I recently heard Pastor John Leach from the church I attend state the following two principles, which I have observed to be absolutely true. The two statements below are pastor John’s. The explanations are mine.
1. “Disappointment is the mother of bad theology.”
Let me explain below what this means. When Christians get deeply wounded, disappointed, or have to wait too long for a promise of God to be fulfilled, they then invent a theology directly contrary to revealed truth in the Bible. This theology however corresponds directly with their personal circumstance and life experience. There would be many such doctrines, but a few I commonly hear are:
Distorted Theology vs. Truth
“God doesn’t heal any more.”
Truth: I Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:4-6, Psalm 103:3 – Whatever you believe about iniquity, you better believe about diseases, since they are treated the same in the same verse.
“God allowed the devil to attack and devastate me in order to teach me something.”
Truth: I John 3:8 The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil, not to permit the works of the devil in your life to teach you something.
“I can divorce my spouse and marry someone else because there’s no love in my marriage and my situation is just intolerable. Even if it is wrong, God understands, and will forgive me.”
Truth: Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18, Hebrews 13:4 Jesus calls this, adultery, which the author of Hebrews says God will judge.
“I can sleep with my boyfriend/girlfriend before marriage. God understands how hard it is to live without sexual relationship.”
Truth: I Thessalonians 4:3-8, I Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 13:4 The Bible calls this fornication and Paul says in the Bible that unrepentant practitioners of such will not inherit the kingdom of God.
When people embrace distorted theology, they quickly seek out friends who have equally been hurt and are eager to embrace the same deceptions. This then leads to the second principle:
2. “Show me the lives of your friends today, and I’ll show you your future destiny.”
People’s attitudes, character, vision, and lives tend to be conformed to two things:
- The images they take in through media (TV, Movies, CDs, Books), and
- The people they hang around with and receive from (their friends)
Conclusion: Read your Bible, conform your life and theology to God’s truth, and surround yourself with emotionally healthy people (not unhealed, deeply wounded ones), who are passionately in love with Jesus, and are committed to embracing and promoting His Kingdom.
