Long before Twitter and Facebook existed, people were mangling words and phrases. I blame bumper stickers and billboards. Now, with the ubiquity of social media, we’ve entered an Orwellian abyss. Christian cliches are taking over!
Words matter because words have power. Unfortunately, many of us have become lazy with our words. Additionally, words are often unintentionally misused and intentionally abused.
Christians often lead the pack in the abuse and misuse of words. We should know better. Cliches have overtaken the Church in an effort to become relevant and pithy.
We’ve failed. Miserably.
A cliche is defined as a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse (dictionary.com).
As Christians, we can do better than bumper stickers, t-shirts, and stereotyped expressions. I suggest that we start with some of these well-intentioned by misguided cliches.
#1 Christianity Is A Relationship Not A Religion
This might be the cliche that generates the most ire in me.
First off, I don’t really know what it means. When I ask someone to explain it to me I usually get starry-eyed answers like, “It means to spend time with God.”
I counter with, “Oh you mean read the Bible and pray?”
“No, it’s more than that. It’s getting to know Him personally,” they state encouragingly.
“I get it like the Apostle Paul in the letter to the church in Phillipi. He wrote, that he wanted to know Him and the power of His resurrection…”
“Exactly!
“Wait, I didn’t finish the verse. He wanted to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable to His death. Is that what you mean?”
Silence.
Far too many of us Christians desire the “sloppy wet kiss” to suffering and being conformed to the death of Christ.
Christian Cliche #2 — Let’s Unpack This
While your pastor, preacher, or whatever you call him doesn’t actually need to say, “Let’s exegete this text” it’s important that we return to solid bible teaching.
Many Sunday sermons are indistinguishable from Ted Talks. Actually, many churches stop using the term sermon and now title them talks.
I’m glad Jesus did not give a “Talk” on the Mount of Olives.
The Sermon on the Mount > The Talk on the Mount
Christian Cliche #3 — I’m Going to Pray About That
Saying, “I’m going to pray about that” is a cliche as well as a euphemism. Double bonus, baby!
What it typically means is this: It’s obvious that you have a legitimate need and could use my assistance. I really don’t want to help you but don’t have the guts to tell you that to your face.
Instead, I will say that “I am going to pray about it” and then blame God for you not getting help.
Brutal.
#4 Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin
We love our fellow humans because they are created in the likeness and image of God. Many people feel as though saying, “brother” or “sister” to church family is cliche. It’s kind of not because we all really do have the same mom & pop.
Love is not an emotion but a choice. We love others because He first loved us.
Hating sin is a noble cause. I wish that I could say that I hated ALL the sins in my life. The truth is that I still struggle and need God’s grace every single day.
The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. We can spit and sputter about societal sins but that won’t do much good. This is not a war against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces.
Our primary goal is to plunder hell and populate heaven. External sins are not the things that keep a person out of heaven and out of the Kingdom of God. No, it’s their rejection of the Lordship of Christ.
The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Us maniacally disapproving of someone’s sin is not necessarily a positive event.
Let’s focus on preaching the Gospel and not getting in God’s way during the sanctification process.
Capiche?
#5 Lean In To God
I was visiting a church to hear a special guest speaker. He was one of my favorites! I read nearly every book that he had written and had burned through many tapes (sue me, I am old) and CD’s.
To say that I was excited to hear him speak in person would have been a major understatement.
He preached, what seemed to be a lackluster sermon. I wasn’t sure if it was him, me, or the seeker-sensitive church. Something seemed a bit off that night.
During the ending of the sermon, he instructed the congregation to “press into God!” I wasn’t sure how one could do that. Would it be physical or spiritual? How was that any different than “Draw near to God”?
I was perplexed and didn’t really know what was expected of me. I left bewildered for all of the wrong reasons.
Part Two:
The phrase “lean in”, in my most humble opinion, should be stripped from the pulpits of churches. It’s a copycat phrase from a book that was written by Sheryl Sandberg.
Can we please stop fawning over non-Christians and integrating their beliefs into our churches? The Bible is sufficient.
#6 Love Never Fails Verse
This scripture, which is a truncated version of I Corinthians 13:8, is Biblical, solid and should be part of our Christian vocabulary. The problem is how this phrase is used and where.
The word “love” is being massacred by progressive Christians and ignorantly defined by many historical Christians.
Love does not mean reprehensible behavior is not confronted. It doesn’t mean that Christians remain silent when millions of babies are slaughtered each year with impunity.
We don’t “love” people in to the Kingdom.
#7 God Is Good All The Time Verse
In elementary school, we read a short story titled, The Good Lion. The basic plot is about a lion that killed a human.
