A certain writer said: “The Bible suffers more from its believers than from its opponents”. And it is that reality today our opponents do not resonate as strongly as those who “believe” in the Bible. Honestly, it is a pity to see everything that is happening in social networks, and the saddest thing is that there are thousands and thousands of people sharing videos of preachers who, without understanding and without true knowledge of the Lord, speak gibberish, making countless prohibitions about things that the Bible never prohibits.
In our time, many have taken the liberty to say that “what they believe is sin” carries the same weight as what Scripture actually teaches. They impose their personal opinions as if they were divine commandments, placing heavy burdens on the shoulders of believers—burdens that God never established. When someone elevates their preferences to the level of biblical authority, they assume a position that does not belong to them. They act as if they were gods, determining right and wrong based on their own standards.
But the Bible is the only Word that has the power and the right to tell us what is righteous and what is sinful. No tradition, no personal conviction, and no emotional experience can replace the authority of Scripture. The gospel does not need additions, and the Christian life does not need the chains of legalism disguised as holiness.
Sadly, the prevailing legalism is taking away a lot of territory in the church. Instead of bringing freedom, joy, and transformation through the truth of Christ, many congregations are embracing man-made rules that only produce fear, guilt, and spiritual stagnation. Legalism never produces holiness; it only produces hypocrisy or despair. This is why we must confront this issue with love but also with firmness. We must return to the Scriptures to know what the good and perfect will of God truly is.
Let us remember the apostle Paul when he wrote to the Galatians:
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:11-12
The first thing Paul emphasized to the Galatians was that the gospel he preached was not human in origin. It was not based on human opinions, cultural traditions, or emotional experiences. It was not shaped by social pressure or popular teachings. Rather, the gospel Paul received came directly from Jesus Christ. It was pure, unaltered, heavenly truth—not something invented or adjusted to please people.
This should move us to examine our own faith. What gospel have you decided to believe? Do you believe in the legalistic gospel that is preached today—one filled with prohibitions, human rules, and teachings that the Bible does not support? Or do you believe in the gospel of the Scriptures, the gospel of grace, the gospel of Christ that brings life, freedom, and salvation?
The gospel of the Bible points us to Christ’s finished work, not to human efforts. It invites us to holiness through the power of the Spirit, not through a list of external rules. It teaches us to grow in love, mercy, and understanding—not in pride or condemnation.
It is time that in our churches we remember the true meaning of God’s grace, of God’s love, of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is time that we remove the veil of human traditions and return to the simplicity and purity of Christ’s message. Let us stop preaching what God never said. Let us stop elevating our interpretations above His Word. The church does not need more legalism; it needs more of Christ.
May God help us discern truth from error and cling firmly to the gospel that was revealed from heaven, not invented by man.