21 Contrasts: Commercial and Biblical Christianity
21 Contrasts between Commercial Christianity
and Biblical Christianity
After Pentecost (Acts 3 and later), Christ-followers were first involved in something called “the Way” (Acts 24:22). After the gospel progressed to the non-Jewish world with the planting of the church in Antioch, the world called Christ-followers “Christians” because they were made up of both Jews and Gentiles who exhibited a radical devotion to be like Christ (Acts 11:26).
Since Christianity was legalized by Emperor Constantine in the Edict of Milan (313 AD), Christianity went from being “the Way” to an institution that included nominal members who knew nothing regarding the radical faith of their early forbears. Since that time Christianity has become a popular, commercialized entity with only a remnant of followers with a biblically-based, radical commitment. (By “radical” I do not mean extreme or fanatical with odd anti-social and/or violent behavior; I mean the dictionary definition: “radical: affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough”.)
Unfortunately, what many today deem as radical was considered normal Christianity in the early church, and what is considered normal in the present church would be considered compromising to the early church.
The following are contrasts between commercial Christianity and biblical Christianity:
- Commercial Christian pastors preach culturally accommodating messages. Biblical Christian pastors preach culturally convicting messages (Acts 2:37-38; Acts 24:24-25).
- Commercial Christianity encourages adherence to the status quo. Biblical Christianity encourages reformation of the status quo (Acts 17:6).
- Commercial Christianity invites. Biblical Christianity proclaims (Acts 17:23).
- Commercial Christianity converts people to their churches. Biblical Christianity converts people to Jesus (John 1:12-13; Acts 8:35).
- Commercial Christianity encourages congregational membership. Biblical Christianity develops world-changing disciples (Acts 6:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Timothy 2:2).
- Commercial Christianity separates faith from public policy. Biblical Christianity applies the gospel to policy (Matthew 5:13-16).
- Commercial Christianity is defined by the state. Biblical Christianity redefines the state of affairs (Daniel 4:19-37; Acts 8:4-8).
- Commercial Christianity is complicit with the powers that be. Biblical Christianity casts down the ungodly powers that be (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
- Commercial Christianity is a sweet-smelling savor to those who are perishing. Biblical Christianity is a sweet-smelling savor to those who are being saved (Philippians 2:15-16).
- Commercial Christianity is not distinguishable from the world. Biblical Christianity lives in the world but is not of the world (John17:14-15).
- Commercial Christianity often uses biblical language for secular reasons. Biblical Christians often uses secular language for biblical reasons (1 Corinthians 9:20-23).
- Commercial Christianity is man-centered in its goals. Biblical Christianity is God-centered in its goals (Colossians 1:15-18).
- Commercial Christianity elicits praise only from people. Biblical Christianity brings favor from both God and people (Acts 2:47).
- Commercial Christianity leaves a temporal imprint. Biblical Christianity leaves an eternal imprint (Hebrews 11:4).
- Commercial Christianity leaves a legacy of compromise. Biblical Christianity leaves a legacy of sacrificial commitment (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
- Commercial Christianity attracts followers by compromising the truth. Biblical Christianity attracts followers through the promotion of the truth (Acts 2:40-41).
- Commercial Christianity is one step away from being irrelevant. Biblical Christianity is always in or near revival (Acts 9:31).
- Commercial Christianity accommodates a backslidden lifestyle. Biblical Christianity accommodates a lifestyle of faith, fidelity and freedom (John 8:31-36).
- Commercial Christianity emphasizes hyper-grace without moral obligations. Biblical Christianity preaches a radical grace that produces radical sanctification (Titus 2:11-12; Romans 8:3-4).
- Commercial Christianity brings about a commitment to Sunday services. Biblical Christianity brings about commitment to a life of service (John 13:13-27).
- Commercial Christianity invites people to make Jesus our personal Savior. Biblical Christianity admonishes people to surrender to Jesus as our Lord so He can save us (Romans 10:9-10).
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Republished with the kind permission of Joseph Mattera
Original source: Mattera Ministries International
 Joseph Mattera has been in full-time church ministry since 1980 and is currently the Presiding Bishop of Christ Covenant Coalition and Overseeing Bishop of Resurrection Church in New York. He is also serving as the United States Ambassador for the International Coalition of Apostles, and as one of the founding presiding bishops of the International Communion of Evangelical Churches. |
John 2:13-17 (NKJV)
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9 NLT)
The Gospel has been compromised. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4 NLT)
In some translations it’s stated: “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4 KJV)
In the King James translation the word “turn” in the Greek is metatithemi (G3346) to transfer, i.e. (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert:- carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.
The Gospel has been exchanged for another Gospel that lacks the power of God. Man looks at themselves and their coming short or how our brothers and sisters are coming short. This denies the power of The Lord from working. Grace is The Lords unmerited favor that is received by faith! Please remember: “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:17 NLT).
We are justified by faith Not by works. Once justified we receive the Grace to do great works. What did The Lord say to his disciples after he arose: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NLT).
We are able to do the work that pleases God once we receive his righteous and grace by faith. Please remember Paul’s warning: “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood — over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you — my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you” (Acts 20:28-31 NLT).