There are numerous Christian clichés get people nodding their heads in agreement and saying “Amen!” in sermons, but when you stop to think about them, they are not only meaningless, but also border on heresy. OK, maybe heresy is too strong a word, but at the bare minimum, these Christian clichés are dangerous.
On the surface, many of these Christian clichés appear to be true (some are even quotes from Scripture), but they are almost always used in a damaging and controlling context and teach people some very bad theology.
So don’t say the following Christian clichés
- Where God guides, God provides. The worst Christian clichés are the ones that rhyme. Like this one. But more than that, the message of this Christian cliché is awful. When people say this, what do they mean by “provide”? Does this refer to money and finances? That is the context in which I have always heard this statement said. So, if this Christian cliché is true, then the only things we should follow God in are the areas where we have money and finances to do it? And even if you do receive lots of money, or lots of people, are you sure this is God’s green light to move forward? It seems from Scripture that God is most often at work in small ways, foolish ways, insignificant ways, and with people who are nobody, and who have no money, no power, and no prestige.
- If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Hey, it rhymes, so it must be true! Gag me. Maybe God didn’t bring you to it at all, but you brought yourself to it. Or maybe He did bring you to it, but He is not going to bring you through it, because He wants you to sit in it for a while and learn something. And even if He is going to bring you through it, maybe it will take decades.
- The greatest distance in the universe is the eighteen inches between your head and your heart. This Christian cliché is quite popular, but thankfully it doesn’t rhyme. What people mean when they say it is that following God about more than just what you know; it is about what you do. I suppose this is true at one level, but the fact of the matter is that what we do is most often based on what we think. This is why Paul encourages his readers to “renew their mind” in Romans 12:1-2. The renewal of one’s mind leads to the renewal of actions and behavior.
- You can’t outgive God! Again, this Christian cliché is almost always said in the context of some call for monetary donations to a building project, a ministry opportunity, or some other fundraising campaign. And while it is true that God is more generous than we can ever imagine, it is not true (as is often taught) that if we give lots of money, God will give us even more money. Don’t give beyond your means to a church or ministry based on this faulty understanding of finances. We can give generously and joyfully, to ministries and people that are serving in the Kingdom of God, but don’t expect that by giving, God will give you greater financial wealth. He probably won’t.
- We are saved by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone. This is based on a misunderstanding of James 2:14-26. Related to this is the statement that “Even demons believe.” I’m not going to say much about this, because I have written on these Christian clichés elsewhere. Click the links to read more.
- When God closes a door, He opens a window. What does this even mean? And even if He does open a window, what am I supposed to do? If I wanted to walk through a door to a certain opportunity, and God “opens a window,” does that mean I just get to sit there and look out the window? Am I supposed to crawl out the window? I just don’t get this Christian cliché.
- Man meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. So, God is in the business of getting evil people to do evil things? I know that Joseph said something like this in Genesis 50:20, but pretty much just like every other verse quoted out of context, we should not understand Joseph to be saying that evil things that happen are good. God never calls evil “good,” and neither should we. Evil is evil. What Joseph meant is similar to what Paul says in Romans 8, that although evil things happen, God can bring good from them, and still accomplish His goal and purposes in our lives despite the evil.
- Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. Yes, another Scripture that is quoted a lot. This one comes from Hebrews 10:25. I wrote on this misquoted verse previously as well, and won’t say anything more about it here, except to say that this Christian cliché is often used as a club to beat Christians over the head who are following Jesus by loving and serving others, but who may not “attend church” on Sunday morning in a building with stained glass and a steeple. I don’t think that is what the author of Hebrews had in mind…
- A Bible that’s falling apart usually belong to someone who isn’t. In my experience, those who have Bibles that are falling apart should just go buy a new one. I have also seen Bibles that were falling apart because they were severely abused by their owners… you know, thrown into duffle bags with the gym clothes and poorly-sealed tupperware container of leftovers. A Bible doesn’t fare well in those situations. But even when Bibles are falling apart because their owner truly does read and study it all the time, many of them are some of the proudest, self-righteous, judgmental Christians I know. Being a Bible expert does not guarantee Christlike behavior.
- God said it. I believe it. That settles it. In other words, “I just believe the Bible.” Riiiiight. Me too. So when we disagree, who is correct? This Christian cliché is another idea I have written about elsewhere (see this post, for example), but my concern is that when most people say “The Bible says” what they really mean is, “My understanding of the Bible says…” Any Bible student who has read more than two books on any subject in Scripture will be aware that different people read various passages in Scripture in different ways. Settling theological or ethical debates is not a matter of just quoting Scripture. We need to actually understand what the Scripture says in its various contexts, and then bridge the gap between those contexts and our own. In this process, there are thousands of possible ways to go astray, and so in many areas of theology and Christians ethics, what we believe must be held with a degree of humility.
