5 Quirky Christian Quips to Abandon

If you’ve been a Christian for some time, you’re likely familiar with the term “Christianese.” This is a made up term referencing words and statements that are common Christian vernacular. They sound good upon first hearing but are often untrue. In recent years, I’ve come across a few that seem solid but when closely examined, don’t hold up (For example, “God helps those who help themselves.” This quip originated in a political article from 1698, not the Bible.)

Quirky quips are often the byproduct of a culture’s vocabulary but as Christians, we don’t compose just any culture, we compose the body of Christ. We reflect and represent the One true God. Our words are a witness to the Word made flesh and how we use them matters.

It is a helpful practice to examine our words through the lens of Scripture and consider them in light of who He is. The gospel compels us to steward our words wisely as they are ultimately for God’s glory. As we examine our words, here are 5 quirky Christian quips we may need to reconsider.

God cares about your holiness, not your happiness.

Out of all the quips in this post, this one is perhaps the most troubling and saddening to me. There is so much joy to be found in Jesus! In His presence there is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11)! True happiness has One source and it is Jesus.

Many Christians will try to differentiate between worldly happiness and a spiritual sense of joy which is supposedly our ultimate aim. Do you know that the Bible doesn’t do this? Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew words for happiness and joy are used interchangeably. This doesn’t always come across in our English translations of God’s word so I’m grateful to faithful Bible teachers like Randy Alcorn who point out such important truths (his helpful book, 60 Days to Happiness, enlightened me about this).

For Christians, happiness and holiness are not mutually exclusive. To indicate that they are makes holiness seem like a begrudging pursuit deplete of joy. The gospel is, indeed, good news, and communicating anything less is simply untrue.

It is true that in pursuing holiness, we won’t always feel happy but this is what makes happiness in Christ especially compelling. We can still be happy even when we don’t feel happy because Jesus is a gift of unspeakable joy to all who are in Him. There is no true happiness apart from Jesus.

2. I’m doing better than I deserve.

This statement seems halfway true because God doesn’t owe us anything. However, it is problematic as it holds an incredibly low view of God’s character considering His faithfulness, mercy, and compassion. I’ve heard this sentiment expressed by faithful brothers and sisters walking through difficult and painful trials. It seems to be a spiritual bandaid that forces us to gloss over the painful realities of life in a broken world by quickly covering them rather than acknowledging them honestly before God.

God doesn’t owe us anything yet in His kindness, He’s richly given us everything in Jesus (2 Corinthians 8:9). When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He doesn’t coldly tell us to deal with it because He’s given us more than we deserve — He promises us His presence (Psalm 23:4)! This frees us to admit that while we are eternally indebted to God for the riches of His kindness, life is also incredibly painful at times. He is no stranger to this reality as it cost Him His only Son making Him a compassionate companion to saints who suffer.

3. Every day I’m not in hell is a good one.

Hell is the lowest standard so to be barely above that doesn’t even meet the Bible’s standard of good. God is good (Psalm 25:8, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 119:68, Nahum 1:7) so it follows that anything that falls short of His holiness, life in a broken world, for example, is actually not good. Saying that we’re having a good day because we aren’t in hell, is untrue. Days marked by death, health problems, financial struggles, broken relationships, and everyday difficulties are not good and can’t be because they are tainted with sin.

Following Jesus isn’t about avoiding hell (although its avoidance is one of the many benefits we have in Him). It’s about beholding Him in adoration for all He’s done and is doing. We long to be present with the Lord and acknowledge that anything outside of being in His presence for eternity falls short.

We are not in hell but the fact remains that we are also not in heaven. God’s mercy and kindness presently provide us glimpses of what is good as foretastes of what’s to come. Anything less than eternity with Jesus is limited in its goodness since it occurs in a world with sin and suffering both of which will be eliminated once truly good days become our reality (Revelation 21:4).

4. God won’t give you more than you can handle.

Miscarriage was beyond what I could handle yet in it, I received the comfort of Christ and experienced His power working in my weakness (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). God promises to conform us to the image of His Son and He is faithfully doing so (Romans 8:28-29, Philippians 1:6). The means by which He does this are often not preferable but being placed into positions of weakness grows us to understand that His ways are indeed higher than ours and causes us to experience His trustworthiness (Isaiah 55:8).

When we are given more than we can handle, which we ought to expect (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6-7), it helps to remember that Jesus doesn’t minimize our pain, He sympathizes with us in it (Hebrews 4:15). He will never leave us or forsake us and we experience this reality through the indwelling of His Spirit who prays for us when we don’t even know how to pray for ourselves (Romans 8:26).

5. Let Go and Let God

This quip is bothersome as it is essentially limiting God’s power and capabilities. We don’t need to let God do anything. He is, after all, God. Naturally, there are times we hold things too tightly. I’ve observed that when this is the case for me, God gently and patiently loosens my grip. If it were up to me, a sinner, I suspect that I would not let go of things unless He caused me to.

I do believe those who speak this quip have the best intentions and there is certainly biblical merit for trusting God and not trying to control people and/or circumstances. Even so, it is important to acknowledge that God has ultimate power and authority over everything and everyone forever. Should we truly struggle to let go of something, He is ultimately powerful and faithful. He’s promised to work in us to conform us to Christ (Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 1:6) and nothing can stop Him from fulfilling His promises.

Another troubling aspect of this quip is that it holds a transactional view of God. I’ve heard people say, “I just need to let go and let God,” as they’ve endured painful trials. There seems to be an underlying belief that once we finally “let go” God will begin working and perhaps change our circumstances to make them desirable. Even though we often fail to understand how God is working, He is always working. His plans will prevail regardless of our letting go or lack thereof.

Upon examining the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, we see sinner after sinner listed in Jesus’s lineage. As we read the individual stories of those sinners throughout Scripture, it may seem like God’s plan to send a Savior in Genesis 3:15 would’ve been thwarted. However, God wasn’t surprised by sin and accomplished His purposes despite it by overcoming it. He is all powerful and we can trust that He’s always working whether we recognize it or not. He’s incredibly patient and kind and doesn’t need us to commit certain acts in order for Him to work. He isn’t manipulative, He’s merciful and mighty.