LIBERAL THEOLOGY THE DEATH OF CHRISTIANITY?

1. LIBERAL THEOLOGY THE DEATH OF CHRISTIANITY? 1 Corinthians 2:5; Romans 1:21-22

2. Within the Christian realm today, there is monumental angst about the ever diminishing respect, voice and power of Christianity in this present day world and about the rapidly dwindling membership of most congregations.

3. The loss seems to be a result of people switching congregations, and in many cases even denominations; denominational hierarchies that no longer posses a common theological point of view; members who lack commitment, dedication or motivation; and from people dropping out of Christianity altogether. What is causing all of this? (Confusion and ignorance of the truth)

4. It starts with the fact that, for the most part, Christianity is not a democracy. It is a theocracy, supposedly and hopefully with God at its head, and a human hierarchy reaching down through various levels of authority to the laity, who have little or no input regarding the people occupying that hierarchy and the policies and theology the hierarchy proclaims.

5. It was the intent of the original apostles and the early church fathers that the ever increasing levels of authority be filled by people with an ever increasing grasp of the Gospels and Christian doctrine, as we find them laid out in the Bible.

6. It was intended that these people continually display the demeanour of a humble servant, as modeled by Jesus Christ throughout His ministry. Serving Christ through serving the laity.

7. The first sense Christians of today have of the failure of that original intent appears in Revelation 2:6&14-15. The DEEDS of the Nicolaitans and the Baalamites are the gathering of power by the hierarchy, for the benefit of the hierarchy; and the leading astray of the followers of Christ through false teaching.

8. I have a detailed expansion on this subject in another commentary: "The Nicolaitons @ Revelation 2:6 & 4" if you need it. Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

9. This corruption continued on and expanded until it triggered The Reformation movement led by Martin Luther, John Calvin and many others. This resulted in the formation of the Protestant denominations, which started off according to the original intent.

10. By the early nineteenth century, there began to be clearly seen, a slide into the former corruption within these denominations.

11. We can get some sense of the seriousness of the responsibility with which a minister and those above him/her are charged, from the ordination charge to ministers being ordained, as found in the Anglican Church's Book Of Common Prayer:

12. "Have always therefore printed in your remembrance, how great a charge is committed to your charge. For they are the sheep of Christ, which He bought with His death, and for whom He shed His blood. The Church and Congregation whom you must serve, is His spouse and His body.

13. And if it should happen that the same Church, or any member thereof, has to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the punishment that will ensue.

14. Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of your ministry towards the children of God, towards the spouse of the body of Christ; and see that you never cease your labour, your care and diligence, until you have done all that lieth in you, according to your bounden duty, to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your charge,

15. unto that agreement in the faith and the knowledge of God, and to the ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place left among you, either for error in religion or for viciousness in life.“

16. This clearly indicates just who the laity are: the spouse and body of Christ, bought with His blood. It is the responsibility of the hierarchy and the minister to ENSURE that Christ's treasures are not led astray or stolen, on their watch, especially by any act of negligence or error on their part.

17. According to Isaiah 24:5, Jeremiah 8:4-17 & 23:1-2, & 25:34-35, Ezekiel 13:3,8-9,22-23, Matthew 23:23-25,27-28,33, Ephesians 5:6, Hebrews 6:4-6 and James 3:1; those who are leaders and teachers within the church will be judged to a much higher standard, by God, than the laity.

18. This is "the greatness of the punishment that will ensue". The Bible frequently refers to false teachers as the anti-Christ. Being an ordained minister or Christian teacher just compounds the condemnation.

19. Jesus frequently spoke warnings of "the wolf in sheep's clothing" (eg: Matthew 7:15-16). In no instance is this statement more apt that in reference to an ordained minister, especially in the vestments of his/her office, who teaches against the Bible. (I have often wondered if this refers to the "viciousness in life" spoken of, above.

20. What would be more vicious than a hungry wolf, particularly a wolf in sheep's clothing?)

21. It cannot be stressed often enough that the laity have an obligation, unto Christ, to have substantial knowledge of the Bible, in order to be aware of what Christian doctrine is or is not (John 15:22).

22. In Galatians 1:8-9, Paul demands discernment so that: "even if we or any angel from Heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." Then there are John's words at Revelation 22:18-19.

23. The laity too often assume that the denominational hierarchy, a Christian teacher or a minister can be trusted to lead them to Christ but, as expressed above, Christ knew that would not be the case. Another Biblical prophesy repeatedly and accurately fulfilled to the tiniest detail.

24. Most denominations, and especially the "mainstream" denominations, have huge hierarchies that operate as dictatorial entities that determine the theology of the denomination. Should a significant number of these leaders turn their backs on the revelation of the Bible, they can lead the entire denomination away from God.

25. When such people refuse to be governed by the Spirit and Word of God, they will err in things pertaining to God and they will teach their errors to the unknowing in their denomination.

26. As a consequence, ALL (the miss-leaders and the miss-led) are at risk of losing their salvation, knowingly or unknowingly, because all Christians are required to have sufficient knowledge of the scripture so as to recognize false teachings when they are encountered.

