Lies can get people in to a bunch of trouble. Remember what happened when someone told you, “Go ahead and do it, no one will find out.” You did it and everyone found out. There are those times when we tell ourselves and others, “Relax, I’ve got everything under control.” We usually say this just before everything comes flying apart. Lies are not only detrimental to our physical and emotional health, Faith lies can mess up our spiritual lives.
Darrell Smith, in his book, Faith Lies: Seven Incomplete Ideas that Hijack Faith and How to See Beyond them, (Elm Hill, Nashville, 2018.) does a masterful job exposing common lies that Christians believe, which damage our faith and our witness. The lies that Smith uncovers are:
- The Bible is Only the Literal Word of God
- God is Angry and Doesn’t Like Me—Especially When I Sin
- The Devil is God’s Counterpart
- I Am supposed to Protect and Defend God and My Faith
- There is One Right Way to Believe and One Right Way to Behave
- Faith is a Private Matter, and
- Real Faith is Blind Belief
It would be easy for someone to take pot shots at these beliefs and condemn them and the people who believe them. Smith does not do that. That’s why I like this book. Instead, Smith enters the world of these lies—it’s a place where he once dwelt. He gently uncovers the untruths upon which they are built and then offers a true, freeing, new way to believe. The book contains no judgment or scorn. It is filled with love, grace, forgiveness, encouragement and hope.
In a world where Christians are often pitted against Christians, Smith offers a place for people of faith, who are from all walks of life and religious backgrounds, to dialogue, to explore and to discover together. It is a rare book that does this. I highly recommend this book to you.
I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.