The norm of the popular "Christianity":
1) It is wrong, insulting and unloving to tell Christians to self introspect.
2) God forbid that anyone should criticise or correct another Christian because that is unloving, even if the criticism is true.
3) Sin should not be called sin because it is offensive to the hearers. It should be justified, rationalised and explained away as common human failures.
4) Anyone who speaks even one word harshly and talks gloom and doom is a false Christian because God is about love and forgiveness.
5) Life is about comfort and receiving as much earthly blessings as possible from God.
6) Preachers should be preaching good messages to please the audience, appeal to our flesh, make us feel secure and at peace and assure us all the time that we are pleasing to God, regardless of whether that is true.
What the Bible actually says:
In contrast to 1), Paul tells believers to examine their genuineness of their own faith so as to make sure they are not reprobates. 2 Corinthians 13:5
In contrast to 2), Proverbs 12:1 says, "Whoever hates correction is stupid."
In contrast to 3), Isaiah 5:20 pronounces woe to those " who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter". Proverbs 17:15 "
He that justifieth the wicked...are abomination to the LORD." Malachi 2:17 "You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them."
In contrast to 4 and 6), Ezekiel 13:10 reveals that those who preach a false peace are evil and false prophets who like to whitewash and they will use smooth and pleasant words to speak LIES. Romans 16:18 "For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.
By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive." Jeremiah 23:16-17 "This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “
Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The LORD says that you will have peace,' and
to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, 'No harm will come to you.'"
Jeremiah 5 prophesied:
26“
Among my people are wicked men
who lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind.
They continually set traps to catch people.
27Like a cage filled with birds,
their homes are filled with evil plots.
And now they are great and rich.
28They are fat and sleek,
and there is no limit to their wicked deeds.
They refuse to provide justice to orphans
and deny the rights of the poor.
29Should I not punish them for this?” says the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?
30A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in this land—
31the prophets give false prophecies,
and the priests rule with an iron hand.
Worse yet, my people like it that way!
But what will you do when the end comes?
In contrast to 5), James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:
Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 1:9-10 "
Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them."
Matthew 6:19 "“
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth" 1 Timothy 6:9 "
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."
Satan is having a good laugh now just how deceived and misguided popular "Christianity" is. He is even more pleased that so many professing Christians have believed in his lies because his lies were just as pleasant to them as it was to Eve. Christians are told they will not die in their sin (when the wages of sin is death according to Paul) and that they are blessed and should boast about their security because they are living in comfort and wealth. (when Revelations 3:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 depicts an entirely different picture about those who feel secure in their comfort and earthly wellbeing)
Those who have ears will hear the truth.