27. Those that can spot false teachings are also usually aware of such passages as 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4 and 2 John 9-11 and are frequently evicted from the congregation and/or the denomination for their efforts (more on this in a commentary entitled "Peacemakers"). Many of the remaining God fearing Christians just leave.

28. The Anglican church, since its "liberalization", has recently come to see entire congregations abandon their buildings, often a building which has served as a church home for some families for many generations, rather than to abandon Jesus.

29. The United Church of Canada underwent liberalization some 25 years before the Anglicans, and their membership has dwindled by over 60%. Many once prosperous UCC congregations are now tiny mission churches funded by the higher levels of the organization.

30. Many former UCC church buildings stand empty or have been sold off. That is the future of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is the future of the Presbyterian Church now that they have stepped into the abyss of liberalism.

31. It will be the future of the Lutheran Church as well, once they work up the nerve to step into the abyss of liberalism, upon the edge of which they are presently teetering. Where is the appropriate fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:7) in all of this?

32. Those that follow the Bible are referred to as the conservative, traditional, orthodox, fundamentalist or evangelical Christians who are referred to as the varying degrees of the Christian "center" or "right".

33. These people follow the Spirit and Word of God, as revealed in the Bible, even when it leaves them uncomfortable. They understand that this is how God calls His chosen ones to be and they understand that they are required to conform to God's Will.

34. What remains are those who follow liberal thinking, and they are often referred to as the Christian "left". If you read this commentary carefully you will come to discover that liberalism is not the classical Christianity of our mothers and fathers and of the last two thousand years.

35. It is, in fact, another religion entirely and it stands opposed to traditional Christianity on almost every important theological issue. As both traditional and liberal theologies exist side by side in most denominations, it is not difficult to see why these denominations are tearing themselves apart, why membership is dwindling and many people are dropping out of Christianity altogether.

36. In many instances these departures, either as an individual, or as a congregation which is becoming more common, are a way to clearly express dissatisfaction with the hierarchies' change of direction concerning the inerrancy of the Bible, homosexuality, the feminization of God, the various obligations of being a Christian, the ever increasing loss of appropriate Trinitarian language and the truth regarding the bodily resurrection of Christ.

37. These departures are in keeping with the scripture's call to confront false teachings and when the false teachers cannot be forced out then God's "loyal remnant" (1 Kings 19:18) MUST leave what is now Satan's house and re-establish themselves elsewhere.

38. The Christian left does not accept the Bible as being the definitive Word of God in any substantial way. This allows them to pick and choose what they like, what supports their philosophies, or what they are comfortable with, and then discard the remainder.

39. This leaves them in conflict with the words of Jesus Christ as expressed in Matthew 9:16-17; John 3:36; John 5:23; John 10:35; John 15:22; John 17:20-21. To put it briefly and bluntly: Jesus has declared that the scripture cannot be broken, nor broken into;

40. the scripture cannot be added to; that it WILL NOT change until He returns; and that He has been here and He has spoken so there is no excuse for not knowing these things. Anyone who defies Jesus does so at their own risk. In doing so they have just chosen Him for an enemy.... Where is the proper fear of the LORD in this?

41. A liberal arts education is based on a curriculum, and its associated teachers, that places a premium of questions and curiosity rather than on the accuracy and factuality of the answers, in the event that answers are even required. This system rewards the questions and the curiosity rather than the learning of facts and the adoption of the conformity these facts require.

42. Many such people are highly artistic, non-conformist types. The courses also appeal to those who lack either the intellectual capacity, or the ambition, required for the acquisition of credentials in the more traditional academic educational systems. Many graduates, including those with PhD s in this field, often find work driving taxi, flipping burgers and delivering parcels because the curriculum has no practical application in the job market of the real world.

43. Liberal philosophy is the thinking based on the results of a liberal arts education. This leads to the questioning of life's issues without the need to provide answers or to deal in facts.

44. This form of thinking usually deals in the individual's suppositions, feelings and impressions rather than on the realities of facts and the realities of life in this world. Such philosophy often completely ignores recorded history and scientific facts.

45. A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy, a university graduate in this field. It IS possible for someone with an extensive education in a traditional academic subject to possess a PhD in their subject but their credibility is INDIVIDUALLY determined by how they deal with facts, reality and life.

46. Liberal theology is liberal philosophy applied to religion in general and Christianity in particular. As noted, a PhD in this field is not uncommon but, again, the credibility of the holder is INDIVIDUALLY determined by how they deal with facts, recorded history, reality and life.

47. By the time an individual has spent the many years in university required to accumulate these various credentials, they emerge from the experience assuming that they are then "scholars”. Sadly, the unknowing to whom they come in contact with, also assume that they are scholars.

48. The Bible has much to say on the wisdom of men and none of it is complimentary. The Bible also contains comments about scholars. The term scholar is never used in a positive manner and the word "abomination" is often used as a descriptor.

49. In Luke 16:15 we witness Jesus Himself doing just that. Malachi 2:7-9 is another version of that same message. Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Malachi 2:7-9 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

50. Liberal theology and philosophy deal heavily in metaphysics and ontology (see“ Big Words“ commentary). These actions are the attempts of such people to superimpose the structure of their own minds, their feelings, their systems of thought, upon reality and, ultimately, upon God and the divinity of God.