Things People Say
Christians sometimes say things that they think are just standard platitudes but that actually may not accurately reflect the teachings of Jesus or the character of God. People also sometimes say things that signal a misunderstanding about how God works in the world. Here are some examples.
Image by Vitaly Gariev, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Cropped.
Tom Faletti
July 18, 2026
People say things they've heard before that sound like wise sayings or that sound like shorthand expressions of their faith. They don't always think about how the words might be interpreted by others. They don't think about whether the statement is always true in a literal sense, or whether it needs to be qualified with explanations about when and how it is true, and when and how it is not true.
They aren't trying to be analytical. But by quoting the platitudes or phrases they have heard, they run a serious risk of misrepresenting God and the Christian faith, or of falling into views that do not reflect how God actually works in the world.
Here are some of the phrases that concern me:
People sometimes claim: Bad things that happen are God’s will.
I Wince When I Hear People Say That Bad Things are God’s Will
I was watching a movie, and a character explained something bad that happened by saying, “It was God's will.” Christians sometimes say this. But while God allows evil, he does not cause evil. And evil is never God's will. We need to be more precise in our language and ask the right questions. Otherwise, people will think we are saying that God causes evil things that happen.
People sometimes claim: God helps those who help themselves.
People sometimes claim: God must have needed him/her in heaven (that’s why they died).
People sometimes say: I wish I could find God’s plan for my life.
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