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5 Lies Christian Men Believe vs. Biblical Truth

by Jim Ramos

Arena Men, 

The Lie in Every Belief

Years ago, one of the students in my youth group was questioning his faith. His girlfriend had denied her faith and he was following a close second. As he walked into the youth group, I couldn’t help noticing the drawing on his binder. It was a giant eye with the word “belief” written inside it, and the word “lie” inside the iris. Underneath it was the disturbing proclamation, “Find the LIE in every belief.” 

It was one of the last times I saw him.

Sadly, we live in a world that glorifies “my truth” over “The Truth,” but for a follower of Jesus, the opposite must remain true (John 14:6-7). I recently produced a series of Reels on Instagram refuting some of the lies men believe. 

Here are five lies Christian men believe, compared with the truth of God’s word:

Lie #1: Grace is Enough (...or is It?) Who Needs Obedience?

I am troubled deeply by the numbers of “Christian” men I witness who supposedly love Jesus yet live in open sins such as habitual drunkenness, gluttony, sexually immoral behaviors like cohabitation, homosexuality, and pornography.

They feign at religious obedience, hiding under the banner of grace and their “get-out-of-hell-free" middle school “Sinner’s Prayer.”

The Truth:

Yes, we are under grace. Grace leads to a deep love and devotion to Jesus. It results in a faith that leads us into a holy life that honors God (though we are sinners) and shines as a bright light and beacon of hope to a desperate and hurting world.

Though we are under the law of grace (Romans 4:16) through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10), we are still required to honor God with a life of biblical obedience.

This is an age-old lie that Paul addressed in the first century when he wrote:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. (Romans 6:1-7)”

Lie #2: The Church Does Not Need Men

Look at your church’s budget. Look at your Sunday church bulletin. Look at the staff team. Look at church décor, music, dress code, and preaching style. Who is your church really trying to reach? 

Who is your church strategically avoiding? Why? 

The Truth:

In church history and scripture, when God sets out to do a mighty kingdom work, he almost always starts with men. Men are God’s starting place. I beg anyone to prove me wrong.

The human race started with a man—Adam. The covenant of the testaments was given to a man-Abraham. The twelve tribes of the nation Israel began with a man—Jacob. The redemption of Israel was given through a man—Moses. The Promised Land was conquered through a man—Joshua. The royal prototype of Messiah was a man—David. The Savior of the World came as a man—Jesus. He launched the Church with men—the Disciples. The leader of the first church was a man—Peter. The apostle to the non-Jewish world was a man—Paul. Make no mistake about it, men are valuable to God.

Lie #3: I Do Not Need the Church

It depends on what you are talking about. I run into more and more men who argue that they can be as spiritually fit as the church-going guy, and that the local church is obsolete. I guess it depends on how you define church, but before diving into the Greek meaning of ecclesia, let’s look at Jesus’ words in John 13:35, “By this, all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The Truth:

Contextually, this means loving one another as believers. The place we do this is in church, which I define as, “A consistent gathering of believers to worship God through music, Bible teaching, fellowship, and practicing the Biblical stewardship of gifts, talents, and resources while encouraging one another towards a deeper faith in Christ.”

Secondly, more is at stake than your faith. You are called to lead your family. They will suffer the most from your church negligence (Hebrews 10:23-24). Can you be a Christian and not attend a local church. Absolutely! Can you be the best version of God’s plan for you? I don’t think so, 

Lie #4: My Physical Well-Being and My Spiritual Health are Mutually Exclusive

Gluttony, manifesting itself through obesity is the acceptable sin in Church. Our Sunday donuts and church potlucks are killing us. Doesn’t 1 Timothy 4:8 affirm our apathy regarding health, “for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”?

Gluttony is one of the few private sins that bears public fruit, and we are the most obese and medicated generation in the history of the world.  Most of us eat better, and more than ancient kings. I struggle in this area too, but I know this truth.

The Truth:

When one part of my body is ill (Luke 2:52) all of me is affected. We are holistic creations of God.

Like many of you, I recently contracted COVID-19 and was out of commission for a few days. Though not serious, I was too weak to live, work, or minister at full capacity. The sickness affected my whole person. We mustn’t separate any aspect of our person—mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually—from the others.

When we do, things fall apart.

Lie #5: It is the Church’s Job to Disciple My Family

Shanna and I are members of a great little church in Yamhill, Oregon. We have a great Bible-preaching pastor, solid worship team, small groups, and stewardship opportunities.

It offers everything to minister to our spiritual needs. Historically, I’ve served in amazing churches that offered top-notch youth, children, and family ministries.

The problem is that ultimately, I will be held accountable (Proverbs 22:6) for the discipleship of my family, not the church.

The Truth:

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 is clear:

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. ”

Later in Ephesians 6:4 men are commanded to, “bring them [your children] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

The Church’s role is to affirm and come alongside what I am already teaching those in my charge. I am the spiritual leader in my home. Not my pastor.

Discover the Truth of Your Best Version

In His Truth,

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

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