Cult Watch: The Enemy Within – Progressive Christians!

            Your friendly neighborhood Christian may be friendly and even brotherly but may not be a Christian after all. He is a greater threat to the salvation of a sincere Christian.

            He is the Progressive Christian or a Liberal Christian – the cunning wolf in Christian spiritual attire.

            Progressive or Liberal Christianity cannot be ignored. We cannot label them as non-threatening. They are real and they pose a terrifying challenge to our spiritual wellness.

            Who are progressive Christians? A progressive Christian (or about to be one) would utter the following comments (thanks to Alisa Childers’ blog), which disagree with the core tenets of Historic Christianity:¹

1.      Sin doesn't separate us from God—we are made in His image and He called us good....

2.      God didn't actually require a sacrifice for our sins—the first Christians picked up on the pagan practice of animal sacrifice and told the Jesus story in similar terms....

3.      We don't really need to preach the gospel—we just need to show love by bringing justice to the oppressed and provision to the needy...

4.      God wouldn't punish sinners—He is love....

5.      Sure, the Bible is authoritative—but we've misunderstood it for the first 2,000 years of church history...

6.      It's not our job to talk to anyone about sin—it's our job to just love them....

7.      The resurrection of Jesus doesn't have to be factual to speak truth....

8.  The church's historic position on sexuality is archaic and needs to be updated within a modern framework...

9.    The idea of a literal hell is offensive to non-Christians and needs to be re-interpreted....

10.  That Bible verse doesn't resonate with me....

11.  I thought homosexuality was a sin until I met and befriended some gay people....

12.  I just can’t believe Jesus would send good people to hell....

13.  I disagree with the Apostle Paul on that issue...

            Whenever we are in a discussion with our Christian friends, we should red-flag these comments if our friend utters one or more of them because that should remind us that he/she could be a progressive Christian.

            Another way to identify a liberal or a progressive Christian is by observing his loyalties, which would oppose the Historic Christian and align with the Progressive worldview. A progressive Christian would typically believe that:

            1. Jesus is not the only way to heaven.

            2. Jesus will save all mankind (Universalism or Inclusivism).

            3. Jesus will not send people to hell or there is no hell or another variant of this.

            4. LGBTQ practices are legitimate. {They will subsequently approve ‘Polyamory’ (the practice of engaging in multiple romantic (and typically sexual) relationships, with the consent of all the people involved.) and even Pedophilia!}

            5. Abortion is legit (pro-choice).  

            These are a few examples.

            In essence, the progressive or liberal Christians would hold to a lowered view of the Bible, which means: [Emphasis Mine].²

A. REINTERPRET THE ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES OF HISTORIC CHRISTIANITY: Progressivism challenges core doctrines of Christian orthodoxy. The Scriptures teach that Jesus was crucified to atone for our sins, but progressives tend to argue that Jesus’ death was merely a martyrdom. The Scriptures claim that Jesus is divine, but often progressives only emphasize the humanity of Jesus–unitarianism grew up with Western liberalism. The sinfulness of humanity is generally downplayed by progressives, who tend to think that all people are basically good and not really in need of salvation.

B. HISTORIC TERMS ARE REDEFINED: Progressives often are beholden to the ideology of science and to the most recent sentiments of the age, so they constantly reinterpret the Scriptures to keep up with Western sensibilities.

Often progressives use biblical language, but they shift its meaning: the resurrection becomes a metaphor instead of a historic fact, holiness becomes liturgy instead of sexual purity, and the like. Same language, but new meanings.

A big one is “love.” If we allow a 21st century definition of love to be imported back into historic, biblical Christianity, we may end up with something quite different from what the Scriptures mean. “Love” in the Bible means putting the needs of others first, but “love” in 21st century thought means accepting or embracing whatever a person wants you to accept and embrace.

That’s not biblical love.

C. THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE SHIFTS FROM SIN AND REDEMPTION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE: Justice is a central concern of the Scriptures, and it should be a central concern for disciples of Jesus. But “social justice” is a relatively new term — one not found in the Bible. It’s a fine term if it means treating people fairly, fighting racism, standing for life, and the like.

But often the term “social justice” means little more than political ideology that is largely disconnected from biblical justice. Progressives tend to focus on social justice to the exclusion of the Gospel. The Gospel is not about God making paradise of this world, but God raising us into a new heaven and earth. When social justice replaces the Gospel, you won’t get the Gospel, but you also won’t get justice.

            How dangerous is Progressive Christianity? Would a progressive Christian go to hell? This is a significant question. (If progressive Christianity does not have any significant eternal ramifications, then why are we wasting our time striving to refute it?)

            Progressive Christianity believes that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. They do not believe that the Bible is the only book that Christians should believe and follow. They believe in the other religious books as if they are just as valid as the Bible. Sin and redemption are not the essential ingredients to the gospel. Social justice is the crux of their gospel. Progressive Christians believe that other religions are just as valid as Christianity is.

            This version of Christianity is diluted, warped, and distorted. It removes a Christian away from the Bible.

            This is not Christianity.

            Those who believe and subscribe to progressive Christianity may call themselves Christians, but they are not Christians in the biblical sense.

            The final argument for suggesting hell as an eternal destination for progressive Christians is this:

            Progressive or Liberal Christianity alludes to the notion that Christians can sin freely and without any guilt. They are not compelled to believe in Jesus or the Bible.

            Progressive Christianity espouses the notion that people can abuse God until their very last breath, yet not be hellbound. For instance, Richard Dawkins, in his book ‘God Delusion’ abused God as, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

            If Dawkins (if he is to be an Atheist or a Christian - hypothetically speaking) continues to abuse God until his very last breath, progressive Christians would believe that Dawkins will go to heaven or at the very minimum be annihilated (post his death), once and for all.

            A religion that teaches or even allude to the notion that one can abuse God, yet go to heaven, is a false religion that worships a mythical god!

            These beliefs of the progressives are against the core tenets of Historic Christianity.

            So sincere Christians, beware of the enemy within – the progressives!

Endnotes:

¹https://www.alisachilders.com/blog/5-signs-your-church-might-be-heading-toward-progressive-christianity

²https://christianchronicle.org/is-progressive-christianity-dangerous/

Websites last accessed on 11^th November 2020.

Christmas! For which Jesus Christ?

We are in midst of a Christmas evolution. This evolution is to disconnect Christ from Christmas. Some societies have replaced “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays.”

The secular world is not the only threat to Christmas. There is a threat to the Christian faith from within Christianity. This threat will not impact those firmly entrenched, but it will adversely influence those growing in the Christian faith - our children - the future of Christianity. If we remain unaware of this threat, we will not act to prevent but will place our future into a greater turmoil.

These threats are largely variants or replicas of heresies that have been in existence. Postmodernism is not a recent threat, but as Ravi Zacharias said in one of his sermons, postmodernism is found as early as in Genesis 3:1, “…did God actually say…?” As a logical outflow of this thought, a postmodern Christian thinker claims it is unnecessary to believe in the Bible as the sole and final authority for all matters of man’s spiritual life.

As affirmed, the non-Christians are not the only entity that dispute Historic Christianity. Christian seminaries are actively buying into postmodern thought and selling it to their students – our pastors and elders. Many Christian seminaries are scurrying to discard God from Christianity - the Bible is relegated to the status of a mere book, the miracles are said to be mythical and nonsensical, and a Cosmic Christ archetype that indulges in ‘deep ecumenism’ to embrace all religions and the likes is actively taught.

