It’s not new. In fact, this terminology has been around since about 2005. At that time, it was mostly used to describe what teenagers believed about God. Here’s the thing: its no longer just teens who believe the tenets of this false gospel. It’s become widespread in churches in Western Culture and around the world.
Here are its five most basic tenets:
- A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
- God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
- The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
- God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
- Good people go to heaven when they die.
Let’s start with the title:
- “Moralistic” implies that this is a human derived definition of God, not one that comes from the Bible. Moral values and tenets, which are man-made, are always subjective, meaning what’s right or wrong becomes the decision of every individual, apart from the Biblical absolutes. In other words, every man/woman becomes a law unto himself/herself with no accountability to God or His Word.
- “Therapeutic” is a word used to talk about “feelings.” If something is therapeutic it helps people “feel” better either physically or emotionally about themselves. Again, there is no reference to God’s Word or His commands. The popularity of this false gospel is founded upon people “feeling” good about themselves as they have created a god who is at their beck and call.
- “Deism” has been around for a very long time. In a nutshell, those who agree with this theology basically believe that God created everything and then stepped back and let it run all by itself. In other words, He is not active in His own creation. Deism is one of the key beliefs for those who try to blend the truth of God creating all things and the theory of evolution.
Let’s quickly examine these five beliefs of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD):
- A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
o First: It is not “a God.” He is THE God, the One and only (see Deut. 4:35; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Chron. 17:20; Isaiah 42:8; 45:5-6, 18; and many more passages).
- God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
o While there is truth in this statement, it is not ALL that God wants for humanity. In fact, it’s not the most important thing.
o His most important instruction, again, from His Word, is to believe and receive Jesus, the Christ, as your personal Savior in order to be saved from our sins (see Matt. 17:5; Luke 9:35; John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47; and many more passages).
o As far as “other world religions” claiming this statement, it started with God’s explicit instructions. The other religions have simply adopted it as their own.
- The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
o This is NOT a biblical truth.
o This is – the ultimate goal of life is living for Christ (Phil 3:8–14), and the ultimate model for life is Christ Himself. Phil 2:5-11 holds up Christ as the definitive pattern of self-emptying love.
o And so is this: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).
o This MTD tenet is all about a self-centered, self-seeking lifestyle, which is the furthest thing from biblical truth and instructions for living the Christian life.
- God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
o Really? God is ALWAYS involved in His creation and the lives of His people and even the lives of unbelievers
o Read: Genesis 45:5-8
o Read: Job chapters 38-42
o Read: Psalm 145:9; 147:8-ff.
o Read: Matt. 5:45; 10:29
o Read: Acts 14:17; 17:28; Eph. 1:11; Col. 1:17
o Read the Bible!
- Good people go to heaven when they die.
o This is part of the “Therapeutic” aspects of MTD. It makes people “feel” good.
o Nowhere in Scripture will you find proof that “Good people go to heaven when they die.”
o Read: Romans 3:10-18. This is the condition of all human beings apart from being born again from above; being regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit.
o Read: John 3:16-18; 6:40
o Read: Acts 10:43; Romans 4:5
o Read: Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is a dangerous heresy! None of the five major tenets are biblical. People’s eternal lives are at risk and, yet, this is what’s coming from countless pulpits every Sunday morning.
As a chaplain at a major medical center, I meet with many people throughout the week. I can tell you that MTD is being taught in churches and believed by those sitting in the congregations.
If you are in a church that puts forth this type of heresy, time to find another church --- one that teaches what God says and not some “feel good about yourself” nonsense.
What would the apostle Paul say about Moralistic Therapeutic Deism? “But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9).
By His Grace,
Gary T. Dromi, Ph.D., D. Min.
