In the March 31 episode of CBS’s Face the Nation, Roman Catholic Cardinal Gregory Walton of Washington DC spoke of President Joe Biden as a “cafeteria Catholic.” The Cardinal explained to the audience that cafeteria Catholics pick and choose which church teachings to believe and practice based on expediency and preference. Walton hastened to add that Mr. Biden is “sincere,” which to my mind strains credulity. For I can’t square flagrant disobedience and direct contradiction of the Church’s clear teaching with sincerity. What stands out in the cafeteria Catholic mentality is the lack of a spirit of obedience. They want the advantages of being known as good Catholics without actually having to live like one. And so, they add the sin of hypocrisy to the sin of disobedience. A “sincere” cafeteria Catholic is an oxymoron, like a square circle or married bachelor.
Cafeteria Protestants join their Catholic counterparts in the same spirit of selectivity and hypocrisy. Cafeteria Protestants treat the Bible the way cafeteria Catholics treat the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church. For them, Jesus’s teaching can be summed up in two commandments: (1) don’t judge the choices of others, and (2) do what makes you happy. They quietly pass over Jesus’s teaching forbidding divorce, lust, and greed. They soften Jesus’s warnings about the narrow and the broad ways. They practice injustice, abortion, fornication, and adultery. The only cross they bear is the one the wear around their necks. Of the spirit of obedience, they know nothing. Sincerity means purity of heart. You can’t be a sincere hypocrite!
In the Bible, especially in the New Testament, the test of sincerity is your willingness to suffer for the faith. Faithfulness unto death is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus. Willingness to confess Christ as Lord before hostile audiences is the proof of faith. The words of Peter expose and condemn in the clearest terms the hypocrisy of “cafeteria” faith in both its Catholic and Protestant forms:
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:13-21).
“Alert and fully sober,” “obedient children,” “holy,” “reverent fear”? These are not terms that come to mind when I think of cafeteria Christians. Like all hypocrites, cafeteria Catholics and cafeteria Protestants possess no real consciousness of God, that is, of the “Father who judges each person’s work impartially.” They seek only “to be seen by others” as virtuous. Jesus says of them, “Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5-6).
ifaqtheology 
Dear Ron!
I don’t think that the ‘Nearly Infallible Version’ transliteration (NIV) does this passage full justice as you have used it. Students should look at the many other translations of this particular entreatment sometimes titled “Be Holy. Even as God is holy”.
I must make this point, as you’ve kind of used it (with respect) as a ‘shouty’ diatribe. And i know that isn’t your full intention? Was it?
The key here is impartiality. And the next lines unquoted ask us, warn us, entreat us, to “love one and other wholly with a pure heart, just as Christ does”. Brethren or sister.
Of course God is impartial. And our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the “little dogs finding the crumbs from his table”. Who has not been a little dog?
As mistaken as we all are, as wrong as we all can be, as human as we are, i must dress you down that God does not require us to use His words against Him. You will find that “reverent fear” is NOT in this translation, it is either reverence or fear, that actually means “Holy Fear” as in Isaiah 11. Piety.
“To act in piety and love of God, and to live the time left to you with grace and peace (your earthly pilgrimmage), by helping anyone you see in need”. And not for any agenda, or praise, but for the quiet love of God.
Plus, the term “sober” in this scripture is a metaphorical, girded loins reference to being “pure in spirit”,”on the ball” and dare i say it “woke”…
I love you Ron, and i don’t like you bashing other children of God, however misguided they may be. Help them, love them, care for them and the Spirit may bing them to their senses.
Best wishes
JS
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Okay. I suppose if I were writing a tight exegetical study I would work from the Greek text. But it’s a blog post written for ordinary believers, who for the most part rely on English translations. As for “bashing,” don’t you think that is a bit strong (kind of like bashing) to describe my critique of cafeteria Christians? By this standard, there is a lot of bashing in the teaching of Jesus and the apostolic writings. I suppose the Cardinal was bashing President Biden? Anyway, that was not my intention.
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Hi Ron.
Thanks for replying.
My new english English (Cambridge Edn) dictionary has three definitions for “bashing”. My intended meaning was the first given; “a strong criticism”. Second is ” queer bashing” , third is obs. “a violent outburst”.
How words change eh?
Apologies for the confusion. For myself though, to be accused of hypocrisy by another christian is far worse than a punch in the head… much worse.
Lastly, the term “reverent fear” frustrates me somewhat. Catholics revere the virgin Mary, the jews revered the bull while Moses was up the mountain, i revere Homers Iliad, and my dog reveres burgers. (And Rons blog.)
Christians cannot revere God. If they do, i’d like one to tell me what exactly they hold up in high esteem that isn’t a graven image or idol? Or indeed, explain to me what the action of revering gives back to God that He needs, or doesn’t already possess?
Sorry for that word.
JS
Your blog has covered some awe-inspiring topics of great practical use. Thanks again.
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“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6, KJV).
Thanks my friend!
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