Common misconceptions about being a Christian

What we know about God and Christianity might be a common misconception of others.

There are a lot of misconceptions about being a Christ follower, which is why most people are afraid of becoming one of the Christian community. 

Moreover, some people become Christians who end up disappointed because of the misconception given to them. 

They were amazed at how God or Christianity could change their lives, yet as they discovered more, they thought they were deceived. 

Thus, we must be aware and educated to embrace what it means to become a Christ-follower. 

Common misconceptions about being a Christian

Satan uses misconceptions about God and Christian living to deceive people and drive them away from God and His beautiful promises. 

Through God-given wisdom, we would know some common misconceptions about being a Christian, so we would know what to expect and do. 

Here are some common misunderstandings about being a Christian.

God will solve all your problems

The first misconception about many people is that God will solve everything once they become Christian. Then, new believers would be surprised when they experienced great trials and struggles after accepting Jesus Christ.

For instance, they would think they would not experience any sickness or bad days in their families. 

On the other hand, being a follower of Jesus Christ is not always easy. There would still be ups and downs and rejoicing and mourning. 

However, once we become Christians, the difference is that we will never face the battle alone. 

Jesus Christ had given us hope that nothing is impossible with Him as He could help us overcome our problems.

1 Peter 4:13-14 says, “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

There’s no fun in Christianity

Many people think that once they follow Christ, they will not have the chance to have fun because of all the “Do’s and Don’ts.” We cannot blame them because there are legalistic Christians who are man-made rules that must be followed. 

However, once we know that God has a fantastic plan for us, we will experience the kind of satisfaction that this world could never provide. Being a Christian is about following the examples of Jesus Christ. 

We imitate His devotion in praying to you, our Heavenly Father, and follow the way He obeys God. 

God does not want us to be forced to obey Him. Instead, He wants us to enjoy doing things that please Him out of our love for Him. 

When you do things for the person you love, you enjoy every moment because you know you make them happy. The same is true with our Christian life.

Romans 14:16-18 says, “Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.  

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.”

Christians are perfect people

Have your peers teased you about becoming perfect because they knew you were a Christian? Or have you ever thought that Christians are way too perfect and that you cannot be a part of their community?

Those who follow Jesus Christ genuinely would understand that God loves them in their imperfections, weaknesses and failures. God uses our flaws to develop the maturity of our faith.

Although Christians strive to be more like Jesus, we will never get complete sanctification until we stand before the Lord. 

Thus, we should not expect the church to be a community of perfect believers but a group of imperfect people longing for love and transformation from a perfect God.

Moreover, we should press on to live in harmony with other Christians without condemning them for their imperfections. 

Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

True Christians do not experience bad things

Another common misunderstandings some Christians believe is that when they truly live a godly Christian life, they will not experience pain or suffering. However, the truth is that no one is excused from pain, such as the death of loved ones, illnesses, and broken families.

As long as we live in this world corrupted by sin, we will experience struggles and sufferings regardless of where we are in our Christian journey. Even the apostles in the Bible suffered with great condemnation.

Nevertheless, Jesus said we would have tribulation in this world, but He has overcome the world so we may have peace (John 16:33).

More importantly, God can turn our brokenness into a beautiful testimony of His goodness in our lives.

So, we have nothing to worry about experiencing bad things because God is with us, and He will never leave nor forsake us.

Additionally, Dr. Rick Warren noted in His book “The Purpose Driven Life” that Jesus did not die on the cross so we could have a comfortable and well-adjusted life. Jesus’ intention is far more profound. He wants to make us all like Himself before He takes us to heaven.

Christians should not associate with unbelievers

Although we might have to stay away from unhealthy relationships that hinder us from drawing closer to God or with those people from our past sins, that does not mean we have to hate them. 

As we mature in our Christianity, we realize that Jesus Christ never yoked with unbelievers, but He never unloved them. We can never reach the ends of the earth if we would be self-righteous about being a Christian. 

Jesus Christ associated with sinners to spread the Good News of salvation to them. He showed nothing but love and compassion to help the sinners experience the kind of Father we have in Heaven. 

Furthermore, Jesus did not just save us but also commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Also, to teach them to observe all that Jesus had commanded. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Thus, if other Christians believed in this misconception, we might not have met Jesus Christ.

Christians always feel close to God

Like in marriage or any kind of relationship, we do not always feel close to God. 

After the honeymoon stage, we should prepare for dry seasons that would continue strengthening our connection with God. 

There would be times when we get exhausted and feel that God is not listening to us. However, genuine Christianity is a life-long walk of faith that needs trust and commitment even when we do not feel God’s presence. 

Even David, the man after God’s heart, had a moment when he did not feel that God was near or listening to him. Yet, his faith in God was never shaken. 

Study the Scripture to be enlightened

Those were just a few of the common misconceptions about Christianity. As we wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ, there will be more lies and schemes of satan to drive us away from our connection with God. 

It is why we have to be aware and knowledgeable about the truth of God’s words. The only way to protect ourselves from the enemy's lies is to use God’s wisdom in the Bible.