The obvious question is this: How could something be defined as “good” when murder is involved? Is a lion “good” when it kills?
How is “good” defined by the hearer when this cliche is spewed? Do they hear, “all my problems will go away?” If so, our cliche is disingenuous.
One more thing. Pulpit call and response, in most instances, is gimmicky at best. We’re not being entertained at a sporting event by cheerleaders.
“God is good!”
“All the time!”
“All the time!”
“God is good!”
Selah.
#8 That’s What It’s All About
This cliche is usually stated after a person’s favorite social justice activity is reinforced.
For example:
The Pastor says, “When a month has a 5th Sunday, we, as a church, will volunteer at the local soup kitchen. We are going to be the hands and feet and love our neighbor.”
Someone in the congregation declares, “That’s what it’s all about!”
Please define “it” if you can. It, in these situations, is a moving target and subjective. We must do our best to focus on God and out of our love for Him love our neighbors.
The proper order is crucial.
God is what it is all about.
#9 Jesus Loves You
Saying “Jesus loves you” has become a popular method of “sharing” the Gospel. There is one teensy weensy problem — it’s not scriptural.
Don’t come at me with John 3:16!
Jesus had a very specific method of evangelizing. He preached law to the proud and grace to the humble. Please, go through every encounter Jesus had when someone asked about inheriting eternal life.
You just might be surprised.
Jesus does love us. He loved us so much that He died for us. Let’s use John 3:16 in its proper context and not as an excuse to be weak in our efforts to preach the gospel.
#10 Make Jesus the Lord of Your Life
This one is not so much a cliche as it is a scary statement. Please read it again and see if you catch the inherent irony in it.
We don’t “make” Jesus Lord. He is Lord. We accept salvation on His terms, not on our terms. He is King and we submit to His authority.
#11 God’s Will, God’s Bill
Apparently, many churches are way outside of God’s will. Very few ministries operate free from debt. Often churches conduct “capital campaigns” and put the full-court press on the members to fund pastoral dreams.
There are many biblical examples where God’s will was fulfilled in miraculous ways. Jesus didn’t have a colt and needed one for Palm Sunday. The Upper Room was given by someone outside of the disciples. Peter went fishing to pay the temple tax. Joseph had a slick plan to survive a drought.
Don’t always think that just because a person believes God wants them to do something money is going to simply fall from the sky. Because it’s not.
#12 God Said It, I Believe It, And That Settles It
This is a cliche that celebrates Biblical ignorance and it really chops my lettuce!
I heard this one live and in person when I was a diaper donning disciple. The text was Psalm 91. The preacher came to the point in the text where it is written that God will cover us in His feathers and we could take refuge under His wings.
He stopped and said, “Well if the Bible says God has feathers, I believe it, and that settles it!”
As I said, I was a baby Christian at the time and knew this was an incorrect interpretation.
We need to properly interpret scripture and not be gullible, naive, or lazy!
#13 You Can’t Outgive God
Prosperity gospel preachers and Word of Faith ministers have wrung this cliche totally out!
What it means to them is this: Even if you’re broke you should give to me. One day God will bless you. Another small problem it really isn’t Biblical.
The widow with the two mites was the most generous of all according to Jesus in Luke 21:3. If she was the most generous why was she the poorest?
I’ll wait.
#14 Let Go And Let God
Let go of what? Let God do what?
I’ve learned that confusion can be avoided when terms are defined.
Should I let go of my steering wheel and allow God to drive my car? Perhaps, I could drop my fork and see if God will feed me.
Cool people don’t like to quote scripture because only old curmudgeons like me still believe in the Good Book.
The Book encourages us to “cast our cares over on Him” because He cares for us.
If we really think that we can “let” God do anything we have an incorrect of Him and ourselves.
Words matter.
#15 God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
This one could possibly be the oldest cliche on my list. I’m on the south side of fifty and remember hearing this as a kid.
In some ways (minus the family drug addictions) my life was similar to the book Hillbilly Elegy. We didn’t have anything of significance but everyone worked hard. I don’t recall our family unnecessarily having its hand out to the government.
When someone who was lazy would ask for something I would heard that phrase. It wasn’t technically wrong.
Perhaps a better more biblical answer would have been “If you don’t work, you don’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
#16 In Jesus’ Name Amen
This one will probably help me make some enemies.
If you ask anything in My Name I will do it (John 14:14).
Christians have taken that particular verse and used to add a magic word at the end of their prayers. Again, when I was a baby Christian I prayed publicly at a house meeting. I simply ended the prayer with an Amen (not an awomen).
