What do I mean when I say performative Christianity? Well, the word that we often see Jesus use to describe the kind of person I’m talking about is “hypocrite”. There are two ways we can define hypocrisy. One is saying to do something moral and then not doing it yourself. Then we have the type that we see Jesus refer to the most. When you do moral things for the wrong reasons.
In the Bible we see this in the Pharisees so often. Matthew 6:16-18 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” In this passage we see Jesus refer to hypocrites, but it’s not like they’re saying to fast and not fasting. They are fasting, but doing it so that others will see and praise them.
The point of two faced Christianity is to get praised for “being so good”, and that is quite the opposite of what Jesus teaches us to do. He often tells us to humble ourselves before others. The smart thing about two faced Christianity though, is that they seem like they are serving others and humbling themselves by giving to the poor or fasting, but they do it loudly to get praise from other people.