There is no such thing as "being too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good", this was a lie I was told by a missionary couple when I was a young believer.
Hebrews 12:1-2
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. "
Sadly this same couple told me we should compromise the gospel for the sake of unity.
Colossians 2:8 "8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
God teaches the opposite of these things. Sadly this couple were missionaries for many years and were in their elder years back then.
These kinds of teachings are why Christianity has caused the gospel to be compromised and diluted, moving rapidly into false Christianity.
Another elderly Christian woman told me "religion is a personal thing." This same "Christian" told me we should not tell people they are wrong." She also told me it was alright to worship angels.
2 Timothy 4:2 "2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 We are all members of one body, all are accountable to everyone else.
Another Christian elderly woman told me we should not judge others.
John 7:24.
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment"
When I have reflected back on all the wrong things I was taught by "Christian" people I am astounded by their lack of knowledge of God's Word and their intensity of conviction over these wrong beliefs. I never saw any of them quoting the Word of God, it was always what the world was saying and what was popular in the culture.
When I was a new believer a "Christian" man expressed to me that he wondered if Islam had the same God as ours. This man had been reading the Bible for much of his life, looking down on me because I was a new believer refusing to listen when I said that the Muslim god was not the same God as ours. As a new believer, I had more wisdom than a man who had been in the church all his life, at one time I looked up to him because of the self-righteous persona he exuded, but when this happened my eyes were opened a little more about his brand of Christianity and how much the Christianity of all these people was not that of the Bible.
One Christian woman presented to me a 75 or more page binder on how to pray, as though the instruction from Jesus Christ was not enough. The ritual of walking the neighborhoods with the instruction not to speak to anyone we meet along the way was against what the Bible said to do as believers. This huge binder instructed the people to go to the streets and pray in front of others, to cross bridges praying over bridges and in front of buildings. God never instructed any of these things.
How Christ told us to pray was far more simple and unencumbered than what man had concocted.
Matthew 6:5-15
5 “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
The Lord’s Prayer
"9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’"
The instructions on how to pray were simple not complicated, there is no need to have a seminar on how to pray, just ask God and read His Word.
It is inevitable that when we are told unbiblical things by "Christians" we will be excluded, mocked and gossiped against for standing for the truth of God.
In each case when someone said something that was not in the bible or against the teachings of God, I was reviled in some way by those who have attended churches all their lives. They chose to pretend that I could not know the truth unless I thought as they thought.
When the entire Christian culture has taken on unbiblical or extra-biblical ideas coming from books not authored by God, their doctrine will be heavily peppered with paganism and psychology. Both elements devised by the devil to confuse those who are not seeking Christ as they have been commanded to do.
1 Corinthians 2:16
“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Philippians 2:5
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,"
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"21 Test all things; hold fast what is good."
Be more dedicated to Christ than you are to any person. When we are fearful about people liking us we cannot please Christ.
Hebrews 11:16 "6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
Galatians 1:10
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
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