Addressing Unbiblical Beliefs

When we are witnessing to people who say they hold beliefs that don’t align with Scripture, we ask ourselves if we should try to untangle the web of unbiblical beliefs. While I will warn people of the dangers of any harmful practices they’ve admitted to, I rarely attempt to explain why unbiblical beliefs are untrue because they may spark needless contention that puts the person I’m trying to reach on the defensive. I don’t want that. I want them to be open to my reasoning.

The main reason I don’t address every unbiblical belief is because I needed to keep the focus on the gospel. Scripture tells us that the gospel is how someone’s understanding is opened and their soul saved (Romans 1:16).

To address someone’s theological errors before they understand the gospel is to tend to the symptoms of a disease while ignoring the cause. Anyone who genuinely experiences the new birth of John 3 will then read and believe the Scriptures, and when they see the many discrepancies between the Word of God and their man-made beliefs, they will have to make a decision. Do they stay with the errors instilled by human thoughts and practices or follow the truth of the Word of God? The benefit of addressing the root cause of someone’s separation from God—their sinful nature—will be that any conviction to keep or abandon current beliefs will come from a personal desire to please God.

There are times when we will feel free to correct error. Jesus spoke to the woman at the well about her violating the seventh commandment and answered her questions about where to get living water and where people should worship. In John 4:16–24, we can see that Jesus addressed her theological questions after he had addressed her sin.

Being knowledgeable about different worldviews and beliefs can help us evangelize even if we don’t directly address how these beliefs oppose what Scripture says. Staying informed helps us understand people’s current perspectives and beliefs and use this knowledge to speak to them more personally. While we need to recognize different opinions and objections people may have, tackling each erroneous statement distracts from our main purpose: to show people why Jesus is the only path to salvation.