(By Joseph Mattera) I have heard it said “balance is the key to life.” I agree with that statement, as I have found that any truth taken to the extreme (that ignores other aspects related to its subject) is unbalanced and can be harmful. This is also why Paul the apostle said that he teaches “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), which involves a full presentation of truth. The following are some of the hyper-teachings that have been harmful to the body of Christ, in my opinion:

1. Hyper-Grace

Grace is typically defined as unmerited favor given to humans by God. This is a satisfactory definition albeit not comprehensive. Since Scripture teaches us that we are saved by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), those in the hyper-grace camp believe and teach that once a person is saved, they can live any way they want and still achieve the benefits of salvation. They need a full dose of the book of James to counter-balance their hyper-grace!


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2. Hyper-Holiness

Those in this camp put an overemphasis on outward holiness to the point that they believe a person has to dress a certain way in order to have right standing with God. (For example, women should not cut their hair or wear pants, makeup or jewelry.) Their emphasis on outward conformity to strict standards makes them more like Pharisees than Christians. They need to meditate on Matthew 23 to understand God’s view that inward holiness is a greater priority than outward holiness. CONTINUE