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“Are You a Liberal?”
ARE YOU A LIBERAL?
Richard Guill
Since the church of Christ today is being rent asunder by what is labeled as “liberalism,” it is not uncommon to hear a brother or sister referred to as “a liberal. It is often used to describe preachers, but is not limited to them. What is meant by the term “liberal?” Are you one? How would you or anyone else know? Let’s think about this.
The terms liberal, liberally, and liberality are used in the scriptures nine times, five times in the Old Testament and four times in the New Testament. In all of these usages the term refers to something desirable and good. Liberal and liberalism, as those terms are used today, generally are not references to something good and desirable. They usually refer to an attitude and philosophy in religion which is in conflict with the Word of God. Thus we turn to the dictionary to see what the word “liberal” means and then apply that meaning to see if we are “liberal.”
Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language, College Edition (1960) defines “liberal” as follows: “(1) originally, suitable for a free man; not restricted; (2) giving freely, generous; (3) large and plentiful, ample, abundant; (4) not restricted to the literal meaning; (5) tolerant of views differing from one’s own, broadminded. SYN. Liberal implies tolerance of others’ views as well as open-mindedness to ideas that challenge tradition, established institutions, etc.”
Now, let’s apply that definition to one’s religious views and practices.
1) NOT RESTRICTED. Liberals do not like to be restricted by anyone, God included. Their language will be filled with expressions that show their dislike for restrictions. They will talk about “not being under law, but grace,” or of God “not having a list of ‘shall nots’,” etc. They don’t want to tell anyone they are wrong about anything (except about them). Nor do they want anyone trying to restrict what they say or do. The desire for freedom from such restrictions is the heart of liberalism.
2) GIVING FREELY, GENEROUS. I would hope that every Christian would be liberal in this sense. Sadly however, this is not the case. Many who need to be liberal in their giving of time, energy and money to the Lord are not so. God bless those who are liberal in this manner. Just as some in the first century were commended for their liberality (2 Cor. 8:1-8), we need to commend some brethren today for being liberal in their giving. Unfortunately, it seems those who are liberal in their teaching and practice are also more liberal in their giving. I have noted that liberal churches often have higher contributions and pay their preachers more than “conservative” churches of the same size. However, you cannot atone for a liberal spirit in doctrine and practice with liberal giving.
3) LARGE AND PLENTIFUL, AMPLE, ABUNDANT. With a smile on my lips, I say that we have a great many brethren who are liberal in this sense, preaching brethren like myself included. Too many of us eat too much, exercise too little, and become “liberal” in this sense.
4) NOT RESTRICTED TO THE LITERAL MEANING. One of the marks of a liberal is to criticize the literal interpretation of the Scriptures and make passages which “restrict” them to be figurative or to give words a different meaning than their usual and common one. A good example of this is found in 2 John 9-11. The term “doctrine of Christ” obviously refers to the doctrine taught by Christ, either in person or through the apostles who were guided by the Holy Spirit. That entire body of doctrine is the New Testament and by its precepts and teachings each of us will one day be judged (John 12:48). However, since this passage teaches there must be unity based upon the common truth of that body of doctrine, and that anyone who will not abide in that doctrine does not have God and must not be fellowshipped by faithful brethren, the liberals advance the idea that all that is meant by the expression “doctrine of Christ” is the acknowledgment of the deity and person of Christ. Looking for an alternate meaning, or one that is figurative rather than literal, when the passage is clearly literal, is a sure identifying mark of a liberal.
5) TOLERANT OF VIEWS DIFFERING FROM ONE’S OWN, BROADMINDED. The predominant movement in religion in general is “broadmindedness.” Our liberal brethren feel right at home among the denominationalists of our day. They do not criticize the denominational person nor tell him he is wrong, and the denominational person loves him for that and does not tell the liberal member of the church of Christ that he is wrong either. They have swallowed the error of thinking they can “agree to disagree,” ignore doctrinal differences as long as there is a common acceptance of Christ as the Son of God, and have “unity in diversity.” The only one with which the liberal will not be tolerant and open-minded is the one who disagrees with him, whether it be a denominational person or a brother in Christ. The liberal loves to fellowship denominational people and other liberal brethren, and has only good things to say about and to them, but from his mouth comes the most scathing denunciations of those who dare to criticize what they teach and practice. Yet they claim to be the ones who really know what love is and to practice it toward all.
6) SYN. LIBERAL IMPLIES TOLERANCE OF OTHERS’ VIEWS as well as open-mindedness to ideas that challenge tradition, established institutions, etc. Have you not listened to nor read what the liberals are saying about our “traditions?” You would think the church of Christ is just a group of people who practice their religion because of tradition rather than having a God-given basis founded upon the solid rock of biblical truth. Such issues as instrumental music in worship, congregational singing, refusing women the role of leadership in the church, and a host of other such things are scoffed at as being only matters of tradition and not matters of faith. The church as Jesus designed it and as the apostles organized it, and as it has existed for centuries is not good enough for them. It is too out-dated for the modern “baby-boomers” who do not like its “traditionalism,” so they are determined to change it and alter it to the extent that it no longer resembles the church you read about in the Bible. What do they use as an excuse for doing so? They claim the scriptures do not contain a plan, a pattern, or a blue-print for the church and its worship. Thus we can change it to suit our whims and fancies and God will accept us and our changes.
Brethren, these are all marks of a liberal, but they are not the only ones. I hope that as you read these things and examine your own attitudes and life, that you discover you are liberal in the good sense, i.e., with your time, money, etc., but that you are not a liberal in doctrine and practice. Furthermore, considering what these brethren are doing to the Cause of Christ, I hope you not only resolve never to become a liberal yourself, but also not to lend them any encouragement or support in their pernicious ways lest you become a partaker of their sins (2 John 9-11).
Let us all, rather than simply abstaining and remaining silent, stand up and speak out and earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). To do less is to fail our Lord.
