Is it wrong to gain fame through religion regardless of true belief?

on Jan 19, 2026

A photo of King Solomon in stained glass. Dreamstime/TCA

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’ve watched many worldly people use religion to gain fame, and many of them find it regardless of truly believing the religion they represent. The point is, they’ve found a pathway to be successful. Is this wrong? – F.F.

A: King Solomon was convinced he knew how to find happiness – and because he had vast resources at his command, he was able to pursue it. Wealth, fame, pleasure, power, lavish houses, a reputation for wisdom – you name it, King Solomon achieved it. And yet after gaining everything he had ever wanted, he reluctantly concluded that his life was still empty and without meaning. His search for lasting happiness had failed, and his soul was still empty.

This is a common story. Many people are in danger of making the same mistake King Solomon made, convinced that the things of this world will bring happiness and peace, pursuing them with vigor. Don’t be deceived; this will never lead to true happiness. And the reason is because we were made to know God.

King Solomon finally realized this. He should have known it sooner; after all, his father, David, was a man after God’s own heart, and Solomon himself had vowed to live according to God’s wisdom. But when it was all said and done, Solomon wrote, “I denied myself nothing … . Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:10–11, NIV). Don’t be misled (even as the wise king was), but make Christ the center and foundation of your life – beginning today.

The world makes a lot of empty promises concerning happiness – what it looks like and how to obtain it. Joy comes to those who delight in the things of the Lord and walk with Him.

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)