Steven Lee (Desiring God)
• “The Gift of Suffering” – white paper by William H. Gross (PDF)
• “Making Sense Out of Suffering” – sermon series by John MacArthur (Grace to You)
• “Why Are You Afraid?” – Just Thinking podcast episode 113
• “Why Are You Afraid?” – book by Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker (G3 Press)
• “Suffering Is Not for Nothing” – teaching series by Elisabeth Elliot (Ligonier Ministries)

Support

To support the podcast, please click here or copy/paste the following link into your browser – https://justthinking.me/support/

Disclaimer

© Darrell B. Harrison and Just Thinking Ministries – 2012-2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Darrell B. Harrison and Just Thinking…for Myself with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

—

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/podcast-just/support

Disclaimer: This episode of the Just Thinking podcast contains material that may not be suitable for young children. Parental discretion is strongly advised.

Indwelling sin. It is a reality that professing believers in Jesus Christ must deal with until the day we die or Christ returns to take us home to heaven. But how are we to deal biblically with that reality? How can we, as possessors of a new nature in Christ, navigate the tension between being regenerate while having remaining sin within us? Listen as Darrell Harrison and Virgil “Omaha” Walker look to God’s Word for answers in this episode of the Just Thinking podcast, titled Indwelling Sin in Believers.

• Pornography in the Church — Just Thinking podcast

• Women and Pornography — Truth in Love podcast (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Helping Women Put Off Life-Dominating Sins — Susan Heck (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Thanksgiving and Pornography — article by Dr. Heath Lambert (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Crafting Temptation and Repentance Plans to Help Addicts — article by Keith Palmer (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Helping Wives Whose Husbands Struggle With Pornography — Martha Peace (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• The Grace-Filled Path From Pornography to Purity — Dr. Heath Lambert (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Why Change Is Possible — Kevin Carson (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Overcoming Sexual Sin — Dr. Heath Lambert (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

• Fighting Lust

  —

  Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/podcast-just/support

  Comments closed

Does the world have anything to offer the Church today? It appears that some protestant churches, denominations – and their leaders – seem to think so. But to what end? What’s the payoff for them? Are there to be no distinctions between the kingdom of darkness (the world) and the kingdom of Light (the Church) in our churches and denominations? Those questions, and others, are the focus of Darrell Harrison and Virgil “Omaha” Walker in this episode of the Just Thinking podcast, titled “Cultural Denominationalism.”

• “The Church & Culture” – Just Thinking podcast
• “Evangelical Deconstructionism” – Just Thinking podcast
• “Ashamed of the Gospel” (book) – John MacArthur (Grace to You)
• “The Truth War” (book) – John MacArthur (Grace to You)
• “Christ’s Call to Reform the Church” (book) – John MacArthur (Grace to You)
• “What Denomination Should I Join?” (blog article) – Dr. John Frame
• “Denominations in the American Religious Experience” (video) – Dr. W. Robert Godfrey (Ligonier Ministries)
• “What is Denominationalism?” (article) – Got Questions
• “Why Denominational Identity Still Matters” (article) – Dr. Nathan A. Finn
• “Explaining Schisms in American Protestant Denominations, 1890-1990” (PDF whitepaper) – John R. Sutton Mark Chaves

Support

To support the podcast, please click here or copy/paste the following link into your browser – https://justthinking.me/support/

Disclaimer

© Darrell B. Harrison and Just Thinking Ministries – 2012-2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Darrell B. Harrison and Just Thinking…for Myself with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

—

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/podcast-just/support