George Barna leads a Christian research group and discovered some things about Christian beliefs. In his research during 1996 and 1997, Barna discovered that many professing Christians believe that people are inherently good, that our primary purpose is to enjoy life, and that our most important responsibility is to take care of our family. He also found that:
• 81% believe that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves.
• 72% believe that people are blessed by God so they can enjoy life as much as possible.
• 60% say that Satan is not a living being but a symbol of evil.
• 55% say that if a person is generally good or does enough good things for others they will earn a place in heaven.
• 44% believe that Jesus committed sins while on earth.
• 61% believe that the Holy Spirit is not a living entity but a symbol of God’s presence and power.
• 40% believe that after he was crucified, Jesus did not physically return to life.
• 34% believe that there are some sins that even God cannot forgive.
Remember, these percentages are professing Christians who believe this, not seekers or the unchurched. It’s terribly important that we get the message right about the Gospel.