Episode 67 - Tainted Love Pt. 3 - Truth as a Lie

In this hard-hitting episode of Teleios Talk, We tackle a cultural firestorm and three of the most dangerous lies told about Christianity today. From the shocking unraveling of the Kamloops graves narrative to the subtle distortions of the Gospel itself, we explore what happens when truth is twisted into something tame.

Is Christianity just about being a “good person”? Does hypocrisy among Christians disprove the faith? Are all religions basically the same? These lies aren’t just wrong — they’re deadly. Wendell dives deep into Scripture, history, and culture to expose the truth with clarity, compassion, and conviction.

If you're tired of feel-good fakes and want to rediscover the radical beauty of grace, this episode is for you.

Transcript

Truth as a Lie

Introduction

In 2021, it was announced that 215 unmarked graves of children, some as young as three years old, had been found on the site of a residential school in Kamloops, BC. There was an immediate response; protests, news coverage, lawsuits, and even a response from the UN. Over 12 million dollars was given to exhume the graves and many more sites were then identified across Canada.

But in February of 2024, a report surfaced which documented how the entire accusation had been fabricated. No bodies have ever been found in any of the thousands of identified unmarked graves in Canada. And what happened to those who dared to tell the truth? They lost their jobs, they were black balled, and they were dismissed by nearly everyone.

What happens to truth when it is revealed to be a lie? What are the ramifications, and how do the lies we hear change what we believe? Today, we’re diving into three of the most common lies told about Christianity, lies so subtle, so widespread, that many of us accept them without question.

First, the idea that Christianity is just about being a “good person.” Sounds noble, right? But if that’s all it is, then Jesus died for nothing. The Gospel isn’t self-help, it’s salvation.

Second, the charge that “Christians are hypocrites, so Christianity must be false.” But broken people needing grace isn’t hypocrisy, it’s humanity. The Church isn’t a museum of saints; it’s a hospital for sinners.

And third, the feel-good claim that “all religions basically teach the same thing.” It sounds tolerant, but it's actually dismissive. It strips Jesus of His uniqueness and reduces the Cross to just another inspirational story.

These lies are everywhere, in classrooms, social media feeds, even pulpits. But they’re not harmless. They distort truth, dilute the Gospel, and leave us chasing shadows. Let’s expose them, not with anger, but with clarity. Because truth matters, and love without truth isn’t love at all; it's Tainted Love.

“Christianity is just about being a good person.”

The Lie: Many think Christianity is simply about moral living — being kind, helping others, and trying your best. This belief reduces the Gospel to self-improvement or good behavior.

Why It’s False: Christianity is not fundamentally about being "good"; it’s about being redeemed. Scripture proclaims, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10 (NKJV)

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals a consistent truth: human beings, on their own, are incapable of meeting God's standard of holiness. The good news of the Gospel is not that we can become good enough to earn God's favor, but that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has lived the perfect life we could not and died the death we deserved.

Salvation is not something we work toward through effort or moral achievement. It is the gift of God: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV) This truth separates Christianity from every other world religion. While other belief systems teach that we climb toward God through deeds, Christianity teaches that God came down to rescue us.

Reducing Christianity to morality distorts the Gospel. It shifts the focus from Christ’s finished work to human effort. This counterfeit gospel, often called moralistic therapeutic deism, is prevalent in Western churches today. According to Christian Smith and Melinda Denton in their book ‘Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers’, this belief system teaches that “God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other… that the central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.” [Smith, Christian, and Denton, Melinda Lundquist. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Oxford University Press, 2005]

Joel Osteen is probably the most recognizable purveyor of this counterfeit gospel. He refuses to talk about sin, he refuses to talk about repentance, judgement, or the cross. Instead he says he wants to talk about, “how we can become better”.[https://youtu.be/ekKel63Z6pc?si=b6XJYN8wxEXNGmth]

But this version of Christianity needs no Savior. It turns Jesus into a life coach rather than a Redeemer. As Pastor Tim Keller once wrote,  “The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life. It is not only the way to enter the kingdom; it is the way to live as part of the kingdom.” [Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith. Dutton, 2008]

In contrast, Biblical Christianity recognizes the depth of human sin and the power of God’s grace. Moralism may clean the outside of the cup, but only the Gospel can cleanse the heart (Matthew 23:25–26).