Bonus Christian clichés:
One bonus Christian cliché is that sign to the right…”This is a ch ch. What’s missing? U R.” This Christian cliché always reminds of that sign you see at swimming pools: “Welcome to our ool. Notice there is no P in the pool. We’d like to keep it that way.” The ironic thing about this church sign is that sitting in a building on Sunday morning doesn’t make you part of the church. In fact, someone can be a fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ, loving and serving others on a daily basis, but not ever “attend church” yet still be a member of the Body of Christ. Nothing magical happens by sitting in a pew on Sunday morning to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon. I kind of covered this point above already, with the Christian cliché about not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.
“I’ll pray about it.” This isn’t a Christian cliché as much as it something Christians say when they want to get themselves off the hook for their own personal decisions. I remember when I was a director for a Bible camp, and a young male teenager wanted to work as one of my counselors. He asked his dad, and the dad said, “I’ll pray about it.” As his father walked away, the young man looked at me and said, “That means no.” We can’t fool our kids! If you have to make decision, and you want to say “No,” then say “No.” If you want to say “Yes,” then say “Yes.” But don’t blame God for your decisions by using the cop-out Christian cliché “I’ll pray about it.”
15 more Christian Clichés to Avoid
Just for fun, here are 15 more Christian clichés to avoid:
What other Christian clichés have you heard which should be avoided like the plague? Let us know in the comments below!
These sayings must be like secret passwords for some sort of religious cult, right? I am suspicious you will say no. I think I’ve heard #4, and am sure I’ve heard #8 & #10. #10 is especially egregious, in my opinion, since every time I’ve heard anyone say it they make it clear that either God talks to them (and by implication not to the rest of us), or that God has clearly shown them (and maybe their group) the exact interpretation/meaning of all Scripture.
There are reasons why many of us are careful about when and if we refer to ourselves as Christians, say we “go to church”, read the Bible and so on. Do so and many people immediately identify us with the people you must know who say and blithely accept this “stuff”.
Ha! I wonder…?
I have said a few of these in my ministry. I specifically remember preaching on #10 in my first church and praising it….
“Shoot Christians Say” http://vimeo.com/65975459
Yeah, I love that one! I posted it here:
https://redeeminggod.com/this-video-really-spoke-to-my-heart/
There’s some truth to some of these. For instance, I do believe in (1), .but God’s idea of providing may be a sort of holy poverty. I don’t remember Jesus promising a 401K; but I *do* remember Paul selling tents on the side. And (3) is definitely true for me – I can know something intellectually but getting myself to “feel” it is something else entirely.
The trouble is, they’re used in a very different way. That is wrong. And #10? Really, truly, 100% awful. I’d get it tattoo’d across my face with a big ‘X’ through it, if I wasn’t scared of needles.
Thanks Marta. Yes, some of them are quite true in the right contexts. As you say, they become untrue when used in different ways.
What about the one that says: Come as you are. Have you heard that one?
The one that hit home for me was “Ill pray about it”. Another cliche in the same vein is “I’ll pray for you”. I admit, I used to let that one roll off my tongue willy nilly. But, this past winter I was very ill with a stress related illness in which it took all the energy I had just to get out of bed. From my so called “friends” all I ever heard was “I’m praying for you”. I told my husband “I want CARE not prayer!”. Not one of those so-called friends ever picked up the phone or came over to see how I was doing. Not one. It’s been so ingrained in us that caring for someone means you tell them you’ll pray for them. We all need to remember that “actions speak louder than words!”
Yes! It’s a secular song, but someone once sang about love being more than words… Sometimes we Christians try to show care with our words, when we should be caring for people as well.
Instead of saying, “I’ll pray about it,” or “I’ll pray for you,” where are these people when you need the prayer RIGHT THEN? Stop what you are doing, if you are serious, and pray for them ON THE SPOT. Mindlessly saying you will means exactly the opposite. You won’t.
I must say that i am sad and not in agreement with most of what has been said in this post. I really love your posts Jeremy, however you need to see that most of these cliche’s have stood the test of time and are paradoxical. What this therefore means that, thought they may seem untrue on first thought, analysing and giving deep thought to it will proove that it is true.
For example, ‘you can’t out give God’ this may seem untrue, but it is. God made everything! You can give all you have, however he still made them all. In the end, it is his grace that sustains us.
I don’t agree with your post.
Yaw,
LoveRealm Ministry
http://www.loverealm.org
Yes, some of the cliches are true… in the proper context. I guess that often they get used in improper contexts, which allows people to misuse and abuse them.
