Three Distortions of Christianity

We are going to look at three distortions of Christianity and talk about their dangers as well as examples of them being practiced. One is Biblical, but the other two examples are modern. The three distortions of Christianity are: Judaized Christianity, Legalized Christianity, and Lawless Christianity. We will also discuss what True Christianity looks like.

Judaized Christianity: Judaized Christianity has been around as long as Christianity itself. We see evidence of this in the Bible. A Judaized Christian is referred to as a Judaizer. This is a Jew who believes in Jesus as the Messiah, but believes that for a Gentile (non-Jew) to be a Christian, they must first become a Jew.

A Biblical example of this is found in Acts, when the early Church was divided over the practice of circumcision. That is, should the Gentiles have to be circumcised to be Christian? Acts 15 begins: 1 some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them, so Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

While trying to decide what was to be done, it was noted that they would not be able to reach a solution. So, Paul, Barnabas, and some other men among them were chosen to take the matter to the apostles and elders in the church in Jerusalem. Both sides had made valid points, but the matter could not be settled easily, not even between the apostles and other believers. The Judaizers stood firm to their belief that the Gentiles must be circumcised. Verse 5 says, then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” The Judaizers and some other Jewish Christians feared that the Gentile Christians would weaken moral standards among believers if they did not hold to Jewish law.

Peter, Paul, and Barnabas gave accounts of what they had done through the power of God to gain Gentile believers. Verses 12-21 says, 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon (Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things. 18 That have been known for ages.’ 19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times, and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Paul, Barnabas, and the church leaders believed that the law of Moses was important, but not a prerequisite for salvation. The law cannot save; only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ can a person be saved. The council upheld the convictions expressed by Paul and Barnabas that following the Jewish laws, including being circumcised, was not essential for salvation.

James concluded that circumcision was not a requirement for salvation, but the Gentiles still had to hold to some of the law; abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, from eating meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. If Gentile Christians would abstain from these practices, they would please God and get along better with their Jewish brothers and sisters. Of course, other actions were inappropriate for believers, but the Jews were especially concerned about these four.

Some Christians hold a high regard for the Scriptures and God’s choice of the Jews as his people. They don’t want to see his commands overlooked or broken. They have a legitimate claim. However, as a result, they tend to add human traditions and standards to God’s law. This then subtracts from the Scriptures and God’s clear concern for all nations.

Genesis 17:5

“No longer will be called Abram, our name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”

Isaiah 55: 3-5

3 “Give ear and come to me; listen that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”

Romans 1:16

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes; first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

It was always God’s plan to use Israel as an example to all nations. God was always interested in all people. He completed this in Jesus Christ, who is the example we now follow.

Romans 1:5

Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name’s sake.

Things are not much different in the church today. We judge people by what they look like or how they dress, or their behavior; and then we decide to accept them or not. This is not what we are supposed to do. We are to accept everyone no matter what. Jesus didn’t shy away from poor people or lepers. We should show the same love for others today as he did 2000 years ago. We should especially not judge our fellow believers.

Question to consider: Do you appreciate God’s choice of a unique people through whom he offered forgiveness and eternal life to all peoples?

My answer: It isn’t something I have ever thought about, but I guess now is the time to start doing so and evaluating what conclusion I come to.

Legalized Christianity: Legalized Christians live by a certain list of don’ts. They believe that God’s favor is earned by good behavior. Their genuine concern is to see that real change be brought about by God and that this should lead to changes in our behavior. This unfortunately makes God’s love something to earn rather than to be accepted freely. It reduces Christianity to a set of impossible rules and transforms the Good News of Jesus into bad news.

Galatians 3:1-5

1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as Crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain-if it really was in vain? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by your observing the law, or by your believing what you heard?

