Hard (But True) Biblical Teachings

 (Bible references are from the King James Version unless otherwise specified.)



There are certain teachings of Scripture that are hard for man to swallow. Those who, at the time followed Jesus, expressed this to Him in John 6:60:

"Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"

Now, this was concerning the teaching of eating Christ's flesh and drinking Christ's blood (John 6:53-58). Indeed, I am still scratching my head at this teaching, in particular because of the latter, since even in the New Testament, consuming blood was forbidden (Acts 15:29). In Bible interpretation, we must start by considering it literally, which Christ's hearers did do. Above all, let the Spirit of God guide us into all truth, as says John 16:13.

Now, let's look at some hard, but true, Biblical teachings.


God Not Only Hates The Sin, But Also The Sinner

Some churches say things like "God Hates Fags" and "God Hates America" and "God Hates Nerds". Whether or not the churches that say these things are true is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is, God DOES hate sinners, and not just the sin:

The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. -- Psalm 11:5

The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity.  Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. -- Psalm 5:5

In fact, because there is NO ONE who is righteous (Romans 3:10), it is not false to say that God hates EVERYONE.

However, it's ALSO true that God loves some people, at the very least, the believers:

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitation for our sins. -- I John 4:10

John 3:16, which starts with "For God so loved the world", is also true. Why not? Jesus Himself said it! Besides, where in Scripture does it say that God cannot love and hate someone at the same time?

Now, does God also love those who will ultimately go to Hell?  It's certainly possible, and if Scripture proves that God loves everyone as well as hates everyone, and I discover such Scripture, I will believe it.  I say it's certainly possible because Jesus DID love someone who would later end up in Hell, the rich young man:

Then Jesus beholding him loved him... -- Mark 10:21a

In this same verse, Jesus told the rich young man to sell whatever he had and give to the poor in order to have treasure in heaven.  He also asked the man to "come, take up the cross, and follow" Him.  The rich young man sadly refused, and thus, because he was a rich man, it was difficult (actually impossible says v. 27) for him to enter the Kingdom of God (v. 23-25).  Thus, the rich young man, whom Jesus loved, is in Hell.


God Kills People (And Brings People To Life)

Some churches, whether true or false, say that God kills people. In that God kills people, they are correct:

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. -- Deuteronomy 32:39

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. -- I Samuel 2:6

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. -- 2 Kings 5:7

There is a YouTube video, which further proves that God kills people:



Now, as for God's kill count in the New Testament, we must also include God killing those who commmited sacriledge against the body and blood of Christ (I Corinthians 11:30), and, specifically, the "children" of the false prophetess Jezebel in Revelation 2:23. However, God doesn't just kill. He also makes alive! This is especially true when Jesus raized Lazarus of Bethany from the dead (John 11:1-44). Still, isn't God worth fearing:


"which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." -- Matthew 10:28b

FEAR GOD!!!!


God (and Jesus) Sends People To Hell

Many churches often say that God doesn't send people to Hell, that we go there on our own. Firstly, why would anyone besides a masochist voluntarily mozy on up to Hell? Secondly, it's a lie. The Bible says:



"But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." -- Luke 12:5

"Then shall [The King] say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:" -- Matthew 25:41

Now, yes, we are told to "choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19), but it doesn't change the fact that it is dishonest at best to say that God doesn't send people to Hell. The Scriptures literally say the polar opposite!



God Causes* Everything, The "Good" Stuff, and the "Bad" Stuff

Some churches and people, again, whether true or false, say that "Jesus Caused 9/11" or "It's God's Will", or "God caused us to win the Super Bowl". Here's what the Bible says:



"But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." -- Job 2:10

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." -- Isaiah 45:7

"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." -- Romans 11:36

"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." -- I Corinthians 8:6


I want to go back to Job 2:10 for a moment, because Job sums it up very well. Check out the Message translation of Job's statement to his wife:

"He told her, 'You’re talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?' Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God."

* When I say God "causes" everything, that also includes God's authorization for everything, just as God authorized Satan to do the dirty work of afflicting Job.

Few Will Be Saved

The Spurgeon Center has Charles Spurgeon's doctrine on Heaven and Hell population count well documened. In it Mr. Spurgeon writes:

"How often do I hear people say, "Ah! straight is the gate and narrow is the way, and few there be that find it. There will be very few in heaven; there will be most lost." My friend, I differ from you. Do you think that Christ will let the devil beat him? That he will let the devil have more in hell than there will be in heaven? No; it is impossible. For then Satan would laugh at Christ. There will be more in heaven than there are among the lost. God says, that "there will be a number that no man can number who will be saved;" but he never says, that there will be a number that no man can number that will be lost."

This is a damnable heresy. (2 Peter 2:1) Spurgeon misuses Matthew 7:14 which indeed says:

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Here's another passage:

"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." -- Luke 13:23-24

Let's examine Mr. Spurgeon's claims one by one:



STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE TO BE SAVED!!!