There are 31,102 verses that make up the Bible. Many of those verses are shared across multiple platforms daily. Most of the verse we see shared or plastered on shirts, wall decor, and even bumper stickers tend to be only those verses that make the reader feel good. You know the ones like Philippians 4:13 or Jeremiah 29:11. While those verses and many like them are great and important to our faith they only make up a small percentage of the Bible. It’s the other verses we rarely hear that have the ability to be life-changing.
Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The point of this article is not to say you should not read or cling to those verses that make you feel good. We all have those verses that we go to in the dark time that really make us feel better. All scripture is important and has its time and place.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
But that’s the thing all scripture is important. We can not choose to simply focus on the select passages that give us the warm and fuzzies. If you want to live the life God wants for His people then you have to also read the verses that make you feel not so good.
Often times it’s the scriptures that tear you down that have the ability to build you back up better than you once were. The scriptures below you do not hear often and you’ve never seen them printed on a shirt or mug. But it’s these verses that have the life-changing effect we all need to experience.
Your Not The Center Of Everything
Many of the verses that get the most attention from the Bible are those that focus on the reader. The two verses mentioned at the start of this article are great examples of this. Both are “I” passages. Each of these is often used to show the reader they are important to God. Which can be a good thing at times but sadly this more often than not creates a self-center view of religion in a person’s life.
This would potentially not be as much of an issue if more people would share scriptures like Phillippians 2:3. Which points out that the Christian is not to be a selfish person. In fact, this verse tells us to view others as better than ourselves.
Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
John takes the idea of Christians being selfless even further in another one of the verses you rarely hear. John points out that Jesus laid down His life for us all and because of that we should be willing to do the same for others in the faith.
1 John 3:16 (ESV)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
The point here is that the Bible does not teach that Christianity is all about you. Christianity is really about loving and taking care of others. Putting their needs before your own. But sadly culture has decided to hide verses like these. Choosing instead to overuse or even take scripture out of context simply because they are more pleasing to the ear.
The Truth About A Sinful Lifestyle
While sin continues to become more and more prevalent in the daily lives of many so-called Christians. Hearing scripture that speaks against sin has become less and less common. Even in the church. We need verses that expose sin in order to keep us on the narrow path that leads to heaven. Just like the ones we find in 1 Corinthians 6.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NLT)
9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Paul puts it plain and simple in that verse. Those things that are listed are seen as sinful by God. Anyone who lives a lifestyle founded in any of those sins will not enter receive eternal life in Heaven. I know it sounds harsh but it is true and it is exactly what the world needs to hear. Because it continues life-changing truth. Just like what Paul has to say next.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NLT)
11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
This verse is often overlooked by many people as well. Too many condemn the lost for their actions. Failing to realize that they were once like that as well. Just as we were each forgiven for our transpasses those that are caught up in any of the sins mentioned above can be forgiven as well.
Life Won’t Be Perfect
For some reason, people come to Christianity thinking that everything will get better. That their bank account will be full, people will like them, and even that they won’t get sick anymore. All because they chose to give their life to Christ. That all sounds great but there is one problem. None of that is ever promised in the Bible. In fact, we are actually promised the opposite.
1 John 3:13 (ESV)
13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
Matthew 10:16-18 (ESV)
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
Those verses almost do not seem real but I assure you they are. Believe it or not, we are even told in The Word to be happy when bad things like that happen to us.
James 1:2-3 (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
1 Peter 1:6 (ESV)
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
You see while many want to make it seem like the promises of God apply to our lives on earth they don’t. Those things are for our next life. Our eternal life in Heaven where pain and suffering no longer exist. Right now we may suffer some but the reward will be far greater. If more people knew these verse coming in we would not lose as many Christians when things get tough.
Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God’s Word Isn’t Always What You Want To Hear
Human nature draws us to people who tell us exactly what we want to hear. Whether hearing what they have to say is good for us or not. When the Prophet Micah was bringing God’s word to the people he was faced with a lot of opposition. Even though everything he said was true and coming directly from the Lord most high.
All the opposition he faced though led up to one very important Old Testament scripture, which still rings true to this day. Honestly, it even fits the message of this article.
Micah 2:11 (NLT)
11 Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,
“I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”
That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!
Don’t follow the person who only tells you those things that make you feel good. The Bible is not filled with sunshine and rainbows. It has some dark spots, some areas that we would simply rather not hear. But we really need to in order to become the people we are called to be.
More often than not it’s those things which we do not want to hear that are exactly what we need to hear. The purpose of this article was not to scare or condemn you. Our goal was to share the scriptures we believe are rarely hard but have the ability to change lives for the better.
Visit Justin’s personal website Here. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. Also, be sure to stop by our prayer wall.