Lost Gem #14
Three Theological Misconceptions That Divide Christians
The Bible stands as the most influential book ever written. Yet it’s also among the most misunderstood. You’ve likely experienced this yourself: someone shares what sounds like profound biblical wisdom, but when you search Scripture yourself, you can’t find it anywhere. The exact verse, the exact phrasing, the exact meaning—it’s simply not there.
Why? Because many of the “truths” we’re taught are watered-down shadows of the original facts. They’ve been regurgitated, repackaged, and isolated from their context so many times that they’ve taken on a life of their own. The classic example: nearly everyone believes The Bible says “Money is the root of all evil.” But when you actually read it, the Apostle Paul wrote that the “love of” money is the root of all evil. One small word changes everything.
These misunderstandings have fractured the church for two thousand years. Christians arguing with Christians, certain they each have Scripture on their side. And often, they do—sort of. The problem isn’t The Bible itself. The problem is how we read it, how we interpret it, and how we explain it to others. Let’s examine three major misconceptions that continue to divide believers today.
The Old Testament Is Obsolete in Light of The New Testament
One side argues it simply: “Jesus created a new covenant through His blood. The Old Testament is outdated, useful for historical stories but nothing more. We have Jesus now. Why do we need the Law?”
But this argument requires ignoring a fundamental fact: every writer of The New Testament freely quoted from The Old Testament. They did this not by accident. They saw the connection between old and new as essential proof of God’s control over history and His faithfulness to His promises. Never once does Scripture suggest God discarded His Law after Christ came.
Jesus Himself made this clear: “Don’t think that I’ve come to abolish the Law or the prophets; I’ve come to fulfill them. Every single detail of the Law will be fulfilled.” Yet when you quote this to people, you get blank stares.
Consider what Paul explained in The Book of Galatians. Yes, the promise of grace came before the Law. But why then did God give the Law at all? Paul’s answer: because of human transgression. The Law was a schoolmaster, he said, to lead us to Christ. Without awareness of sin—knowledge only the Law could provide—we’d never understand why we need grace. Remove The Old Testament from Scripture, and you remove the very foundation that makes The New Testament necessary.
There’s also a linguistic insight worth noting. In The Book of Hebrews, the Greek word for the Mosaic covenant isn’t “old” but “first.” The prefix proto, from which we get “prototype” and “proton,” communicates something fundamental, not something obsolete. Without the proto, without the first covenant, there would be no new covenant to follow. They flow together. One can’t exist without the other.
Peter as the Foundation of the Church
Catholics and Protestants have battled over one verse for centuries: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church.” The Catholic interpretation seems straightforward: Jesus renamed Simon “Peter” (from the Greek petros, meaning “stone”), then said He’d build His Church on this rock. Therefore, Peter is the foundation.
But the Greek language tells a different story. Yes, petros means stone. But petra, the word Jesus actually used for “rock,” refers to a massive bedrock—the foundational living stone. It’s the bedrock itself, not a detached stone. What Jesus actually said was: “On this petra, I’ll build My Church”—meaning on Peter’s declaration of faith, not on Peter the person.
This interpretation makes sense when you examine the rest of Scripture. Paul described the Church as “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Cornerstone.” Notice: Christ is the Cornerstone, not Peter. Paul also wrote about believers as “living stones” being built into a spiritual house.
Peter himself never claimed supremacy. When he wrote about the spiritual house being built, he had the perfect opportunity to mention that Jesus had singled him out as the foundation. But he didn’t. He spoke of all believers as equal living stones. If this were truly his special role, why would he omit it when discussing something so vital?
The real origin of papal authority comes from early Church converts who pledged allegiance to their teachers rather than to Christ. Paul addressed this directly, telling the Corinthians: “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction. Individuals among you are saying, ‘I follow Paul,’ while others say, ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” So we see, then, the early Church created this problem, not Jesus.
Once Saved, Always Saved
This phrase appears nowhere in The Bible. “Once in grace, always in grace”—it sounds beautiful, but it contradicts significant portions of Scripture.
Consider what Jesus said about the Last Days: false prophets and false christs would arise, “so as to deceive, if possible, even the very elect.” But why would the elect be in danger of deception if their salvation were unconditional and permanent? The warning makes no sense unless our choices matter.
Jesus told Peter: “Satan has demanded to sift you as wheat, but I’ve prayed for you so your faith won’t fail.” If Peter were eternally secure regardless of his actions, then why would Jesus need to pray for him? The answer lies in free will. God initiated salvation, but we maintain it through our ongoing choice to remain faithful.
Paul’s concern for the Galatians shows the same principle: “Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?” followed by, “Are you so foolish as to begin with the Spirit and end with the flesh?” Paul wouldn’t worry about believers straying if once saved meant always saved.
The paradox Scripture presents is this: because God initiates salvation, that call carries eternal weight. But because we’re temporal beings with free will, we remain secure only as long as we hold firmly to our faith. The Book of Hebrews puts it plainly: “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
Why These Misconceptions Persist
Shadows of truth are powerful. A misconception that contains a grain of Scripture sounds biblical. When repeated often enough with conviction, it enters the cultural lexicon. Soon, people assume they’re quoting The Bible when they’re actually quoting tradition.
The solution isn’t complicated. It requires what The Lost Stories Channel advocates: common sense, a willingness to search the Scriptures yourself, and a refusal to accept partial truths. Cross-reference the difficult passages. Read them in context. Allow the whole of Scripture to interpret the parts.
Moving Forward in Understanding
The Bible rewards diligent seekers. When you encounter a biblical “truth” that doesn’t sit right, trust that instinct. Search it out. You might discover you’ve been repeating a misconception, or you might deepen your understanding of something you thought you already knew.
This is the journey of faith: not blind acceptance of what you’re told, but active engagement with Scripture. It’s messy sometimes. It’s humbling. But it’s the only path to genuine understanding.
The questions you ask matter. The truths you pursue matter. The Lost Stories Channel exists to help you recover the depth and wisdom that centuries of misinterpretation have buried. When you’re ready to dig deeper, the resources are there waiting for you.
