Orthopraxy – Doing the correct or right thing.

Orthodoxy – Having the correct religious doctrine.

One of our readers was challenging my view that having a Biblical Christian worldview was more important than doing the right thing for others, from a secular or universalist perspective.

The assumption was that one has to choose between conforming to Biblical teachings, which eventually includes calling out sin (orthodoxy), vs. allowing people to “love their neighbor” and not worry about sin (orthopraxy). His point was that behavior that is accepted by our culture (his view of correct practice or action) should trump outdated Biblical doctrine.

Another reader had a similar take, using different terms when he offered…

“It sounds like you think process is more important than product. I personally think that God looks upon “good works” done by Hindus as favorably as “good works” done by Christians.”

Again, the secular point is that the “product” (i.e. being a good person), should be more important to God than one’s religion, which is based on having gone through the “process” of being saved through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

What is the Question?

The question is… is Orthodoxy and Process a prerequisite or subordinate to Orthopraxy and the Product? Said differently, if one cares for his neighbor, doesn’t God see that as more important than one’s theology?

My Answer

From the perspective of the one receiving the benefit or those who view the behavior (i.e. the neighbor needing help), “the product is more important than the process.” 

But for the Biblical Christian, who has already been through the process  (seeker, saved, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, in the process of being sanctified and then glorified at the end of earthly life), by default, the order is reversed. The believer has already assumed orthodoxy (established Christian doctrine).  So, in that respect, the process, as just described in the parentheses, becomes a prerequisite for the product and orthopraxy. 

The process is made significantly more important from a Biblical Christian worldview perspective because the Hindu can only offer the product (i.e. loving his neighbor), while the believer, who has gone through the process (salvation) and has received the Holy Spirit, can then offer eternal life in Heaven as well as the earthly product (loving one’s neighbor). 

The Bible makes it clear that correct doctrine (orthodoxy) will lead to correct behavior (orthopraxy). However, the order is important because there are times when what appears to be correct behavior, as offered by today’s culture, is out of sync with correct doctrine.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words

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