The host corrected me by saying, “You didn’t say ‘In Jesus Name at the end of the prayer.” I then began to notice that everyone ended their prayers in that manner — like a magic word.
Abracadabra! Open Sesame!
Just stop. We’re praying and asking for things in HIS authority.
#17 All Sins Are Equal
Nope. They are not. Let me just provide a few scriptures for your consideration.
I John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
Luke 20:46-47 Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive the greater condemnation.
Under the old covenant, certain actions resulted in the death penalty and others resulted in financial restitution.
Granted, Adam & Eve’s sin seems to pale in comparison to what Hitler, Pol Pot, or Stalin have done.
All unrighteousness is sin. God demands perfection.
Not all sin is the same.
#18 God Needed Another Angel in Heaven
This one is a two-edged sword.
My family has experienced two deaths of two immediate members over the past six months. I’ve learned a valuable lesson during these encounters: It’s nearly impossible say the right thing and far too easy to say the wrong thing.
As Christians, we should not say that God needed another angel in heaven. Why? Because it is not biblical. Additionally, it appears that we’re blaming God for killing their beloved family member or friend.
What’s the other side of this sword? A person who is grieving might share with you that “God needed another angel in heaven” and when they say it might seem like a good thing to them. This is not the proper time to correct their theology.
Our role in this situation is to love, hug, pray, make food or do whatever we can to ease their pain.
#19 God Created Adam & Eve, Not Adam & Steve
Whoever coined this abhorrent cliche needs to be throat punched (in Jesus’ name).
The bible is clear about God’s stance on sexual behavior (See Romans 1:29, I Corinthians 6:18, I Thessalonians 4:3, Jude 7, and Revelation 21:8).
Our primary concern when preaching the Gospel should be salvation. When we chase after or focus on individual sinful behaviors we’re preaching a “gospel” of morality and not the true gospel.
Sanctification is accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit, not from our mean-spirited cliches. It’s a life-long process and we are only observers.
There will be people who fight certain sins their entire life. Sin is judged in Christ. There is no double jeopardy in the Kingdom.
#20 New Levels, Bigger Devils
We love our rhymes, no?
According to this cliche, the higher we climb in the Kingdom the tougher the demons and devils become. There is an instance in the Bible where demons mentioned not knowing the sons of Sceva but knowing Paul and Jesus (Acts 19:15).
However, we need to be cautious when we declare that all experienced issues or roadblocks are caused by demons or devils.
#21 God Loves You And Has a Wonderful Plan For Your Life
Ray Comfort wrote a book titled, God Has a Wonderful Plan For Your Life a few years ago. The title is dripping with irony. The book cover is a drawing of Stephen getting stoned to death. Great plan, huh?
When we say things like this we’re short-circuiting the Gospel message and skipping a much-needed step. You see, most do not believe they are sinful. Many believe that they are inherently good.
To tell a stone-cold sinner “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” is disingenuous.
When new believers or baby Christians hear this cliche they often believe that they will never experience pain, hardship or tragedy. That’s just not true.
Peter was crucified. Stephen was stoned to death. Thousands of Christians are murdered each year simply because they are Christians. Soon many of us who embrace historical and not progressive Christianity will be canceled.
It’s time to cowboy up.
#22 I’m Spiritual But Not Religious
This belief is as old as the first-century church. We are not our own. God is our King and we belong to Him.
When a person indicates that they are spiritual and not religious what they are really saying is this: I am by own god. I don’t need someone to boss me around from the cosmos.
Christians submit to the authority of Scripture. When submission is absent Christianity is not present.
#23 Let’s Do Church Together
Again, someone trying to be cool to be accepted by the God-hating masses. We don’t “do” church. We are the church.
Yes, we gather to pray, worship and serve but please just drop the word “do” from your vocabulary.
Do you know that one parent who always wanted to be cool but just wasn’t? The kids didn’t have the heart to tell them to stay in their own age bracket and they continued to act in a manner to gain acceptance.
Get used to the world hating you. If the world doesn’t hate you, you should be concerned.
#24 Preach The Gospel If Necessary Use Words
This supposed quote from St. Francis of Assisi is vomited from hundreds of pulpits each year. Another issue: There is no proof that he ever made such a statement. Plus, it’s not scriptural.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
#25 Sending Up Prayers
This one is a recent phenomenon. I know that it is well-intentioned but it lacks a certain reverence (okay, I officially sound OLD!).
Here’s how it works. A person posts on social media, “Having a rough day and could use some prayer!” BOOM! Then the replies come in. “Sending up prayers!” Or my other favorite, “Prayers sent!”
I’m not sure how this is supposed to work…
There you have it. Twenty-five cliches that we could flush forever!
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.