Gary highlights a few “non-negotiables” that he found online from a self-proclaimed “progressive pastor.”
Some have abused Jesus’ name and deeds in their attempts to bring about a “better society.” Jesus has been portrayed as a social revolutionary, the purveyor of a “liberation theology” which is little more than Karl Marx dressed in religious garb. Ronald H. Nash, a long-time professor of theology and philosophy and a vocal critic of this so-called liberation theology, wrote:
Liberation theologians have one thing right. Christians ought to be concerned about liberating people from poverty, tyranny and, of course, from sin.
The major problem with many liberation thinkers thus far is their uncritical acceptance of economic, political, and theological ideas that cut them off from beliefs, practices, and institutions that offer people genuine liberation.
Because of the way Christ’s redemptive message and work had been minimized by modern-day “liberationists” and previous social gospel advocates, Christians have been reluctant to preach a “social gospel” message in the name of Christ. Who can blame them from abandoning the social dimension of the gospel when social gospel advocate Walter Rauschenbusch wrote, “It is not a matter of getting individuals into heaven but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven.” Even so, why should Christians abandon an area of legitimate biblical concern just because others have perverted Jesus’ message, methods, and goals?
Every biblical doctrine has been perverted in some way. Salvation by grace through faith has become “easy believism” for some. A misunderstanding and misapplication of Romans 6:14 that we are “not under law, but under grace” has led to the “carnal Christian” heresy. A belief that Jesus’ Second Coming is near has led many Christians to be preoccupied with the next event in eschatological time while ignoring centuries of failed prophetic predictions. As Christians, we do not jettison biblical doctrines because they are misunderstood and misapplied by some. In the same way, we cannot abandon biblical social reform because of a similar abuse. The Bible considers outward reform to be, first, evidence of internal renewal (Matt. 7:15–23), and second, a beacon to those who are in darkness to see the light of the gospel of grace (Matt. 5:13–16; Luke 2:32). Failure to comply with the Bible’s admonitions for outward reform hinders an effective proclamation of the gospel.
Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths
Like the Bereans of Paul’s day (Acts 17:11), Christians should check the veracity of all opinions against the only reliable standard of authority that God has placed in our hands: the Bible. This may mean a change in belief systems for some. There is no novelty in this. God confronted Peter directly about the inclusion of Gentiles into the household of faith (10:9–16). Paul confronted Peter “to his face” on a similar matter (Gal. 2:11–14). There are times when we all need to be knocked off our horse of mistaken opinions (Acts 9:4). “Testing” is a biblical mandate (2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 4:1).
Buy NowGary highlights a few “non-negotiables” that he found online from a self-proclaimed “progressive pastor.” Apparently, even progressives have limits to their open-mindedness, but this pastor can’t appeal to the Bible he claims to believe, or to the “Jesus” he claims to follow, to bolster his own “progressive” agenda.