For some time I have been referring to the religion of man as "Humianity." In fact, I believe that all religions can be placed into one of two simple categories: Biblical Christianity has the sovereign Creator as its God, and divine revelation as its final authority; Humianity chooses man as its god, and its final authority is human reason.

 Each of these two religions has a clear set of theological views. While the doctrines of Biblical Christianity may be easy to identify, there are those who feel we must struggle to identify the doctrines of Humianity. That is not so. In our opening statement we have said that there are two key doctrines of man-centered theology:

 (1) its proponents have man as their god; (2) the folly of man's reason as their authority. From here the task is easy. For example, how do Biblical Christianity and Humianity differ regarding the creation of this world? One holds to a six- day, literal, act of God as recorded in Genesis. The other holds to the theory of evolution.

 The problem with these categories is not that doctrines are unclear, but that there are so many professing Christians in the middle. This means that some "evangelical" or "fundamental" minis tries borrow from both categories of religion. In the end, however, any admixture is still Humianity and this position is more confusing and dangerous than that of a liberal or an apostate.

 In First Corinthians 2:14, the one who has chosen the religion of man is called a "natural man." He is the man of flesh, described in Ephesians 2:1 as being "dead in trespasses and sins." In the first three chapters of Romans, he could be the ren egade sinner, the respectable sinner or the reli gious sinner. None of that makes a difference because whether he is violent, or is humanly good, or is religious, his god is still man.

 The opposite of this "natural man" is the "spiritual man." He is identified in I Corinthians and in chapters five and six of Galatians. While this person is perfect in God, he will fail in brief expressions of those things that mark the man of flesh. These lapses are neither his way of life nor his pattern. One can expect from this person a consistency of spiritual strength and Christ- likeness. You can easily identify him as a Biblical Christian.

Our next category is a bit more difficult. The enemy of our soul meant for this category to be confusing. I have never fathomed why some students do not like the word "carnal," but for their sake, I will leave this word alone. This third state is so harmful because it causes people who are looking for Biblical Christianity to stumble. This "middle man" is born of the spirit of God, but has so much religion of man in him that it is hard to tell whose side he is on.

 The "natural man" is the man of flesh. This world is his heaven, and his hell lies beyond physical death. His time, energy, possessions, friends, activity and even his body are dedicated to Humianity, the religion of man. This category includes both the great and small religions and cults of all kinds because they all are derived from the worship of man and human reason. This individual lives in and for the flesh.

In opposition to this natural man is the "spiritual man." He lives in the flesh, butfor the spirit. This world is the only hell that he will know, and heaven waits for him beyond the rapture or the grave. The spiritual man even knows something of the experience of heavenly life here. His time, energy, possessions, friends, activity and even his physical body are dedicated to spiritual living. This category is true Biblical Christianity.

The man in the "middle" is another matter. He is born of the spirit, but lives with flesh in the way. He lives in the flesh and, unfortunately, much of the time lives for the flesh. Certainly heaven will be his, but it may come more quickly than he plans (Rom. 8:13; I John 5:16). This world is more of hell for him than it ought to be. His energy, posses sions, friends, activity and even his body are dedicated to himself, his flesh. With all his religion, he has missed God's will for his life, and those around him are confused because though he claims to be Christ-centered, he is really man-centered. Terrible things follow this life that borrows from the religion of man. Those who are lost-but- religious, including many who are members of fundamental churches, are unable to see their perilous condition because of these "middle men" who "love this present world." The testi mony of Biblical Christianity is hindered herein.

Hurnianity, the religion of man, has its greatest triumph, not in the blasphemer, but in those who tie the religion of man to some form of Christian ity. This tool of the apostasy is widespread, and the spiritual man perceives its devices clearly. Evangelical ecumenism, which includes ecumeni cal evangelism, evangelical feminism, Promise Keepers, marketing the church, contemporary

 Christian music and more, are examples of this awful compromise. All of these movements depend deeply upon the religion of man while naming Jesus as Lord. Their doctrine is the doctrine of man and the doctrine of devils. This is why the devotees of Humianity hate sound doctrine so much. Such movements are not Biblical Christianity. They are Humianity with its man-centered focus.

In practical matters, Humianity reigns in the churches that are practicing pragmatism in position and practice. For example, Titus 2:3 speaks of aged women who are false accusers. The word indicates that they are devilish or like the devil in their accusations. A couple of years ago I observed an aged woman given over to the religion of man and acting out the habits of her father, the devil, as she served him. Her Humianity was particularly offensive since she claimed that she was a believer, but gave no evidence of it.

What is the answer to this challenge, dear reader? "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (II Cor. 13:5). If you "know that you have eternal life," then ask, in the light of the love of our blessed Saviour, "why would I want to look, act, or smell like the flesh?" Is what you have Biblical Christianity of the "blessed/happy man," or is it an admixture of the religion of man? The latter leaves us as powerless stumbling blocks. I encourage you both to let your lives contrast the spirit of this age evidenced in the religion of man and to cease to tolerate the ad mixture in our lives, our homes and our churches.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).

Dr. Clay Nuttall is the Director of Project 21 at Piedmont Bible College

 

Return to Main Page
Return to Bible Truth Home Page