An example today would the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They observe much of the Mosaic Law and expect a great change of behavior in you. They especially have a long list of things that a “Christian” is not supposed to do. A person for example cannot read religious books written by people outside of their organization, the all must use their inaccurate and very much changed, translation of the Bible. No other translation is allowed within the meeting hall. There are a few of these people who use other translations when studying at home, but that is the only place they can use them. I, however, while attend meetings, because my family is full of Witnesses, and it keeps peace for the most part between me and them, can get away with using my New International Version translation during meetings, because I am not a member of the cult. Well, I have never been told I couldn’t use it. I am the only person in the group who uses something not written by them. A person is not allowed to accept blood transfusions. This is in reference to abstaining from consuming blood, but I believe this takes that too far. There are many more too numerous to name that they must adhere to.

Romans 12:1-2

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Question to consider: As important as change in action is, can you see that God may desire different changes in you than in others?

My answer: I have noticed that the changes I have had to make and are still trying to make are different than those I see in other people around me. God desires that I change in a manner in which best suits his needs for what he wishes me to do. The same goes for every other Christian. God wishes changes in us that best suit what we are called to do for service to him. I am still the same person I have always been for the most part, but you can see the differences in me that are not at all a part of who I was before Christ came into my life.

If you struggle with God’s will…with sin…DON’T! Don’t allow others to (or yourself) to dictate how this transformation should occur. Let God reveal this to you. Pray for his guidance.

Lawless Christianity: Christians who think they live above the law. They need no guidelines. God’s Word is not as important as our personal sense of God’s guidance.

It is forgotten that Christians are still human and fail consistently when trying to live only by what they “feel” God wants. Despite this, they still recognize that forgiveness from God is not based on our ability to live up to his perfect standards. It must be received by faith as a gift made possible by Christ’s death on the Cross. Knowing this doesn’t change things though. They still feel above the law and fail to see how much they fail at the Christian life.

I see these Christians being the ones who get saved, but never grow spiritually or so much as change their lifestyle, or quit certain habits, such as sex before marriage. There is a difference in trying to change and struggling with it as opposed to not even trying at all. I am sure they are not aware that they fit into this type of Christianity, nor do they even know it exists. They just believe that since they are saved, they can do whatever they want.

Romans 7:7

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “you shall not covet.”

Question to consider: Do you recognize the ongoing need for God’s expressed commands as you live out your gratitude for his great salvation?

My answer: I always try to uphold the commands set for me, though since I am a human, and still remain imperfect and prone to sin, despite being saved. Whenever I am particularly struggling in an area, I pray for God to help me get through it and always feel better when I can obey him. I am not sure that I have ever recognized the ongoing need for God’s commands though. It was always just believed that I had to follow them.

True Christianity: What our faith should look like: True Christians are those who believe inwardly and outwardly that Jesus’ death has allowed God to offer them forgiveness and eternal life as a gift. They have accepted that gift through faith, and are seeking to live a life of obedient gratitude for what God has done for them.

Christianity is both private and public with heart-belief and mouth-confession. Our relationship to God and the power he provides result in obedience. Having received the gift of forgiveness and eternal life, we are now daily challenged to live that life with his help.

True Christianity avoids all the above mentioned dangers.

NOT-adding human traditions and standards to God’s law, or judging people as they come into our homes or we pass them on the street.

NOT-making God’s love something that can be earned rather than accepting it freely. Reducing Christianity to a set of rules impossible to follow.

NOT- to live above the law. Recognize that we are human and that we fail consistently.

Question to consider: How would those closest to you describe your faith? Do they think you live so that God will accept you? Or do they know that you live because God has accepted you in Christ?

My answer: Well I love to hope that they know I live because God has accepted me in Christ, but maybe my life shows more that I am looking for God’s approval. If that is so, then I have much to work on.

I must give some credit where it is due. Some of this material, mostly the scriptural references, comes from Andy Payne’s sermon on the Distortions of Christianity found on sermoncentral.com. I would like to extend thanks for him posting that and providing me with some help on this assignment.