On social media last week a fellow Christian said he’d come to the conclusion “…..if you are a liberal Christian you are not a fully converted Christian……..” Based on my years of gospel proclamation, perhaps a Liberal Christian is not converted at all. Human reasoning seems to be their approach to things biblical, not divine revelation. The late H. Richard Niebuhr summed up their message: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross.” This, the apostle Paul referred to as a different gospel 2 Corinthians 11:4.
Yet such people have no qualms about using the Bible, quoting the words of God and the Lord Jesus to get their messages across – messages dripping with condemnation by the way, never messages of conviction, comfort and edification. Academically they can be quite intelligent but not so, emotionally. Their emotional intelligence leaves much to be desired. In other words, the capacity to be aware of, control, and express their emotions intelligently and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically is rather low when being confronted with reality. That’s why they have an affinity with the “protesting” Cultural Marxist, Communist-influenced crowd out there on the streets all over the world; kindred spirits, so to speak.
Currently I’m in the process of reading A J McClain’s superb book, “The Greatness of the Kingdom” and with regards the forthcoming wrath of God upon the world he says, “When the Day of the Lord comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger Isaiah 13:9, no nation on earth will escape its force.” I will punish the world for its evil Isaiah 13:11, “is the ultimatum of Jehovah,” he says. Brother McClain then reminded me again by saying, “The affliction of divine wrath will be directed primarily against two characteristic world sins: human pride and false religion. It makes perfect sense that this will be so, but with much of the church speaking about the world sins of abortion and same-sex marriage these days, how easy it can be to get sidetracked from this great truth.
Human pride and false religion. If Liberal Christianity is an expression of anything, it is those two sins. The other day I chimed in on a Facebook chat with regards abortion when reading a comment from a person claiming to be a Christian: “Jesus said nothing on the subject. God also said it is not your place to judge others. All are sinners. That is between God and them, no one else!” In reply to me correcting that lie from hell, came: “Roger, Jesus never said he was God. In fact he said otherwise. Furthermore, all of this is about picking and choosing the lines of the bible that suit a person’s prejudices. Judge not lest you be judged.” Do you see it? Not only do Liberal Christians accuse us of “picking and choosing the lines” but they are totally blinded to themselves doing it!
Normally I would let it go at that but I felt God’s redemption might come to this person some time down the track. I still think that even though the following replies came back: “Roger I am not worried about getting into heaven. God is not here just for Christians. Study all you like and you will still be blown away by how it really works. I am good enough, God said so.” Again: “Jesus told of his Father many times. I will believe Jesus over any human’s interpretation, thanks.” One more: “Roger, a new day is here. A relationship with God is a personal journey and one path is not like another’s. God is not here just for Christians. God bless you.” So there it is: Human pride and false religion – also spiritual deception and blindness! Much to pray for.
The comment, “I am not worried about getting into heaven,” is far from rare among the proud and falsely religious, even when they are dreadfully worried about it. They’ll say anything to save face now but that will all change in the Day of the Lord’s wrath after the church is gone from the earth. And should they live through those tribulation years of absolute horror without genuine repentance, they’ll face the Lord Jesus Himself for judgment. Another statement from brother McClain: “Human religions may indeed become very tolerant of one another, but they can never tolerate the one true faith of God.” I have found that is so for Liberal Christians as much as it is so for every false religion and cult known to man. Now wonder God, in the end, is intolerant of them.
God resists (opposes) the proud, but gives grace to the humble James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5. It is a proud person indeed who says they know God, yet refuses to submit to the one and only Book He’s given us to learn what we need to learn about Him, His will for us plus His nature and character. Yes, it is right to speak of such people as deceived and spiritually blind, but it is pride first and foremost that’s the greatest problem for them. We don’t read in Scripture of God resisting the deceived and spiritually blind. So when they speak of God they do so on their terms. It is no wonder blasphemy, pride and foolishness are included among, All these things that come from within and defile a man Mark 7:20-23.
As we know, most Liberal Christians are big on social justice. For them, social justice is the be all and end all! The only problem is they don’t look to God in any of it in spite of the Bible Scriptures they quote – or misquote! But they do look to the loudest voices in Cultural Marxism and Communism for support, totally oblivious to the reality that those loudest voices couldn’t care less about social justice. Social justice is only a platform for these devil-inspired voices to foist their one-world controlling agendas onto to rest of us. So Liberal Christians become useful idiots for this lot in the exact same way as they become useful idiots for the Christ-despising Muslims and their well-purposed plans to infiltrate and subjugate the world.
Speaking earlier of Liberal Christians lacking emotional intelligence, proof of such shows up in their failure to discriminate between people in genuine need and those who are nothing but users, losers, wastrels and parasites on society. Liberal Christians are a sucker for any sob story! That has to be so of course; when one doesn’t look to God for His word of wisdom, understanding and discernment, there’s no one else to look to; so sucked in, you will be! But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you Matthew 6:33. Amen! Topping the list of all these things added will be God Almighty Himself showing us how to dispense social justice in ways that bring honor to Him and dignity to the truly needy.
It is human reasoning from the Bible, not divine revelation that causes Liberal Christians to believe they speak for God when advocating ecumenical or interfaith or inter-religious relations with others. “We all worship the same God” and “There are many roads to heaven” are the mantras. Muslims don’t believe that; neither does God! So why do Muslims participate? Only one reason: Infiltrate to subjugate. Liberal Christians vehemently scoff at that of course, but how else can a person trapped by pride respond? They can’t argue against it from a rational viewpoint any more than they can a biblical viewpoint, so what else are they left with? I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me Isaiah 45:5.
So what is a Liberal Christian’s response to the biblical Jesus who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me John 14:6 ? It can be anything except a submission to Him in humility and repentance. The two mantras cited above will overrule for a start and if you keep challenging them with the Lord Jesus’ declaration, “That’s just your interpretation,” will be mantra number three! Does that mean we give up on them at that point? No. We might terminate the conversation at that point but not our prayer and intersession for them. We were all deceived, spiritually blind and bound by pride before we surrendered ourselves to Jesus. Many of us were slaves to false religion as well.
So how does one get converted? Admit that you’re helpless and hopeless apart from Jesus Christ. Humble yourself, surrender your life to Him and repent of your sin. Embrace Jesus as Lord not just Savior Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9. That’s the beginnings of conversion, the Holy Spirit will take it from there as you seek God through the Bible. Start with the Gospel of John. At some point you will soundly understand that your life is changing – you’re being transformed, the self-willed lifestyle no longer holds the attraction it once did for you. Jesus’ life within is now the attraction – and the power! The old ways of trying to make your life work are now repulsive to you. That’s the short answer, but it’s an accurate answer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new 2 Corinthians 5:17.
I always try to find a way to hook into what a Liberal Christian is saying, such as “Judge not that you not be judged.”
I agree with them on the verse and then say, “That’s a great verse to keep in mind, right?”
They, of course, are stuck and agree with me.
Next, I look up the chapter and verse on my phone and read the rest of the verses which relate to that particular verse to them. I then ask, “Do you agree with the rest of Jesus’ words on the subject?”
Sadly, they won’t usually agree with the rest of the verses, but they have heard the truth and had a conversation based on their terms.
God bless you and thanks for your words.
I love your approach, Larry. To shake hands making a friend is much better than stomping off making an enemy. Makes the second meeting much more pleasant too, should there be one. Thank you.