WHY DO THE
LIBERALS AMONG US STAY?
If the church of Christ is just another denomination beset with as many sins,
shortcomings, failures, and uninformed views as the leftist/progressive members
of it say that it is why do they not leave it for “a different denomination,”
a better and more perfect one, or at least one that is more in keeping with
their views?
If loyal churches of Christ are behind the times because they refuse to adopt
instrumental music in the worship of the church, utilize women preachers, admit
to being a denomination, or accept as members those who have not been immersed
for the remission of sins (or some biblically synonymous reason), etc. why do
the leftists stay?
If the church is out of step on matters pertaining to race (though I cannot
name a single congregation anywhere that does not welcome people of all races,
with many of them having a racially integrated leadership of elders, deacons,
and ministers), is out of step with reference to the Old Testament and its relation
to the New Testament, is out of step concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage,
is out of step regarding sexual identity and same-sex relationships, etc. why
do the progressives stay?
I will tell you why they stay. They have succeeded in capturing some of the
larger, more affluent congregations in various parts of the country. They have
succeeded in capturing several of the once faithful Christian universities.
They will not be satisfied until they have shipwrecked the faith (I Timothy
1:18-20) of as many other Christians, congregations, and colleges as they can.
They stay because they see themselves as the “saviors” of the church
of Christ. They see the church as narrow and sectarian and they are out to reform
it. Some of the preachers among them can write of nothing other than why the
churches ought to have instrumental music and women preachers, why they should
stop insisting on the necessity of immersion for the remission of sins, and
why they should acknowledge that the church is a denomination! They are ashamed
of the church in its allegiance to the simple New Testament way, and they desire
to change it to make it more in step with the culture around it and the denominational
churches that men have established.
They contend that all who believe in Jesus, regardless of whether they have
been immersed for the remission of sin and regardless of doctrinal differences
and worship practice differences, are members of the one body of Christ. They
seem to think that no false doctrines or practices have arisen since the close
of the New Testament, and that the New Testament in its first century context
does not address any false doctrines or unscriptural practices that may possibly
exist today. They seem to think that the Bible should not be used to address
and refute any doctrine or practice that may be considered contrary to the Scriptures.
One of their number, in responding to another who was giving book, chapter,
and verse in refutation of a particular doctrine, condescendingly asked, “Are
you reading the Bible or just quoting verses?” They do not like book,
chapter, and verse preaching, and often charge those who do that kind of preaching
with “proof-texting.” They think that they and they alone know how
to correctly read the Bible!
Their view of how the Scriptures are to be handled allows for wide doctrinal
differences and beliefs and for great variety of worship practices. They “read”
the Bible in such a way as for all who profess faith in Christ (regardless of
doctrine and practice) to be acceptable to God, and foolishly assert that all
who believe in Jesus are already united in Him, in spite of their many obvious
differences! And these are only some of the more “visible” issues
that the progressives are championing.
Their doctrine is contrary to the sound doctrine of the New Testament. The “faith”
they espouse is not the “one faith” of the New Testament for which
loyal Christians are to earnestly contend (Ephesians 4:5; Philippians 1:27-28;
Jude 3). As one highly respected leader among God’s faithful people said
to me not long ago (speaking of the liberals among us), “Their ‘faith’
is a different faith than ours.” They parade as churches of Christ but
they are not churches of the New Testament faith and order. The sooner the rest
of us recognize them for who they are the better off we will be (see Romans
16:17-18). Most informed brethren have already done so.
To the credit and integrity of progressives and liberals of the past, they went
to the digressive Christian Church or left to join the Disciples of Christ,
the Methodists, the Episcopalians, the Catholics, or various other denominational
churches. I have a whole lot more respect for them than I do for the lack of
integrity characteristic of those who now stay, “worm” their way
into congregations, gatherings of preachers, Bible departments of Christian
schools and universities, and other venues, and corrupt the faith of others,
“beguiling unstable souls” (II Peter 2:14). The liberals and leftists
in the church today do not have the kind of integrity that will permit them
to leave.
By Hugh Fulford September 17, 2019
Return to the General Articles page
Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /