Have You Been Taken Captive By False Teaching? | Part 1: Legalism and Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism

Type of Doctrine: Primary

" . . . yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

-Galatians 2:16 ESV

Why does it matter?

The gospel is the good news that God saves through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in our place. Those who respond to this good news by repenting (i.e., turning away from their sin) and believing will be justified (i.e., declared righteous by God).

Various perversions of this pure gospel have popped up over the past 2,000 years of church history. Typically, in one way or another, these false "gospels" attempt to turn the message of grace back into salvation by works. Paul is exceptionally clear on this: "[W]e know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16).

That is precisely why Paul writes his letter to the Galatians. In verses 6 and 7 of the first chapter, he expresses his bewilderment: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:6-7). He labels it a "different gospel" - that is, a false "gospel." Twice he shows how serious this is: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9).

And it makes sense that he's concerned with the gospel being perverted. In Romans 1:16 he says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16). If the gospel is the "power of God for salvation," then it would be a terrifying thing to change it. Therefore, we must always be aware of ways that the gospel is being confused, undermined, altered, or perverted in our day. One way that the gospel is being perverted today is through what some scholars call moralistic, therapeutic deism.

There are various secondary issues that relate to this subject. However, obscuring the gospel by viewing people as generally good (rather than sinful) who need to be improved or need tips to become successful is a primary issue. Downplaying sin affects how we understand God's justice, punishment, and ultimately redemption.

One way that the gospel is being perverted today is through what some scholars call moralistic, therapeutic deism.

What is it?

A message spreading in America today is one that the sociologist Christian Smith has labeled "Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism" (Michael Horton, Christless Christianity, 40). Smith defines it as the idea that God wants people to be nice, happy, and feel good about oneself; God doesn't particularly need to be involved in someone's life - except to resolve a problem (41). Ultimately, then, good people go to heaven after death, as opposed to sinners who have been saved by grace (41).

Michael Horton claims that the biblical categories of sin and grace have turned into dysfunction and recovery (35). (This article is not focused on using psychology in counseling. That will be the topic of another article. This article is mainly focused on the message(s) that come from churches) Partially, this move from sin to dysfunction is related to how people are viewed. Let me explain.

Historically, people have understood the Bible to say that people are born as sinners. Sin, therefore, is an inclination that has been inherited from Adam since the Fall reported in Genesis 3 (i.e., original sin). While people used to be viewed as sinful, now many view people as generally good. Therefore, the focus becomes improving good people a little bit to make them better, fulfilled, and more successful.

Now, as Horton admits, God is focused on our ultimate happiness - that is, our eternal happiness (34). He points out C. S. Lewis' famous statement that the problem is not that our desires are too strong but that they are too weak; we are too easily pleased (34). Horton comments, "While God wants to give us everlasting life, we settle for trivial satisfaction of superficial needs that are to a large extent created within us by the culture of marketing" (34; emphasis his). A focus on happiness and success in this life is precisely what characterizes many messages of moralistic, therapeutic deism. The focus may be on success in finances, career, relationships, mental health, physical health, or some other marker of success. What becomes the emphasis is realizing potential and living a fulfilled life.

To be clear, Scripture does address these different topics. It does provide information on how to handle finances, relationships, and so on. Also, it is important to point out that just because a pastor preaches on these subjects doesn't automatically mean that they are committing these errors. But it must be emphasized, if the Bible is taught as if it is a book filled with self-improvement ideas, then the message of Scripture is being misrepresented. Self-improvement is not the main point of the Bible. The main point of the Bible is that God saves sinners through his Son Jesus Christ.

If sin isn't the main problem, then grace isn't the solution. If people are generally good, then they don't need a Savior to die on a cross them. Horton elaborates, "The key to my criticism, however, is that once you make your peace of mind rather than peace with God the main problem to be solved, the whole gospel becomes radically redefined. More than that, a therapeutic worldview gravely distorts the terms of the gospel even as the same words are still employed" (39). Thus, the question that used to be asked, "How can I, a sinner, be right before a holy God?" is not generally being asked anymore (40). But rather the question being asked is: "How can I be fulfilled, successful, and happy in this life?" Horton explains that "self-realization, self-fulfillment, and self-help are all contemporary twists on an old heresy, which Paul identified as works-righteousness" (40). In other words, it's a form of moralism - earning your salvation by how you live.

Two words which are commonly used to describe this are moralism and legalism. Moralism is a broader form of earning your "salvation." A person doesn't have to claim to be a Christian to be a moralist. And the morals that are used may be picked up basically anywhere. On the other hand, legalism is a more narrow form of earning your salvation. Typically, it is a reference to using Old Testament laws to earn your salvation (this helpful article explains the difference).

Legalism says you must live by the law to be saved. The opposite extreme is called antinomianism, which means God gives you grace and it doesn't matter how you live. There are numerous views on how law and gospel relate (there will be a subsequent article on this), but all Christians agree that the extremes of legalism and antinomianism are false teaching and wrong. Insightfully, Horton points out that the old form of legalism stressed avoiding the things that are bad (i.e., a negative spin on legalism), but now, the new form of legalism stresses things to do (i.e., a positive spin on legalism; 69-70).

The concerning thing is that both are law, and the law doesn't save us. Instead, it shows us that we fall short and need a Savior (Gal. 3). Paul explains, "Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" (Gal. 3:21-22). The law was designed to imprison you so that Jesus could free you.

