The Untouchables?
One of my favourite post-apostolic writers is Irenaeus of Lyons, a bishop who wrote 5 volumes titled Against Heresies around 180 AD. He relates a story:
Around 300 BC, Ptolemy I Soter - a Macedonian who ruled Egypt - founded the Library of Alexandria. He wanted to include writings from the surrounding cultures and approached the Israelites to translate the Scriptures into Greek. But he was worried they would fudge the results by conspiring together. So seventy different men were tasked with individually translating, and then a comparison was made. According to the recount, the translations were so similar that “even the Gentiles present perceived that the Scriptures had been interpreted by the inspiration of God.” (St. Irenaeus. Against Heresies: Book III, Chapter 21.2, p. 279, Kindle Edition)
In fact, tradition states that today we call their translation The Septuagint. The first time I read this recount, I instantly recognised the modern equivalent. Because let’s face it, at their core, all the standard English translations of the Bible we have today are essentially the same. They carry the same message of salvation, the same character of God, the same love, the same Jesus, the same sin problem, and the same resurrection.
Every orthodox, modern translation carries the same essentials of the faith. It is why I love that the New Testament is written in a dead language, because it is like the original meaning is set in stone.
THE PIVOT
You’ve heard of the phrase “the untouchables”. Today we often use it to mean the people who get away with corruption. They are people who are above the law and never brought to justice. But did you know it doesn’t always have that meaning?
In Chicago during the prohibition era, the term The Untouchables was used by a journalist to describe a small group of policemen specifically recruited to fight The Mob because they were impervious to bribes. The Untouchables didn’t get away with corruption, they were incorruptible. The two meanings are completely inverted.
And I feel like it is a great metaphor for parts of Christianity today. We have the original, untouchable, incorruptible foundation of the Christian faith: God’s nature and love, Jesus and the gospel, sin and salvation, and the resurrection.
But we seem to have traded them for “the untouchables”: institutions and leaders who think they are beyond criticism or punishment.
“THE UNTOUCHABLES”
Of course the requirements to be “untouchable” varies by denomination. Perhaps they are considered God’s anointed; or they wear the right clothes, use the right translation and sing the right songs. Maybe they have the right training; the right family legacy; or the gift of prophesy. Regardless, the outcome is the usually the same, once someone becomes “untouchable” they can get away with murder:
Sexual immorality? It’s a momentary fleshly weakness.
Embezzlement? God is blessing.
No Accountability? Obey them that have the rule over you.
Spiritual manipulation? Touch not God’s anointed.
Silencing victims? Think of the church’s testimony.
Child Abuse? He would never.
They may even become so emboldened they will change the actual foundation. And this is where we discover just how deep the inversion goes. Because when a church’s “untouchable” touches God’s untouchables, most churches let it slide.
Please, please, sit with that thought. I’ll repeat it to help. When a church’s “untouchable” touches God’s untouchables, most churches let it slide.
In fact, they may even slide right into the definition of a theological cult or a false church:
A group that claims to be Christian but significantly distorts, denies or adds to the core orthodox doctrines of historical Christianity.
THE DISTORTIONS
Peter talks of those that use liberty as a cloak for maliciousness (1 Peter 2:16) and I think it is an apt picture for many of today’s “untouchables”. They take the liberty contained in the gospel, and use it to cover up their own malicious actions. There are numerous warnings about these kind of people: Jesus calls them false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing, Paul calls them men of corrupt minds, proud, heretics and grievous wolves, Peter calls them false teachers, and John calls them antichrist: against Christ (Matthew 7:15, 1 Timothy 6:5, 2 Timothy 3:1, Acts 20:29, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:18).
Most distortions centre on altering the gospel. Today we can think of the Prosperity Gospel, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, Performance Based Christianity (legalism), Cheap Grace, and Christian Nationalism as some examples, but distorting the gospel has been occurring since Christ died and rose again (Matthew 28:11-15).
A distorted gospel rarely occurs in isolation. Leaders may set themselves up as having authority over Christ, they may expect unwavering loyalty, and any perceived betrayals are treated as betrayals of God. They may enforce strict expectations about finances and time. Or, they may cherry pick and twist verses, forbid discussions and questions, and encourage separation from the rest of Christianity by fostering an ‘us vs them’ narrative.
Paul gives a very stark warning to anyone who teaches another gospel: let them be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9).
THE DENIALS
Denial comes in two forms, firstly it may be intellectual: core truths that are simply rejected. We are warned about multiple aspects of the foundation that will be forsaken by false teachers. Some deny the complete physical nature of the resurrection, or say the resurrection has been and gone, others deny aspects of Jesus: that he is the Christ, the son of God, that he came in the flesh, or they simply oppose Jesus himself (1 Corinthians 15:12-17, 2 Timothy 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 4:2-3, 4:15, 2 Peter 2:1). And we are told to be on the lookout for people who claim to have the Father without the Son, or say they are without sin (1 John 1:8, 2:23).
Then there is the second form of denial: how they live. We are warned about those who appear to live a godly life but reject the saving power of the gospel (2 Timothy 3:5). We are also told there will be some who deny God by their works and lack of love for others (Titus 1:16, 1 John 4:6-8).
Because if we don’t live the truth, we deny the truth.
The scriptures are very clear about how to respond to those who deny any part of the foundation - have nothing to do with them, mark them, and avoid them (1 Timothy 6:5, Romans 16:17).
THE ADDITIONS
Finally, the foundation can’t be changed by adding to it. No-one can just decide some extra rules or “doctrines” are now untouchable.
The Scriptures repeatedly and clearly warn us about additions to the foundation. We are cautioned very specifically about the coming deception forbidding marriage and foods (1 Timothy 4:1-3). We are warned about the introduction of fables or fiction, the commandments of men that will turn people from the truth, those that will try to make us bondage to the law rather than allowing us the liberty we have in Christ, and about the addition of philosophy, delusions and the traditions of men (2 Timothy 4:3-4, Titus 1:14, Galatians 2:4, Colossians 2:8).
We are even told to ignore rules about not touching, tasting or handling, based on human commandments (Colossians 2:20-23). Because though they might seem to contain wisdom and humility, they don’t actually stop fleshly indulgence.
A church can’t just decide music styles are now part of the foundation, or clothing, bible translations, speaking in tongues, healings and miracles, new prophesies, or even tithing. We don’t define the foundation, God does.
And we can’t use additions to separate from others who don’t agree. We can’t ostracise a church that changes its music or eschatology, but shrug when our own changes the gospel. (I had front row seats to that play out in real time.)
By that point we’ve reached peak hypocrisy. And personally, I find hypocrisy really scary, because its really easy to see someone else’s but not our own. Paul warns that those that speak lies in hypocrisy have their conscience seared (1 Timothy 4:2).
It really doesn’t matter what denomination you’re in, the foundation is still the same. It’s set in stone so to speak. It’s unchangeable. God already gave us his incorruptible, untouchable foundation, it’s all there in His word, no matter what translation you read.
We have the original untouchables of the faith.
Please, don’t trade them for a modern “untouchable” - of any kind.
Armed with the Word,
