The Liberals

Last week I was helping out a friend with some of his books that he was mailing back to Japan. He was an international student at Trinity and had just finished his final semester. He was excited to go back to Japan and begin his pastoral internship at the church his father started.

I was so happy for him. His father had passed away years ago, and he was finally able to finish Bible College, just like his dad.

As we were driving, we somehow got onto the conversation of distinguishing between liberals and conservatives.

In the US, 90% of the time when we talk about liberals and conservatives, we are referring to Republicans and Democrats. Many times we are trying to distinguish between those of us who might believe in "big" government or "small" government. Some of us use these terms to distinguish between those who have traditional values and those who might have "a more progressive view" of morality.

It's also common to use these terms in religious circles. The interesting thing is that the meaning of these words often become so ambiguous that no one really knows exactly what you mean when you say "conservative or a liberal."

We throw these terms around in Christianity as well. I see lay Christians labeling other believers liberals who drink and smoke or watch TV and go to the movie theater. Others may label certain theological persuasions, such as Calvinism or Arminianism as conservative or liberal.

Most of the time I see Christians equate those who are pro-choice with the label "liberal."

While I'm sure you can "make a case" for how you label "liberals" on most social issues, it might be a little harder to pinpoint a theological liberalism.

Theological liberals are very hard to spot because they cloak themselves with the title, "Christian", but in truth their "true colors" resemble little to nothing of Jesus. They fly flags of love and acceptance and secretly rip out pages of the Bible that don't fit into their worldview.

Theological liberals wear a very dangerous utility belt. At any given moment they might shoot you with a dart of rationalism, or spray you with a can of logic. They come versed in the art of "thesaurus smacking."  They usually carry a the dagger of philosophy that can cause very hurtful wounds if unattended.

While this utility belt is not evil in and of itself, it is missing the most important weapon of all, THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!

Some theological liberals do carry the sword of the spirit with them, but they either don't know how to use it, or they don't understand how it truly functions. When it comes to it's use, for some reason they ALWAYS twist it!

Col. 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

So, watch out for those who say there is no Hell. Watch out for those who say there is more than one way to God. Watch out for those who pick parts of Scripture to believe and pick parts to ignore. Watch out for those that add requirements to salvation. Watch out for those who conveniently skip over sin, death, and judgement. Watch out for those who are really out to promote themselves instead of Jesus!

Our Pastor has been preaching through the book of Acts (just scroll down past the Advent sermons and you will see them) these last couple of months. In Acts 8 we are introduced to a character known as Simon the Sorcerer.  The narrative explains that Simon was astonished at what the disciples could do, and seemed to even follow them until his true heart came to light when he tried to buy (with money) the power of receiving the Spirit. Hebrews 6 is a great example of this type of person...a person whose mind may have been opened to the works of Christ, but whose heart was never changed.

John Bunyan wrote about these men and women in his famous book, The Pilgrim's Progress (get a free copy here). When he is at the House of the Interpreter, he sees a "man in an iron cage." Here is the conversation they have:

Christian: What wast thou once?

Man: I was once a fair and flourishing Professor, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I once was, as I thought, fair for the Celestial City, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get thither.

Christian: Well, but what art thou now?

Man: I am now a man of Despair, and am shut up in it, in this Iron Cage. I cannot get out; O now I cannot.

Christian: But how camest thou in this condition?

Man: I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I tempted the Devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and he has left me; I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.

Christian: Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the Iron Cage of Despair?

Man: No, none at all.

False teachers, theological liberals, and heretics are everywhere, they even get their own TV shows on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowl around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

James 1:5-8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Be Edified!