I am convinced I have OCD to some degree! If you come to my house when I am not expecting it, you will probably see a mess. I promise though, I know where everything is and can locate anything fairly quick. (For the most part.) My computer however is very organized! I love folders! I have folders with one document because it did not fit in any other folder. I also have a need to complete series. I have not started a new series on Netflix lately because I know my need to finish it. In college, I would stay up way to late watching Netflix. Part of it was because I did enjoy the series. But it was more than just that for me. Going to bed and having three episodes left in the series could not happen. I literally would not sleep till I finished the season. It does not affect every aspect of my life, but enough to the point it is very annoying to say the least!
I have had to learn how to live with it in my spiritual life as well. The Christian faith is not neatly organized; it’s messy! It can be very uncomfortable living within the tensions of the Christian faith. What do I mean by this? Too often we have the tendency to use either/or where scripture teaches both/and. I only bring this up because lately I have had several conversations about one of these tensions. Which is most important; orthodoxy or orthopraxy?
First, if you are not familiar with the terminology, orthodoxy is doctrine, teaching, the discussion of what you believe and why. Orthopraxy is the practice of what you believe, living it out. One source compared the two by saying orthodoxy is valuing correct belief over correct practice and orthopraxy is valuing correct practice over correct belief.
In our religious circles, this topic is fiercely debated. Christians tend to either gravitate toward one side or the other. Some argue, if we teach others the right things they will do the right things. Others argue, if you model and have them do the right things, they will be more open to learning the right things. This is an age-old debate. If you teach the right things, will they do the right things? Or, if you do the right things, will they ask questions and then learn the right things?
Even outside Christianity, in our culture there is widespread belief is good people go to heaven. In other words, orthopraxy is more important than orthodoxy. What about you, which side do you gravitate to?
It is not one or the other, it is both. As Christians, nothing is more important than knowing what we believe and why. We must be solid in our orthodoxy. Satan is crafty and knows scripture better than we do! In Matthew 4, Jesus has just been baptized by John and is goes into the wilderness to fast and spend time with His Father. After 40 days, Satan comes to tempt Jesus. Satan quotes scripture and it is clear he knows what he is doing. He takes parts here and there of scripture and tries to deceive Jesus, and Satan does the same to us! We must do more than read God’s Word, we must study it. Speaking about God’s law , Deuteronomy 11:19 says, “Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”
At the same time, nothing is more important than practicing and living out our faith. Our orthopraxy must be sincere. Countless time throughout Jesus’ ministry, He condemned the religious leaders for knowing the right thing and not doing it. Time and time again Jesus and the other New Testament writers emphasize the fruit the comes from our faith, the outward expression of an inward relationship with Christ. James 1:27 says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”
This also points out the importance of orthodoxy. We must know God’s standard to refuse to let the world corrupt us.
One does not lead to the other. We must intentionally and daily strive to do both. We must intentionally read and study and grow in depth and knowledge while living out our faith every single day.