According to a 2022 Barna Group survey, 52% of practicing Christians believe that “being good enough” is what gets you to heaven. This reveals a major theological crisis. When Christians misunderstand the Gospel as moralism, the church becomes a social club rather than a rescue mission. [Barna Group. “American Worldview Inventory 2022.” Arizona Christian University, Cultural Research Center]

But the Bible makes it clear; even our best deeds are insufficient. Isaiah says, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” Isaiah 64:6 (NIV) The cross is offensive to moralists because it declares that no amount of goodness can reconcile us to God. Only the blood of Christ can do that. This is the great paradox of the Gospel: it demands nothing and everything. We bring nothing but our sin; Christ gives everything through His grace.

The Apostle Paul, once a Pharisee steeped in moral performance, came to realize the worthlessness of his self-righteousness, he wrote, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8 (ESV)

Good works have a role in Christianity, but they are the result of salvation, not the requirement for it. James 2:17 reminds us, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead,” but Paul makes it clear in Romans 4 that Abraham was justified not by works, but by faith.

Dr. Michael Horton, a Reformed theologian and author of ‘Christless Christianity’, warns that much of modern preaching today has replaced the Gospel with self-help messages, “We are being told that the Gospel is about transformation, healing, purpose, or meaning, but not about sin, grace, and redemption. Christianity becomes a tool for personal success rather than a message of salvation.” [Horton, Michael. Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church. Baker Books, 2008]

Similarly, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and martyr, cautioned against what he called “cheap grace” — grace without repentance, discipleship, or the cross, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession… grace without the cross.” [Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. SCM Press, 1959]

The idea that Christianity is about simply being good is not only unbiblical, it’s dangerous. It inoculates people against the real Gospel by offering a less offensive substitute.

“Christians are hypocrites, so Christianity must be false.”

The Lie: Because some Christians sin or fail morally, the whole faith must be invalid or corrupt.

Why It’s False: The accusation that Christians are hypocrites isn’t entirely unfounded, but it’s also not a valid argument against the truth of Christianity itself. Hypocrisy among some Christians does not disprove the teachings of Christ. In fact, the Bible openly acknowledges that even believers struggle with sin (Romans 7:15–25). The standard of Christianity is not Christians, it’s Christ.

Jesus Himself warned about religious hypocrites, particularly those who honored God with their lips while their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:8). He rebuked the Pharisees not because religion was false, but because they misrepresented God’s truth through pride and performance. The reality is this: Christianity doesn’t claim that its followers are perfect. It declares that they are forgiven. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, but a gift for the repentant (Luke 5:31–32). Every Christian is a work in progress, and the Church is a hospital for sinners — not a showroom for saints.

It’s important to separate the truth of a worldview from the behavior of its adherents. Every religion and ideology has its share of hypocrites. The presence of counterfeit currency doesn’t mean real money doesn’t exist. Likewise, bad Christians don’t invalidate a perfect Christ.

The logic that “because Christians sin, Christianity is false” is a classic example of a category error — confusing the fallibility of humans with the credibility of divine truth. Jesus anticipated this issue and gave a parable about it, “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” Matthew 13:30 (NIV)

Jesus warned that the visible Church would have both genuine and false believers. This was not a flaw in the Gospel — it was part of the reality He openly taught. In fact, Scripture predicts that there will be those who claim Christ but deny Him by their actions, “They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” Titus 1:16 (ESV) Therefore, the presence of hypocrisy among some Christians should not surprise us — it should drive us back to Christ, who never sinned (1 Peter 2:22), and who alone is the measure of truth.

