The Mindset Behind Secular Humanist Churches

Ever wonder why churches are, or become, secular in their theology? 

Look no further than Luke 22:2 and Mark 11:18:

“and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.”

The NASB translation puts it a bit stronger:

“The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.”

“The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.” Mark 11:18 NIV

“The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.” Mark 11:18 NASB

Notice that the chief priests and teachers—the religious and spiritual leaders of the day—were afraid of Jesus not because of Jesus, per se, but because of the people.

And this fear and dislike of what was transpiring was so desperate that they desired to, and were willing to, actually and literally kill Christ. They just wanted to make it all go away.

They did not like the notoriety and positive reception Jesus was getting from the people; the leaders were jealous, and also did not like the threat that Jesus posed to their legalisms and the fact that Christ was turning people away from those legalisms.

Mark 12:38 reveals these leaders’ pride and why Jesus would indeed elicit their hostile response:

“As He taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows houses and  for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’” Mark 12:38-40

It’s the same today: the liberal, and at-times downright secular trend of much church leadership today is to soft-pedal Christ and dilute and strip the Bible of authority so that, just like the Pharisees, they can make the whole Jesus thing simply go away.

That way, the people will follow their teachings instead of Christ’s—people will follow their secular, agnostic, universalist and human legalisms—and people will make them their authority, lavishing adoration on their intellectual prowess, which is often camouflaged as sincere “open-mindedness.”

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:13-15

Beware, says Christ, because the underlying impetus is self pride, not the love of Christ. 

It’s interesting that, just before Jesus gives his warning in the Mark verse quoted above, he takes a question from one of the teacher’s of the law:

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’

‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’” Mark 1228-31

The teachers of the law had no problem loving themselves without Christ. That is precisely the problem. Because, without the love of Christ, they could not love others as Christ would. They could only love others as they loved themselves—without Christ. 

And so, within that love of others was the sinister motive of having others love them—the Pharisees—as the Pharisees loved themselves. 

In other words, with Christ, we are to love the Lord Jesus Christ and God—who are one—first. Only then can we love ourself and others in the love of Christ. 

The Pharisees, with no love of Christ, are unable to love others in the love of Christ; they can only love others in the manner they love themselves, which is to put themselves first before others, and to love only those who love them back (read about the good Samaritan to find more proof of this). 

This mindset is prevalent today in religious institutions: from the church, to Christian universities and seminaries, and every other organization that has based itself on a secular humanist co-opting of Christ. 

They may celebrate Christ as a great teacher and role model, but will deny his Deity, literal death and resurrection, and His sole role in redemption from the spiritual death of sin.

This is why Jesus was so stern in alerting his disciples (and in alerting us today):

“Be careful,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6

and

“How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:11-12

and

“Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1

I would like to share a modern-day case in point to illustrate how this same hypocrisy exists today in churches that call themselves Christian:

I once asked a good friend if I, a born again Christian, would be welcome in his Unitarian church (Unitarianism, as with United Church of Christ, holding to the motto “all are welcome”). My friend paused a bit and after thinking it over, grudgingly admitted, “No, you would not.” 

I, a born again Christian, would not be welcome in his church. Hypocrisy? Of course it is. 

And yet secular humanist religious institutions get a free pass, never even remotely being associated with hypocrisy, while this term is self righteously hurled, everyday, by people as a reason against their ever reading the Bible or looking further into the person of Jesus Christ. Ironic that they are okay with turning a blind eye to secular humanist religious hypocrisy; willing, even, to join in. 

The problem is the same today as it was when Jesus walked the earth: I, as do all born again Christians, bring something fearful to the secular religious mindset: and that is Jesus Christ Himself and new life in Him alone. 

Some folks call that a legalism, Scripture calls it truth. 

And it is hypocrisy to say, as secular humanist agnostics do, that “all are welcome,” when in reality, the Biblical Christ and His followers are not.

Jesus brought truth to the people of the Pharisees’ day, and the leaders weren’t having any of it. 

But the people were. The people were having it! 

And those who had ears to hear and eyes to see found the peace of God through Christ while the scoffers continued on in blindness.

It’s the same today.

If a church is afraid of Christ, His Word, Redemption, Salvation and His people, it is because they love themselves and the appraisal of the world more than they love Jesus. 

We are to love them in the love of Christ, within the warning of Christ: to beware, to be careful, to be on our guard, so that the leven of the modern day Pharisees—those who set themselves up as spiritual movers and shakers—does not derail our seeking, our finding and our living out of truth. 

“I have given them your Word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As.you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:14-19 

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.” 

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:1-10

copyright Barb Harwood