“We are all equal in the eyes of God.” This is a statement that a lot of people make without being able to validate the claim that they make. Another statement that people make regarding God is, “We are all God’s children.” A final statement that a lot of well-meaning Christians make is, “All we can do now is pray.” Statements such as these may sound soothing to the average layperson but really do not have the Scriptural basis to support the claims. The fact is these statements and others similar to them are myths that need to be debunked. As satisfying as it may sound, all people are not equal in the eyes of God; all people are not God’s children, and prayer should not be looked at as a final grasping of a straw at a seemingly desperate and hopeless situation. It is time to examine these three erroneous statements that many people make.
Common misconceptions and misinterpretations occur because not all of us have paid much attention to the knowledge that we are getting about our religion. It is important to find relevant sources to trust when it comes to your religion and spiritual wellbeing, as word-of-mouth information can be sometimes misleading. There are many resources to help you study when it comes to religion, such as turning to your local ministry or different organizational curriculums. A middle school group curriculum can be ideal for those who want to learn in an organized and interactive way. This is a program of devotional resources and learning materials along with creative and fun videos to help you stay engaged and get the most out of your studies. All in all, It is up to you to choose the best way to learn about God and to get close to Him.
Myth One: We Are All Equal in the Eyes of God
This statement has some elements of truth to it. All people are created in the image of God, as recorded in Genesis 1:27, where God made man, male and female, in His image. However, there are several areas where all people are not equal in the eyes of God. In the Scriptures, it talks about obvious differences, such as the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous, and the sinner and the saint. The obvious difference is that sinners will end up in hell without repentance whereas saints are saved by grace and will spend eternity in the presence of the Lord. In Revelation 20:11-13, those whose names were found in the “books” were judged at the Great White Throne Judgment according to what each person had done. Those whose names are found in the Book of Life will receive, not a punitive judgment, but a reward judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ. This is found in 2 Corinthians 5:10.
When people say, “We are all equal in the eyes of God,” what they are really trying to do is assuage the fears they have that somehow they might not measure up in God’s eyes in comparison to other people. However, it is a statement that needs to be tempered with correct understanding of what the Scriptures actually teach. This is the only way to be certain of being on God’s side.
Myth Two: We Are All God’s Children
This is a statement made by people from all walks of life who don’t wish to deal with the realities of a Savior who clearly states in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.” The statement about all being God’s children is an attempt to put all people on the same page where God is concerned. The only way people are on the same page with God is that they all are sinners in need of a Savior. Only certain people are actually classified as His children. Romans 8:14, the New International Version, records, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit and people who wish to be classified as children of God must be filled with His Spirit and led by His Spirit. When Jesus was teaching His famous “Sermon the Mount,” He made a reference in a beatitude who would be called the children of God: the peacemakers. A person would be hard-pressed to refer to someone who kept up a lot of ruckus and mischief as being a peacemaker. They would not be referred to as children of God.
It may make a person feel better to refer to himself or herself as one of God’s children, but in order to make this valid, there are certain Scriptures that must be adhered to, as seen above. It is better to simply say, “We are all God’s creation,” but we are not all God’s children.
Myth Three: All We Can Do Now is Pray
This statement is often made in desperation by someone who has tried everything in their power to get something done or see something happen. They call upon prayer as a last resort, affecting it powerless because they are not praying in faith, but in weakness and anxiety. Prayer should be the first line of defense for every situation that a person encounters. In the Scriptures, people are told to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5. In Philippians 4, Paul exhorts people to not be anxious about anything but to pray about everything. These two Scriptures suggest that prayer has a powerful connection with God and that it should be relied upon to get help from on high. At weareradiant.com, the group talks a lot about the importance of prayer in their various meetings.
People should not wait until their backs are against the wall or there are no other options. They should seek the power of prayer at all times and rely upon it when tragedy or conflict strikes them. Like a soldier ready for battle, prayer should be used as a first line of defense against the attacks of the enemy of man, which is the devil.
Final Thoughts about Other Myths
There are many other myths about prayer and religion that people have that can be dispelled by simply engaging in a fruitful study of the Bible. By immersing oneself in the Scriptures or submitting to the teachings of a gifted Bible teacher, people can learn what the truth is regarding God’s word and what He intends for His people to really understand. Before subscribing to something as being Scripturally accurate, it behooves those who really wish to know the truth to check with what the Scriptures actually teaches about the statement versus what has been erroneously assumed or has been incorrectly interpreted. This will make for interesting study sessions in study groups.
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