Hey friends, thanks for tuning in to this LIFE ON MISSION with Tanner Klein podcast. This is going to be a fun one. We’re going to measure widespread sayings from mainstream culture against eternal truth from God’s Word.
In the last podcast-post, I shared about PARIS: The SPIRITUAL DESERT Masked By BEAUTY, My Conviction to Go, God has Brought the Nations to Us, & Good News from Sunday.
In the post before it, I shared A Glimpse into The Real Reality of our LIVES ON MISSION in PARIS 🇫🇷 4 mo. here in a 10x10 Studio✨.
If you’re interested in those podcasts, you can click the links attached here. You can also share this LIFE ON MISSION podcast via Apple podcasts or Spotify or share this publication with friends using the QR code below.
CULTURAL SAYINGS vs GOD'S TRUTH
Our world today has a lot to say about who you are and what you should believe, while leaving God and His truth in the dust. It can be hard to distinguish lies from half-truths from truths.
But, unlike the rest of the world, followers of Jesus have both The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Jesus Himself, and the the Bible, the true words of God.
It says in Proverbs 30:5,
“Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
We can trust God, the Source of Truth, and we can trust His Word.
In Romans 12:2, it says,
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
That’s exactly what we’re going to do right now. We’re going to acknowledge some messages our world preaches, and contrast them with God’s truth from His Word. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we’re going to renew our minds with truth, so we can better discern God’s will—what is good, acceptable, and perfect.
This is not an exhaustive list of convincing cultural lies and half-truths, of course. But, for many, this messaging has worked its way into our subconscious minds and beliefs.
As for me, I’d prefer what’s real and true according to God over what seems true or sounds nice everyday of the week.
So, I hope this post encourages your faith and builds you up in the love and truth of God.
Let’s let the Lord search our hearts and help us to let go of misguided beliefs that align more with the world then with God’s Word.
Let’s unpack some junk and replace it with eternal treasures.
1. “You do you.”
The Implied Lie: Autonomy and self-expression are the highest good. In other words, you decide what’s best for you.
The Biblical Truth:
It says in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20,
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Also, in Isaiah 55, we see God’s love on display as He encourages His people to repent from their wayward ways and return to Him, so that He might have compassion on them and pardon them. God speaks,
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Our lives are not our own—either we belong to Christ if we’ve placed our trust in Him or otherwise, we’re enslaved to whatever overcomes us according to 2 Peter 2:19. God knows what’s best and His ways, His will, and His timing are best, not ours. The goal isn’t to "do you" but to become like Jesus and enjoy Him completely.
2. “Make a name for yourself.”
The Implied Lie: Worth is found in recognition, fame, or legacy.
The Biblical Truth:
Remember the Tower of Babel? Humans have been believing this lie from the deceiver since the beginning.
In Genesis 11:4, we see the people of Babel said,
“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves…”
Rather than disobey God by seeking to make a name for ourselves, we can choose to trust in and celebrate the name of our Savior Jesus who humbled Himself and was obedient even to the point of death on the cross.
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We are not here to exalt ourselves—we exist to exalt the Name above every name: Jesus.
3. “Just follow your heart.”
The Implied Lie: Your feelings are trustworthy guides to truth and purpose.
The Biblical Truth:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
I the Lord search the heart and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
It says in Proverbs 3:5,
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Don’t follow your heart—follow Jesus, and let Him lovingly lead and shape your heart.
4. “Believe in yourself.”
The Implied Lie: You are the source of strength and success.
The Biblical Truth:
Jesus said,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
And as Paul proclaimed, we too can declare,
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
We’re not called to believe in ourselves but to believe in the One who gave Himself for us—the One who is with us and who strengthens us to do what pleases our Father in heaven.
5. “You deserve this.”
The Implied Lie: You are entitled to blessing, ease, or reward because of your effort or value.
The Biblical Truth:
What we deserve is the penalty for our sins—death. This is why the Good News of Jesus is such good news.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Our God is a merciful and gracious Savior and King,
“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”
What we deserve is judgment—but God, being rich in mercy, gives grace instead. That is mind-blowing, counter-cultural, beyond-comparison love. Not only does God show mercy by choosing not to condemn us for our sins, but also He offers eternal and abundant life to any formerly condemned sinners who choose to trust in Jesus for salvation. What we receive by faith is not based on merit, but on Christ’s finished work.
6. “You need to love yourself.”
The Implied Lie: Loving yourself is the foundation of wholeness and healthy relationships.
The Biblical Truth:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be
lovers of self,
lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
The Lord Jesus said,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Notice, Jesus didn’t command us to love ourselves more, or to love yourself so you can love others, but to love God supremely and others sacrificially. True love flows from God, not self. What we need is to receive and respond to the love that overflows from God into our hearts.
“God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
7. “Look within yourself to find answers.”
The Implied Lie: Truth and direction come from introspection or inner wisdom.
The Biblical Truth:
God is the true Source of wisdom, insight, and knowledge.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
It says in Psalm 119:105,
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
So, we don’t look within for answers—we look to God. We consult God’s Word and depend on His Spirit. We can find all we need in the Source of Truth Himself.
8. “Do what makes you happy.”
The Implied Lie: Pleasure or comfort is the ultimate goal of life.
This one really sounds good, doesn’t it? I’ve heard it from countless well meaning people.
The Biblical Truth:
God is the source of lasting joy, blessing, and every good thing.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Jesus said,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Jesus also said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Happiness rooted in self fades. Joy rooted in Christ lasts forever. We’re not called to pursue pleasure—but to pursue Christ, to walk with Him as His disciples, enjoy abundant life with Him, and experience fullness of joy in His presence.
What Drives You?
As followers of Jesus, we are free, not slaves driven by the culture, the flesh, or convincing half-truths. Instead, we are driven by the eternal weight of glory, the love of Christ, and the promise of being with Him forever.
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
Let’s live abundant lives in the light with Christ! Let’s not settle for nice-sounding lies or half-truths that build our ego.
Join me in a quick prayer.
Lord,
May we be ones who are driven by the eternal weight of glory, the love of Christ, and the promise of being with You forever.
May we be ones who abide in Your Word and keep Your words as true disciples, knowing the truth, and set free by it, as You said:
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit, guiding us into all truth and pouring Your love into our hearts. Thank You for Your grace empowering us to choose truth over lies, life over death, and light over darkness.
I pray in the name of Jesus—The Way, The Truth, and The Life! Amen!
I hope you were blessed and encouraged by this post. I hope you had a good time unpacking some junk with me and replacing it with eternal treasures. Feel free to share this podcast-post or the link to this LIFE ON MISSION publication. May God bless you!
Share this post