Despite failures it's undeniable that there are some high-profile Christian leaders who have failed morally, from televangelist scandals to abusive pastors, New Thought and Word of Faith charlatans; it's intellectually dishonest to paint all Christians with the same brush. For every story of hypocrisy, there are thousands more of quiet faithfulness, sacrificial love, and radical forgiveness.

A 2023 Barna Group study found that 67% of non-Christians cited “hypocrisy” as a reason they doubt Christianity. But this perception is often shaped by headlines, not by lived relationships. When nonbelievers personally know committed Christians, their skepticism tends to soften. The same research also revealed that non-Christians who have a close Christian friend are three times more likely to have a positive view of Christianity. [Barna Group. “Perceptions of Christians: Hypocrisy and Beyond.” Barna Research, 2023]

Christianity, when practiced faithfully, produces immense good: Christians lead the world in charity work, founding hospitals, shelters, and aid organizations (e.g., World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse). Countless believers have laid down their lives to serve the poor, the sick, and the marginalized — from William Wilberforce's fight against slavery to Mother Teresa's ministry among the dying. Globally, Christians are often on the front lines of persecution, suffering not because they are hypocrites, but because they live with courageous faith (Hebrews 13:3).

Furthermore, sociological data shows that true Christian discipleship correlates with moral consistency. In his book ‘The Great Evangelical Recession’, John Dickerson notes that cultural Christians (those who merely identify as Christian) live no differently than the general population, but committed Christians (those who regularly pray, read Scripture, and live out their faith) are far more likely to demonstrate integrity, generosity, and self-control. [Dickerson, John. The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church…and How to Prepare. Baker Books, 2013]

C.S. Lewis once addressed this issue bluntly, “When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world. But the solution is not to abandon Christianity, but to strive to follow Christ more faithfully.” [Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. HarperOne, 1952]

Similarly, Nabeel Qureshi, a former Muslim who became a Christian apologist, wrote, “Yes, Christians can be hypocrites. That’s not a fault of Christianity — that’s a fault of human nature. If you’re looking for perfect people, you won’t find them in any religion. But if you’re looking for perfect truth, look at Jesus.” [Qureshi, Nabeel. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity. Zondervan, 2014]

Christianity is not discredited by the failure of its followers; it is validated by the perfection of its founder. Jesus alone lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He calls us not to look to other Christians as the ultimate example, but to follow Him (Matthew 16:24).

“All religions basically teach the same thing.”

The Lie: This claim promotes the idea that Christianity is one path among many, and that all religions are equally valid routes to God, peace, or spiritual truth.

Why It’s False: Christianity makes an exclusive claim about Jesus Christ, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)

This verse isn’t a suggestion; it’s a declaration. Jesus is not claiming to be one way among many. He’s claiming to be the only way. Unlike other religions, which offer systems of rules, philosophies, or meditative practices to reach the divine, Christianity declares that God took the initiative and entered human history in the person of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5–11). The exclusivity of Christianity rests on three unmatched claims:

1. The Incarnation — God became flesh (John 1:14).

2. The Cross — Jesus died as a substitutionary atonement for sin (Isaiah 53:5).

3. The Resurrection — Christ rose from the dead, conquering death and proving His divine authority (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

This lie, that all religions lead to the same God, has led to religious syncretism, the blending of contradictory beliefs and practices. Syncretism is not only irrational, it is idolatrous. God commanded His people, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 (NKJV) And Paul exhorts the church, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers… What fellowship has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV)

It’s easy to say “all religions teach the same thing” when one hasn’t examined them closely. But a basic look at the major world religions shows that they are fundamentally different — not just in practice, but in their core truth claims. Buddhism teaches there is no personal God and that the goal is to escape suffering through enlightenment and detachment. Hinduism believes in many gods and that the soul is reincarnated until it achieves unity with Brahman. Islam asserts that Jesus was merely a prophet, not the Son of God, and denies the crucifixion and resurrection. Christianity proclaims that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who is fully God and fully man, crucified and risen.

