Do You Practice “Etsy” Religion…Handcrafted Christianity?
“Yes, the Day is coming when people will notice The One Who Made Them, take a long hard look at The Holy of Israel. They’ll lose interest in all the stuff they’ve made—altars and monuments and rituals, their homemade, handmade religion—however impressive it is.” Isaiah 17:7-8 (MSG)
I read these verses in the Message translation a while back, and immediately what came to mind as I read the words “homemade, handmade religion” was “It’s an “Etsy” religion.” I realized that people still do this…just not in the form of making an actual, physical idol or god to worship.
Handcrafted Christianity
Current culture makes, customizes, and handcrafts their own religion and faith practices, picking and choosing what they want to believe and practice. It’s custom-made for each individual person. No more black and white. No more absolute truth. Relativity abounds. Most certainly we live in an “Etsy” religion culture full of customized & handcrafted Christianity.
For those not familiar with Etsy, it’s an online marketplace where one can go to purchase things that are handcrafted, vintage, custom and/or unique. Hence why I say “Etsy” religion…to use it as an analogy for how many people handcraft, customize and attempt to mold their own unique religion that works for them.
**Disclaimer: To clarify–This is in no way disparaging to Etsy, just merely an analogy. I’m actually a huge fan of Etsy and many things handcrafted, vintage, custom and unique. However, this is NOT how we should participate in our relationship with God.
“Etsy” Religion is no religion at all, handcrafted gods are no god at all
Scripture is pretty clear on creating our own god and on customizing and handcrafting our own faith…
Jeremiah 1:16 (MSG)
“I’ll pronounce my judgment on the people of Judah for walking out on me—what a terrible thing to do!—And courting other gods with their offerings, worshiping as gods sticks they’d carved, stones they’d painted.”
Jeremiah 2:26-28 (MSG)
“Just as a thief is chagrined, but only when caught, so the people of Israel are chagrined, Caught along with their kings and princes, their priests and prophets. They walk up to a tree and say, ‘My father!’ They pick up a stone and say, ‘My mother! You bore me!’ All I ever see of them is their backsides. They never look me in the face. But when things go badly, they don’t hesitate to come running, calling out, ‘Get a move on! Save us!’ Why not go to your handcrafted gods you’re so fond of? Rouse them. Let them save you from your bad times. You’ve got more gods, Judah, than you know what to do with.”
Isaiah 44:6-20 (MSG)
“God, King of Israel, your Redeemer, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, says: “I’m first, I’m last, and everything in between. I’m the only God there is. Who compares with me? Speak up. See if you measure up. From the beginning, who else has always announced what’s coming? So what is coming next? Anybody want to venture a try?
Don’t be afraid, and don’t worry: Haven’t I always kept you informed, told you what was going on?
You’re my eyewitnesses: Have you ever come across a God, a real God, other than me? There’s no Rock like me that I know of.”
All those who make no-god idols don’t amount to a thing, and what they work so hard at making is nothing. Their little puppet-gods see nothing and know nothing—they’re total embarrassments! Who would bother making gods that can’t do anything, that can’t “god”? Watch all the no-god worshipers hide their faces in shame. Watch the no-god makers slink off humiliated when their idols fail them. Get them out here in the open. Make them face God-reality.
The blacksmith makes his no-god, works it over in his forge, hammering it on his anvil—such hard work! He works away, fatigued with hunger and thirst.
The woodworker draws up plans for his no-god, traces it on a block of wood. He shapes it with chisels and planes into human shape—a beautiful woman, a handsome man, ready to be placed in a chapel. He first cuts down a cedar, or maybe picks out a pine or oak, and lets it grow strong in the forest, nourished by the rain. Then it can serve a double purpose: Part he uses as firewood for keeping warm and baking bread; from the other part he makes a god that he worships—carves it into a god shape and prays before it.
With half he makes a fire to warm himself and barbecue his supper. He eats his fill and sits back satisfied with his stomach full and his feet warmed by the fire: “Ah, this is the life.” And he still has half left for a god, made to his personal design—a handy, convenient no-god to worship whenever so inclined. Whenever the need strikes him he prays to it, “Save me. You’re my god.”
Pretty stupid, wouldn’t you say? Don’t they have eyes in their heads? Are their brains working at all? Doesn’t it occur to them to say, “Half of this tree I used for firewood: I baked bread, roasted meat, and enjoyed a good meal. And now I’ve used the rest to make an abominable no-god. Here I am praying to a stick of wood!”