I’m half a year late to respond to this post but I just discovered it! I agree with Yaw on this one. I have spent a lot of time on the mission field and I have seen plenty of people abuse sayings, but this is true even for scripture itself. I’ve had a drunk on a parkbench tell me that he could never be a follower of Jesus because Jesus had said, “Suffer the little children.” The church is made up of imperfect people and a lot of our testimony is in fact how we love our imperfect new family. I would say that every single one of those sayings are useful (except maybe the puzzling door-to-window one- but even that one at base simply illustrates that God has promised to guide all who ask Him to, so don’t be discouraged if something you thought was going to be great didn’t work out- He’s got His good and perfect goals for you in sight always and there’s always a way forward) They could be and have been used to remind us of God’s presence in our lives. So what if some have misused them? I have become very aware and wary of “church bashing,” where someone displays their superior understanding and discernment. The church is a necessary family for us, and it’s not okay to think you don’t need it. The fact that somebody’s Bible might be falling apart because it was left in his lunchbox tupperware sounds like you’re working overtime to find some exception to the general rule that the person who reads his Bible a lot will know and appreciate God better than one who seldom opens it. I’m curious since this was written so long ago, do you still feel that same about what you wrote?
I agree. His perspective is very negative. God is the creator of us all and we are not above him no matter what.
If a “cliche” speaks to someone’s heart or encourages them, which many of them do, there is nothing bad about that as long as it’s giving God the glory.
The one mentioned, “If God brought you to it, He’ll bring you through it” does not specify a timeframe. It is all in His time. Even if someone did get themselves in a certain place, and they look to the LORD for guidance, He will get them through it.
It’s really sad that people would actually be offended by encouragement. It seems the author of this article is shunning glorifying the LORD.
I hate christian cliches…in fact, much of the western evangelical church is cliched. This is why I love your posts Jeremy, you never fail to explore different ways of looking at the Word, and christian culture.
There are so many cliches. I like what you say about much of the Western church being cliched. Very true.
Number 3 actually means “What is important is not what you in your head/mind, but what you know in your heart”. Hence Jesus says, “Out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks”, not “Out of the fullness of the head/mind the mouth speaks”.
What is the difference between knowing something in your head and knowing something in your heart?
Yes, Jesus did say that, but they had different ways of understanding where the intellect, emotions, and will resided. For example, they believed that that the guts were the seat of the emotions, whereas today, we seat the emotions in the heart.
http://www.daveblackonline.com/got_any_splanchna.htm
Jesus is your husband.
Yes! That one gives me the shivers sometimes!
God won’t give me more than I can handle. I hate hate hate when I hear this!!
Yes!!! Whenever life is crushing me, and people say this, I want to slap them!
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Isn’t that Gods way of saying “God won’t give me any more than I can handle?”
Why hate this?
Cliches, by the way are usually true. What is disagreeable however, is when they roll off the tongue without consideration.
I have used #1 and believe it to be true. It has become a cliche but if it is backed by scripture and existential knowledge, it should not be discarded. For example, In Genesis 22 we see Abraham following God’s instructions to sacrifice his son. When the test was concluded Abraham called God Jehovah Jireh–God provides. Another example is how God provided for ungrateful Israel as they sojourned in the wilderness for 40 years. Although they were being punished, God yet led them and made provision for their existence. Lastly, I hold to the truth of the adage because God has also provided for me when I thought he had forgotten about me. His provision, though it seemed to come late, was actually just in time and enabled me to trust him more. Bottom line? The adage definitely has a greater meaning when you have lived it.
Jeremy
“God will not give you more than you can handle” is roughly a paraphrase of 1st Corinthians 10:13. In this scripture “temptation,” which can and should fall under the heading of trials, hardships, and anything that has the potential of causing a divide between us and God, is said to be common amongst man. Nevertheless, God is faithful not to allow our suffering to overtake us, and will give us a means of escape.
I actually like #1. I use it all the time when i talk to those who fret that without tithing, the church wont survive. I dont know of any instance where this isnt true. Whether you need a helper or money or a talent.
When someone dies, especially if they are a child, something like:
“God must have needed him/her in Heaven more than we needed him/her on earth.”
The death of a child is very hard to deal with. It is no joke. This is an attempt for comfort.
I have always thought that learning – seeking sound teaching and theology offers the greatest comfort. After all, when we seek Him (learn about and cultivate relationship) who is more apt and more effective to comfort than The Comforter?
Context is the key. Little sayings based on allegory and mis-application are why sound hermeneutics are so important.
When proper principles of interpretation are applied, and differences in theology exist, at least any differences can be talked about.
“I’ll pray about it” I certainly would throw that into the same bag as “the will of the Lord” for you or myself by someone else, is always generated by their personal prejudices, what don’t appeal to them is not the will of the Lord, I came to that conclusion only year’s after the damage was already done.
Oh yes. The “do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together” cliche. I know it well.