These are not superficial differences — they’re essential and irreconcilable. As Nabeel Qureshi wrote: “The religions of the world are diametrically opposed. They cannot all be true. Islam and Christianity, for example, have very different understandings of God, salvation, and the person of Jesus. To claim they are fundamentally the same is to misunderstand them both.” [Qureshi, Nabeel. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity. Zondervan, 2014] Christianity’s exclusive truth claim is not a matter of arrogance; it’s a matter of truth. If Jesus rose from the dead, as Christians affirm, then He has validated every claim He made — including His claim to be the only way to God.

In our pluralistic culture, the exclusivity of Christianity is often labeled as intolerant or unloving. But consider the inconsistency: those who preach tolerance often show little tolerance for the exclusive claims of Christ. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of American Christians believe that many religions can lead to eternal life, including non-Christian ones. This is not only a misunderstanding of the Gospel, it’s a rejection of it. [Pew Research Center. “Religious Beliefs and Practices.” Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2021]

If multiple paths lead to salvation, then the Cross of Christ was unnecessary. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:21 (NIV) This relativism also leads to the blending of Christianity with other belief systems. It’s not uncommon to see professing Christians using Buddhist meditation, referencing energy crystals, or adopting the language of karma — all of which are incompatible with Biblical faith. Even within churches, there is growing pressure to soften the hard lines of doctrine for the sake of inclusivity. But in doing so, we risk exchanging the truth for a lie (Romans 1:25).

C.S. Lewis, once a skeptic of Christianity, came to see its exclusivity as essential to its truth, “Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” [Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. HarperOne, 1952] R.C. Sproul, Reformed theologian and founder of Ligonier Ministries, wrote, “We are not saved by a generic belief in a generic god. We are saved by faith in Christ — in this Christ, who died and rose again. To believe otherwise is to believe a different gospel altogether.” [Sproul, R.C. What Is the Gospel? Ligonier Ministries, 2010] Likewise, John Stott emphasized, “Religious pluralism is a denial of the uniqueness and finality of Jesus Christ. If He is not the only way, then He is not the true way.” [Stott, John. The Contemporary Christian: Applying God’s Word to Today’s World. InterVarsity Press, 1992]

Closing

At the end of the day, the lies we’ve uncovered all have one thing in common: they twist something true into something tame. They take the radical, earth-shaking reality of the Gospel and reduce it to clichés and half-truths. But the Gospel is not about making good people better, it’s about making dead people alive. That’s the scandal and the beauty of grace. We don’t work our way to God; God, in Christ, came down to us. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

To be a Christian is not to clean yourself up or try harder. It is to be born again, to lay down every pretense of earning salvation and instead receive it freely, as a gift. That changes everything. Morality becomes worship, not performance. Obedience becomes response, not requirement. This is why Paul can say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) And when we say Christianity is unique, we’re not saying it to be arrogant, we’re saying it to be faithful. Jesus wasn’t just another prophet, teacher, or guru. He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He didn’t show us a path, He is the path. “There is salvation in no one else.” (Acts 4:12) We live in a world allergic to exclusivity, but truth, by its very nature, excludes falsehood. You cannot mix light with darkness and call it harmony. To believe in Jesus is to stand on His words, not rewrite them. 

And finally, to those who have been wounded by Christians, those who’ve seen hypocrisy in the Church and felt the sting of inconsistency, your pain is real, and it matters. But don’t judge the cure by those still in recovery. The Church is not the destination, Jesus is. The Church is a hospital, not a showroom. If people fail you, Christ won’t. “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) So the invitation is clear: turn from the lies, and return to the truth, not a philosophy, not a performance, but a Person. His name is Jesus. And He is better than you’ve been told.