This lover of emptiness, of nothing, is so out of touch with reality, so far gone, that he can’t even look at what he’s doing, can’t even look at the no-god stick of wood in his hand and say, ‘This is crazy.’”
Isaiah 44:10 (NLT)
“Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit?”
Acts 19:26 (NLT)
“But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!”
Habakkuk 2:18 (NLT)
“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk!”
True Christianity cannot be handcrafted—true Christianity is not an “Etsy” religion
Christianity is NOT a menu. Christianity is NOT Burger King…You can’t have it your way! We can’t pick and choose from this or that which principles we will follow. We can’t cut what we don’t like out of the Bible.
For example, this approach won’t work with God…
“OK, let’s see…I’ll have the Salvation and Abundant Life with a side of fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control—Galatians 5:22-23). Oh, and I’ll take the Matthew 7:1–Don’t Judge Others, but hold the Matthew 7:13 with that “narrow gate–there’s only one way to heaven stuff”. That really doesn’t seem very fair. Also, I don’t really care for the whole abstaining from sexual sins stuff and taking care of my body stuff, so leave that off too. Finally, if you have any freebies and extra blessings, I’ll take all those too.”
St. Augustine quote
When we reject part of God and/or his Word, we reject ALL of him. I once heard somebody say that nobody would say that a parent has his or her child under control if the child only obeys when and if they want. Therefore by the same logic, nobody would say that a person is under God’s authority if he or she ignores God when what God wants is inconvenient.
St. Augustine once said, “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”
You can’t pick and choose—you can’t ride the fence
“You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others.” James 2:10 (MSG)
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
“The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.” Proverbs 28:18 (HCSB)
“I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NLT)
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-22
“But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” Revelation 3:16 (NLT)
Transform NOT Conform
Many self-professed Christians cave to cultural pressures and norms in order to conform to what is currently socially acceptable. They ride the fence and compromise, picking and choosing their “Etsy” religion practices.
We cannot just follow what is convenient and/or socially and cultural acceptable. It’s not okay to conform to the world and copy its behavior and customs. Consequently, we MUST let God transform us to HIS will and learn to think and behave in line with him, even when it’s unpopular and difficult.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT)
“Find out what pleases the Lord…Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:10, 17 (NIV)
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” 1 John 2:15 (NLT)
“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” James 4:4 (NLT)
“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.” 1 Peter 1:14 (NLT)
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10 (NLT)
Turn from worthless things
“Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or deliver you; they are worthless.” 1 Samuel 12:21 (HCSB)
“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.” Acts 14:15 (NLT)
“Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain? Does it fall from the sky by itself? No, you are the one, O LORD our God! Only you can do such things. So we will wait for you to help us.” Jeremiah 14:22 (NLT)
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:6-10 (NLT)
There is only one true God and only one true way TO Him—through Jesus Christ, His Son
“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NLT)
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)
“Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” John 10:9 (NLT)
“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25 (NLT)
“And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.” 1 John 5:20 (NLT)
“Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 2:23 (NLT)
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)
God will be patient and kind in correcting you as you transform to his will
Now all that being said…God loves you and will meet you where you are, but he will not let you stay there. If you struggle with parts of scripture, that’s okay! Bring your doubts and questions to God. He can handle them, and he will answer you. Just expect to be corrected ever-so-gently in areas where your thoughts, beliefs, activities, and practices may not line up with scripture. This is also a lifelong process. He who started a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ’s return.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
Take Some Practical Steps to Avoid an “Etsy” Religion:
-
First, accept God and His Word (the Bible) as your ultimate authority.
-
Secondly, accept ALL of it, don’t attempt to pick and choose what you’ll follow or disregard.
-
Then, allow God to transform the way to think—Avoid conforming to the world’s views, opinions, and philosophies. After that, be okay with believing some unpopular and socially-unacceptable things.
-
Above all, realize that there is only ONE true God and ONE way to him (Jesus=way). Picking and choosing any outside ways will not honor him, nor be honored BY him.
-
Finally, know that it’s okay to have doubts and questions, but always defer to God and trust him first and foremost. God always has your best interest and future in mind. He only wants to do you good and not harm you. He loves you more than anyone ever could.
Has God gently corrected you about any “Etsy” religion tendencies? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are rude, disrespectful, sarcastic, offensive, or off-topic. By posting on this site you agree to my Comment Policy.
P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy receiving new posts delivered right to your inbox each week! Sign up here.
If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward! Share this post via the sharing links below. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
