There is a condition called scrupulosity which is an overconcern with all things religious. It is a subset of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
I came to the Church of Christ through people studying the Bible with me and saying, "You have all of this correct, but you weren't baptized for the forgiveness of sins, therefore, you're not saved." I wanted to be saved and be right with God, so I got baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
While the people I studied with had good intentions, they were part of a sect of the Churches of Christ that was/is considered cultic. After five years, I could no longer handle the pressure and deliberately went to another COC that was more grace-based. But I think the damage was already done. I deal with OCD/scrupulosity, and I think it's directly because of the fear-based Christianity that I was exposed to.
When you put the emphasis on "you must go through the five-step plan of salvation to be saved," and then emphasize, "you must do the five acts of worship on Sunday and only on Sunday in order to stay saved," then for those individuals susceptible to OCD, that can set up a lifetime of fear-based Christianity. Eventually, you get to the point where you can't handle it anymore.
They started life in the 1970's as the Crossroads Movement, which it what it was when I was baptized. They morphed into the Boston Movement in the mid-1980's and eventually became the International Churches of Christ.
I am thankful to see the truth coming out about this topic. I have heard so many people say "you must be careful talking about grace" to the point where they won't speak about it but they will hammer through all the do's and don'ts of good Christians to the point where most of the congregation thinks that works based salvation is what Christianity is all about. Questions like "I don't understand why 'good' people in the world cannot go to heaven" and statements like "when the books are opened you are going to be judged by every bad deed you ever committed" start coming out during classes. Rom 8 :5-13 talks about how dangerous it is to depend on your good works. Thank you for covering this topic.
Well said. All of this is the consequence of make our doctrines a reaction to false doctrine rather than just teaching what the text says in the first place.
Excellent thoughts, Jack. The way some of my brethren act reminds me of Galatians 4:17, "They wish to shut you out so that you will seek them." They shut you out of their circle of fellowship, and because, as you correctly say, they "keep the list" of acceptable beliefs and practices, you have to seek them to get the list. For them, it's not enough that you seek the Lord. THEY want to be sought. It's about power and control.
That's a great verse. To add to what you're saying, the almost proprietary form of hermeneutics some of them employ makes listeners even more dependent on them.
I grew up in a tradition that teaches one can walk away from God and give up their salvation. We too had the underlying, usually-unspoken concern that each sin was fatal. It seems to me that this misunderstanding is based in poor teaching about the atonement.
As I understand it today, Jesus paid the full penalty for every sin for every person for all time. That means it's not our sin that gets us into, or keeps us out of Heaven... so, when we sin, that sin is already paid for. That's pretty amazing grace.
That doesn't mean everyone's going to Heaven, of course... only that it's not sin that sends people to Hell. Sin has been paid for. Reconciliation is the missing element, as we read in 2 Corinthians 5. God is good.
Excellent article, Jack! You addressed the needed balance that is lacking in so many circles. Thank you for showing the blending of grace and truth without excluding one or the other.
I lead a ministry at church called Regeneration recovery ministry. It's all about Grace. Discipleship based recovery ministry that shares stories of grace every week.
This is spot on! The gospel changes everything. It hurts my heart so much to hear the steps of salvation popped off at the end of a gospel-less sermon. We need to hear the gospel every week. I think if I hear one more sermon about “the instrument”, I might just lose it. I never get tired of hearing about Jesus and his saving grace toward me.
There is a condition called scrupulosity which is an overconcern with all things religious. It is a subset of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
I came to the Church of Christ through people studying the Bible with me and saying, "You have all of this correct, but you weren't baptized for the forgiveness of sins, therefore, you're not saved." I wanted to be saved and be right with God, so I got baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
While the people I studied with had good intentions, they were part of a sect of the Churches of Christ that was/is considered cultic. After five years, I could no longer handle the pressure and deliberately went to another COC that was more grace-based. But I think the damage was already done. I deal with OCD/scrupulosity, and I think it's directly because of the fear-based Christianity that I was exposed to.
When you put the emphasis on "you must go through the five-step plan of salvation to be saved," and then emphasize, "you must do the five acts of worship on Sunday and only on Sunday in order to stay saved," then for those individuals susceptible to OCD, that can set up a lifetime of fear-based Christianity. Eventually, you get to the point where you can't handle it anymore.
Hi! Your post resonated with me. What is the sect?
They started life in the 1970's as the Crossroads Movement, which it what it was when I was baptized. They morphed into the Boston Movement in the mid-1980's and eventually became the International Churches of Christ.
I am thankful to see the truth coming out about this topic. I have heard so many people say "you must be careful talking about grace" to the point where they won't speak about it but they will hammer through all the do's and don'ts of good Christians to the point where most of the congregation thinks that works based salvation is what Christianity is all about. Questions like "I don't understand why 'good' people in the world cannot go to heaven" and statements like "when the books are opened you are going to be judged by every bad deed you ever committed" start coming out during classes. Rom 8 :5-13 talks about how dangerous it is to depend on your good works. Thank you for covering this topic.
Well said. All of this is the consequence of make our doctrines a reaction to false doctrine rather than just teaching what the text says in the first place.
Excellent thoughts, Jack. The way some of my brethren act reminds me of Galatians 4:17, "They wish to shut you out so that you will seek them." They shut you out of their circle of fellowship, and because, as you correctly say, they "keep the list" of acceptable beliefs and practices, you have to seek them to get the list. For them, it's not enough that you seek the Lord. THEY want to be sought. It's about power and control.
That's a great verse. To add to what you're saying, the almost proprietary form of hermeneutics some of them employ makes listeners even more dependent on them.
Well done, Jack.
I grew up in a tradition that teaches one can walk away from God and give up their salvation. We too had the underlying, usually-unspoken concern that each sin was fatal. It seems to me that this misunderstanding is based in poor teaching about the atonement.
As I understand it today, Jesus paid the full penalty for every sin for every person for all time. That means it's not our sin that gets us into, or keeps us out of Heaven... so, when we sin, that sin is already paid for. That's pretty amazing grace.
That doesn't mean everyone's going to Heaven, of course... only that it's not sin that sends people to Hell. Sin has been paid for. Reconciliation is the missing element, as we read in 2 Corinthians 5. God is good.
I think a lot of people believe His blood only flowed backward. The assurance that even future sins are paid for is so important.
Excellent article, Jack! You addressed the needed balance that is lacking in so many circles. Thank you for showing the blending of grace and truth without excluding one or the other.
I lead a ministry at church called Regeneration recovery ministry. It's all about Grace. Discipleship based recovery ministry that shares stories of grace every week.
Excellent!
Great article! Thank you so much.
This is spot on! The gospel changes everything. It hurts my heart so much to hear the steps of salvation popped off at the end of a gospel-less sermon. We need to hear the gospel every week. I think if I hear one more sermon about “the instrument”, I might just lose it. I never get tired of hearing about Jesus and his saving grace toward me.
I wrote an article on that very topic: https://tinaseward.substack.com/p/going-to-hell-for-using-instruments
I'm all about this. I do think works and sanctification are undervalued but I think your point is important too.