On its own, the law leads to either pride or despair (123). The law by itself will lead you to burnout. Are you praying enough? Reading your Bible enough? Telling enough people about Jesus? Serving in the church enough? Loving people enough? Without the gospel, these things are law (123). The law is often used as a way to improve us and improve our lives. But the law comes to kill us, not to improve us (Rom. 7:10; Horton, 129). If not rooted in the gospel and an outflow of the gospel, then principles for living, discipleship, biblical tips for relationships, biblical tips for finances, and so on are law; that is true whether they are offered "sternly or gently" (125).

It is very important then how we read our Bibles. Horton argues that one of the main issues is confusing law and gospel in the Bible (124). The law is anything in the Bible that tells us what to do, and the gospel is anything in the Bible that tells us what God has done for us in Christ (124). The law is designed to show us that we can't live it out, but Jesus lived it out in our place and died for our sin (i.e., transgressing God's law). We are justified by faith alone.

Once we become Christians through faith in Jesus, the law can become a guide to help us know what holiness looks like. While Paul stresses justification by faith alone without works, James, for example, stresses that faith without works is dead. In other words, sinners are truly justified by faith alone. No works will contribute to you or me being saved. But, genuine faith always has works with it. For Christians, then, the Scriptures provide a guide to living like Christ.

But the law cannot produce Christlikeness. The law itself doesn't make us look more like Christ. That happens through the gospel and beholding Christ. It is the gospel which leads to transformation in our lives (2 Cor. 3:18; Titus 2:11-14). The Bible is not primarily a rule book, but a window through which you can see Jesus Christ! So, weekly reminders of the gospel are necessary and lead to sanctification by the power of the Spirit (125).

The Bible is not primarily a rule book, but a window through which you can see Jesus Christ!

The Spirit then works in us and reshapes us. Paul says this, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23). These are well-known verses which talk about the fruit of the Spirit. But what is easy to read past is what Paul says at the end: "against such things there is no law" (Gal. 5:23).

Maybe you thought that the Christian life began with grace, but now you have to stay in God's grace by how well you live. This is false. Note what Paul says here: "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (Rom. 8:29-30). In other words, there is no such thing as a justified Christian who will not also be sanctified. As John Calvin has said, "Christ, therefore, justifies no man without also sanctifying him. These blessings are conjoined by a perpetual and inseparable tie" (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 2, trans. Henry Beveridge (Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1845), 386 (Institutes, 3.16.1).

Now, I don't want to mislead you. It matters how you and I live (1 Cor. 6:9-20; Eph. 2:10). But I don't want to leave us hopeless. At any point in our lives, we will be able to see how we still fall short of Christ - no matter how much we've grown.

That brings up one reason a steady diet of moralism is dangerous. It will ultimately lead us to despair. We will realize that we can't live out the rules perfectly no matter how hard we try. We will become hopelessly fixed upon ourselves rather than Jesus.

Similarly, that is why a steady diet of therapeutic messages are dangerous. It will lead us to wrong expectations. We will think that God has promised in this life what he has not promised. And, perhaps, we'll be upset with God for not doing what he "promised"? We will become hopeless, fixated upon what God didn't do for us. Does God care about us? Of course he does! We lose sight of the fact that a perfectly holy God made a way for us to be saved when we were still his enemies who deserved eternal punishment.

But the fruit on the healthy tree will grow. So, continue reading, hearing, and preaching the gospel to yourself and then go love your neighbor.

If the law has burdened you and burned you out, then look at the cross! If you feel crushing pressure because you're unable to perfectly live the Christian life, then look at the cross! If your finances aren't perfect, then look at the cross! If your relationships aren't perfect, then look at the cross! If you have not been a success, then look at the cross! If you're not fulfilled in life, then look at the cross! If you want to grow and become more loving and Christ-like, then look at the cross! If you are suffering and feel forgotten by God, then look at the cross! He has lived a perfect life for you already and given it to you. He has taken every failure of yours on himself with the cross. And he has overcome the grave. Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism is bad news. But the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is good news!

And, yes, one day we will live with him in his eternal kingdom where every financial, relational, and every other kind of problem will ultimately be removed. But you and I won't get there by how well we solve those problems in this life. We get there through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of our King.

Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism

This chart helps bring more clarity to each term.

Term	Definition
Moralistic	Live better, more righteously (i.e., be a good person)
Therapeutic	Get your problems in this life solved
Deism	God isn't really involved in your life but will intervene occasionally when you have a problem (Traditionally meant belief in a supreme being who doesn't intervene in this universe)

Application

This threat to the gospel is particularly difficult to combat. Why? Because it sounds good and matches many of our desires as Americans. Moreover, it is a threat that is coming from inside the church. It is becoming a significant threat as well. In fact, Al Mohler calls it the "greatest competitor to biblical Christianity" (Al Mohler, "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism--the New American Religion").

But we're not hopeless. We can let the Bible shape our minds, hearts, and lives. Don't believe the burdensome rules and false promises of Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism. Instead, center your life on Jesus and his gospel which will lead you into a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit.

Diagnosis:

• Does the message assume that people are sinful and need a Savior or people are generally good and just need to be improved?

• Am I hearing/reading law (something I should do) or gospel (something God did for me in Jesus)?

• Are they laws which are from God (found in the Bible)? Or is it human ideas and human laws which have been created?

• How does the law function as a mirror to show me my sinfulness and help me see my Savior?

• After we have faith in Jesus, how does the law function as a guide to help me live more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit?

Where can I learn more?

Bibliography

Books:

-Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 2, trans. Henry Beveridge. Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1845.

-Horton, Michael. Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008.

Articles (in addition to the two articles referenced in the blog see these for further study):

-See this article from GotQuestions

-See this article from Crossway