A little background first: My family moved to Mississippi from Florida when I was 13. We left a good church behind and were looking for a new one.
Since we were living with my grandparents until our was finished, I guess it was just kind of assumed we’d be going to their church.
I don’t know if anyone here knows about Independent Fundamental Southern Baptist churches, but they are… special. Yeah, we’ll go with special.
To touch on everything that attributed to their specialness would make for an epically long comment, so I’ll just touch on the basics (and I feel the need to add a disclaimer here: I am in no way implying these things apply to *every* Baptist church, just this particular one.)
1. They preached grace (in theory) but in practice, they were legalists.
2. They believed that women who wear pants are an abomination to God because of Deuteronomy 22:5
3. They believed that the scattering of people and confounding of languages after the Tower of Babel proved that God was into segregation and races should never mix. (Not in a white supremacist way, they didn’t believe white people are superior, they just believed that people would be happier worshipping alongside their own cultures.) Yeah, I don’t get it either, but there you go.
4. They believe the only acceptable music for a Christian to listen to is ssouthern gospel or church hymns. Anything with a beat you could dance to was satanic. Drums are the devil. So is dancing. Oh, and contemporary Christian music also… somehow.
5. They believe that if you get “saved” you are obligated to come down front and declare it to the congregation and give your full testimony, warts and all. And if you’re afraid of public speaking (as I am) well, that’s just too bad. If you’re “really saved” you won’t question it, you’ll just do it.
I think you probably get the idea by now.
Anyway, this was the church I was going to in May of 1999 when, at 15, I was hit by a drunk driver and nearly killed. I was with my grandparents; my grandmother died instantly and my grandfather just barely survived.
That was the beginning of a downward spiral that I am still working on digging myself out of.
I was seriously injured physically, but it was my mental and emotional health that suffered the most.
I began to have panic attacks. The very first time it happened, I was in church. I thought I was having a heart attack.
If you’ve never experienced a panic attack, count yourself blessed. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
I began to have problems going to church. I feared it. The one place in the world that’s supposed to be a sanctuary has now become your personal hell.
Eventually, I just stopped going, and oh. my. word.
There were people knocking on door, calling me relentlessly, putting little tracts in my mailbox… you name it, they did it. I was the prodigal and God told them to get me back in church.
I didn’t go. And that’s when their tune changed. According to them, the reason I was having a hard time was because I wasn’t right with God. To them, all mental illness is the result of a sinful life and can be remedied by “getting right with God.” (Hey, you should add that one to the list.)
I personally believe that that verse is not necessarily talking about church.
The Bible says that wherever two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, He’ll be right there in the midst. It doesn’t say where two or three are gathered in church.
But you couldn’t tell them that.
So that was my ordeal. Sorry for the long comment, I tried to condense as much as possible.
Oh, one last thing: after I made it clear I didn’t feel comfortable in that church anymore (and not just because of panic attacks, but because I also disagree with their doctrine) they dumped me.
I haven’t heard from any of them in years. I guess I’ve effectively been shunned.
Wow. Thank you for sharing part of your story. It really helps people who have experienced similar issues know that they are not alone, and it helps people who have never experienced this type of thing in their church to know that these sorts of stories are more common than they think.
I am glad you found your way out of that abusive system.
There is a cliché that is not only used by Christians but has wider currency. It is ” There but for the grace of God go I ”
My information is that this saying was first coined by John Bunyan when he was in prison and saw a fellow prisoner being led out to execution. The saying sounds very pious until we realize; First that “grace” in John Bunyans’ theology almost certainly does not mean God’s kindness and forgiveness but God’s inscrutable and arbitrary election.
Second the saying sounds much the same as the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable who prayed ” I thank God that I am not like other men…. ”
Thanking God for a special deal does not appear to be something approved by Jesus.
Add “Don’t be comfortable” to the list. It is ambiguous and confusing and can’t correlate easily with scripture. Plus, doesn’t the Bible say that God is a comforter?
That’s a great one! Thanks!
This list has a familiar ring to it as it resembles just about every other list on Christian Clichés however, you may want to rethink 5. There is a faith that produces nothing including salvation. It is referred to as a dead faith. I agree that Christianity in our western culture has been reduced to a few standard cliches but sometimes, when there is a limited amount of time, a one sentence summary of a biblical truth is appropriate. I would like to hear from others what Christian cliches they heard growing up. The one I heard over and over again was, “God helps those who help themselves”.
Except that “God helps those who help themselves” is not from the Bible… Maybe you weren’t saying it was? It definitely is a Christian cliché people say a lot!
You are never alone for Jesus is right there with you..I really got tired of hearing this after I went through some really tragic losses…Instead of people reaching out they would say this instead like this was supposed to take the place of human contact…
Is ‘thank god no one was killed’ considering a cliche?