God as a Behaviorist

Behaviorist methods of psychology were largely adopted in parenting, education, and other fields after its theoretical development in the modern era. Unfortunately, these approaches still linger, even though their theoretical basis has been found sorely lacking. (Personally, I think the greatest inadequacy of behaviorism is that it lacks any understanding of grace).

Western Evangelical Christianity has largely rejected the theories of behaviorism, for very good reason. And within secular academics, the cognitive revolution itself debunked a lot of behaviorism. Good.

So why then does so much of western evangelical christianity adopt a vision of God as the ultimate behaviorist? Hmmm. Oh, the irony.

On one Christian site, I read many great arguments against behaviorism, such as:

"Behaviorism is manipulative. It seeks not merely to understand human behavior, but to predict and control it. From his theories, Skinner developed the idea of “shaping.” By controlling rewards and punishments, you can shape the behavior of another person."

Hello? Doesn't this describe a lot of what is preached in the western world about God? Stuff like, "If you do right, God will bring everything together for you in life." And, "If you do wrong, God will punish you in life." (Job's friends had the same idea, so maybe it's not all behaviorism's fault).

And what about our evangelism? We've distorted the "good news" into terrible news. The traditional western evangelical approach is a behaviorist god. "If you choose to agree with what I'm telling you about God right now, that if you believe in Jesus and pray with me, He will reward you with heaven. But if you don't, He will punish you with hell. So it's your own damn fault if you don't accept what I'm telling you." That has behaviorism written all over it! Terribly manipulative in that it is fear-based, not grace-based. There is no grace in that "good" news. Only a behaviorist god.

The worst part about behaviorism: it's completely divorced from relationship, divorced from love, and focused solely on outward behavior - completely ignoring the internal heart issues. It's straight out of the Pharisees' handbook.

What did Jesus say about them? Oh, that's right - he called them "white-washed tombs." And they believed in the right God! They were the chosen, the righteous ones. They had their right behavior down pat. And then this crazy God-incarnate named Jesus comes along and says something ridiculous like, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:20) Impossible!

Well, it's impossible if you believe that righteousness is derived from your behaviors, or your decisions. Even your decision to accept Christ as your atonement. Because if that's true, then you saved yourself. Let's not put that much stock in man. Let's put our stock in Christ, when He said, "It is finished" and took that last breath... and then was raised... and so were we... and then ascended... and so did we. All of humanity. (1 Cor. 15:22) That's the good news!

"...God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their tresspasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation" 2 Cor. 5:19. Now that's great news!

The behaviorist god rewards us with heaven, punishes us with hell. The God in Christ rewards us with Himself, taking us out of the hell of alienation, and bringing us into His kingdom: the love, peace, and joy of His very nature. That relationship absolutely changes the heart. Christ is a "life-giving spirit"!(1 Cor 15:45) Today is eternity, as is tomorrow, and next year, and ten years from now... infinite intimacy with our Father... Heaven!