Liberal Christians II

2) The Theologically Ignorant – the anti-War crowd, the Christ came to bring peace crowd, and ‘high church’ members.

This second group of liberal Christians may or may not be politically ignorant. Their lack of understanding of scripture is the primary reason behind their support of the liberal agenda. Also, they may or may not support all of the agenda, but their votes advance all of it!

He three sub-categories of the typically theologically ignorant are neither all-inclusive nor mutually exclusive. By themselves, this is how they break down:

The Anti-War Christians: Many of these have seen the ravages of war firsthand, and know its horrors. Others are relying upon the honest word of those who have seen war’s effects upon people and take it to heart. These experiences or accounts of them have moved the person to oppose war on the legitimate grounds of the harm it does to others.

So where does theology come in here? The Old Testament is full of accounts of God sending the Israelites to war, and Revelation tells of wars to come in which some fight for the Lamb. That simple fact establishes that there are wars that are right and just. Anti-war Christians who oppose all war ignore God’s unchanging identity. The right cause of Christians is not to oppose all war, but to oppose unjust wars – which are, truthfully, most of them.

The “Christ came to bring peace” Christians: These have taken to heart that we are to be peacemakers, to have peace with one another, and that Christ brings everlasting peace. They know that we are to avoid divisions within the church when possible, and that Christ gives his peace to us.

What they fail to see is that Christ promised that he would give us peace, but not that we would have peace if we lived for him – that he came not to bring peace, but a sword (Matt 10:34) and division (Luke 12:51). He promises tribulation for Christians in John 16:33 with his promise of individual peace. Christ’s redemption was to give peace to the soul, not to humanity. Service in his name produces contention and persecution. There is much to be said for those who can serve Christ faithfully and cause little disturbance – but that is the call of only some. Boldness in the cause of Christ is not peaceful!

The ‘high church’: This disease is not limited to high churches (or ‘mainline denominations), because the problem is not a function of the denomination – it is a function of wrong priorities. However, the high churches are, as a group, suffering from decaying membership and are seeking to bring and or keep more people in the pews through increased liberalization of their doctrines. Chasing numbers will always lead to compromises in doctrine.

The churches who are accepting homosexual conduct as just, who are in favor of pre-birth infanticide, who do not support public displays of religious faith (in God We Trust, the Ten Commandments) and who do not support our military are trying not to chase people away. Think about it – what fence sitter is dissuaded by acceptance? If you want to attract people, a tried and true method is to tell them that everything they are doing is ok, demand nothing of them, and offer them forgiveness of sin without repentance. No sacrifice, no holiness, no taking up of their cross and dying to themselves daily.

The theologically ignorant are more culpable for their error than the politically ignorant – after all, there is not command to understand politics and political positions! Theological ignorance begins with a failure to conduct regular, personal Bible study on our own, and is fostered by the pulpit preachers who refuse to preach those parts of the Bible that my offend. Those preachers will have much to answer for when they stand before the throne – whether it is the Great White Throne or the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Next – the final group.