New Study: What Christians Believe vs. What The Bible Says

Recent studies have highlighted a concerning trend: a significant number of self-identified Christians hold beliefs that contradict core biblical teachings. 

For instance, a Barna Group poll revealed that half of professing Christians do not believe in the existence of Satan, and one-third are confident that Jesus sinned during His time on Earth. These misconceptions underscore a broader issue of biblical illiteracy within the church.

George Barna observed, "Growing numbers of people now serve as their own theologian-in-residence." This trend suggests that many individuals are forming personal theologies without a solid foundation in Scripture, leading to distorted understandings of essential Christian doctrines.

The implications of such misunderstandings are profound. Our beliefs about God fundamentally shape our lives, influencing our reactions to life's challenges and guiding our moral and ethical decisions. A deficient or erroneous view of God can lead to misguided actions and a life misaligned with biblical principles.

Yet, biblical illiteracy is not only present in individual believers--it has also infiltrated the pulpits. A 2022 nationwide survey by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University found that only 37% of American Christian pastors hold a biblical worldview. 

The majority, 62%, embrace a hybrid belief system known as syncretism, which blends elements from various religious and secular philosophies. When those entrusted with preaching and teaching God's Word fail to uphold sound doctrine, it is no surprise that their congregations lack theological depth.

God says, "Come now, and let us reason together," (Isaiah 1:18). A modern version of this verse says, "Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out."

We need to think and act biblically, not emotionally. Far too many people today emote when it comes to God. They feel, but they don't think. They say things like, "I don't believe in a God of love judging anyone," "My God would never do thus and so," or the classic, "I'm not into organized religion; I'm just a really spiritual person."

We need to think carefully about these things. We neglect theology at our own peril, because experience is never to be the basis for theology. Rather, sound theology should be the basis for our experience.

C.S. Lewis gave this warning: "If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones."

The apostle Paul wrote, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16).

Yet, someone will say, "Well, I just love Jesus! Can't we just set these things aside?" That is a nice sentiment, but here's the problem: What if you end up loving the wrong Jesus?

For instance, if the Jesus whom you supposedly love sinned while He was on Earth, as one-third of self-described Christians in the Barna poll believe, then what kind of Savior is that? If the Jesus you love is not the Jesus of the Bible, then effectively you're an idolater. You're worshiping another god.

This confusion extends beyond Jesus' sinlessness. The 2022 "State of Theology" survey found that 43% of respondents agreed with the statement that "Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God." That belief directly contradicts foundational Christian doctrine, which teaches that Jesus is fully divine (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9). If nearly half of Christians misunderstand Jesus' true nature, it is evident that many are worshiping a version of Christ that does not exist in Scripture.

Imagine if you boarded a plane, and just before takeoff, the pilot announced over the intercom, "Fuel schmuel! Let's just see how far this bucket of bolts will go!"

Or, what would you think about a surgeon who said, "Hey, let's just get out the scalpel, start cutting, and see what happens"?

You would be alarmed.

Yet, at the same time, when it comes to something that decides their eternal destiny, many people treat it casually, effectively making up the rules as they go.

A. W. Tozer said, "Nothing twists or deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God."

People today are willing to accept the premise of God, but it seems they want a god in their own image. As Voltaire pointed out, "God made man in His image, and man returned the favor." And that is what we largely have today: a generation that believes in a god of their own making.

We live in a day of information on demand. We can hear and see what we want when we want it. And we sometimes apply the same approach to God. We customize a god that does what we want him to do and says what we want him to say.

But that is not the way to know God. We don't mold God into our own image; He wants to mold us into His. God said, "I am the Lord, and I do not change" (Malachi 3:6).

In the beginning God. That is where it starts. And if we eliminate God, we have a big problem. The Bible doesn't tell us where God came from; it just tells us that God is. God always has existed. He did not come from something. He was not invented or created. God always has been there. He has no beginning or ending.

Though times and circumstances change, God never does. Everything except God is changing day by day. We live in a storm-tossed world. These are uncertain times, and we need a real certainty that will help us get through them.

When you believe God, it doesn't necessarily change your circumstances, though sometimes it will. More often than not, it will change you. It will help you to view your circumstances properly.

On the other hand, if we don't understand who God is, if our view of God is warped, then it will affect us in the way that we live. Let's make sure we are worshiping the true God as He is presented to us in the pages of Scripture.