The question that looms large over us is this: Can we, as serious Christians, reasonably and confidently respond to these truthless threats with the timeless truths found in the Scripture? Every Christian ought to be a theologian (cf. Ephesians 4:13). Every Christian ought to provide reasons for his hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15). Every Christian ought to destroy arguments against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Christianity is not a part-time, once-a-week activity that takes place in the precincts of the church and that once-a-week cell group activity. Attending church and bible study fellowships are indeed beneficial. But Christianity cannot be limited to these two once-a-week activities. Similarly, Christians cannot think that our mainline activity is only to provide for ourselves and our families. It is a sin to neglect our family. But it’s a greater sin to discard God or relegate HIM to mediocrity or obscurity.

A reasonable goal for a Christian is to spend two hours a day praying, reading, and studying the Bible and commentaries that interpret the Bible. Christians practicing tithing will affirm that spending two hours a day at the feet of the Lord falls short of the one-tenth mark!

An average believer of other active proselytizing (evangelizing) faiths such as Islam, Church of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses know our Bible more than an average Christian. How proficient are we in clarifying the apparent contradictions in the Bible that our non-christian friend throws at us? We may not readily be able to clarify every doubt our unbelieving friend seeks from us. But in this internet era, we should know the online resources that offer clarity to these apparent contradictions (e.g. www.carm.org or www.gotquestions.org). Or we have to educate ourselves through our investments in resources (books, podcasts, smartphone apps etc.) that offer clarity. Our investments indicate our heart’s disposition. 

Are we theologians? Can we confidently provide a reason for our hope in Christ? Can we reasonably dialogue with those who preach against the tenets of Historic Christianity (the tenets are in my blog: http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2013/10/do-all-people-go-to-heaven-reasoning.html)? If we aren’t, then we better be.

Importantly, every Christian ought to:

(1) Identify the errors in the opposing worldview.

(2) Provide clarity to every honest question asked, especially by our young people.

As a result of more and more seminaries teaching liberal theology, ¹ heresies under the guise of rationality and progressivity attack and will inundate us. Those who believe and broadcast the tenets of Historic Christianity are branded as fundamentalists, arrogant, exclusivists etc. These developments should not deter us.

Some heresies are direct (e.g. Bible is not to be believed as a sole authority for man’s life and spirituality). This is similar to the devil casting his evil dogmas directly into our face. Other heresies are subtle and cunning. This is the devil disguising as the angel of the light (2 Corinthians 11: 14-15). These heresies are meant to confuse people. Often the young and naïve (immature) minds are the victims of these deceiving heresies. ‘Young and naïve’ need not be limited to young people, but even the old can be ‘young and naïve’ in their minds. 

Some insist that a true Christian ought to reject all doctrines, for they claim all doctrines to be man-made. This is a very deceptive thought, which is only meant to confuse and corrode a young and naïve believer. Let me elaborate.

Which Christ is celebrated during Christmas? Is it the Christ of the Bible? Wait! Are there other Jesus Christs? Yes, consider the Christ of Islam. While the Islamic tradition affirms the virgin birth and the second coming of Christ, it denies Christ’s divinity (Surah 5: 17, 75), crucifixion (Surah 4:157-158), and ascribes Christ to be inferior to Prophet Muhammad. Very minimally, Muslims believe that Christ was not crucified but Christians subscribing to Historic Christianity believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

So we observe two different versions of Christ – Islamic and Christian. The Christ of the Historic Christianity was crucified and resurrected but the Christ of Islam was not crucified. The truth is Christ was either crucified or not crucified. A claim that Christ was both crucified and not crucified cannot be true. Crucifixion, therefore, is an essential doctrine that separates the Christ of Islam from Christ of Christianity.

Doctrine is a belief that is taught. Crucifixion is a doctrine associated with Christ. There are several essential and fringe (peripheral) doctrines. Essential doctrines are essential to salvation (salvific), hence cannot be compromised (Christ’s deity, crucifixion, bodily resurrection etc.). Fringe doctrines (baptism, speaking in tongues, Premillennialism, Postmillennialism etc.) are not salvific, which we can agree to disagree on.  

For instance, denial of Christ’s virgin birth is to deny Christ’s sinlessness and HIS divinity, and will also invoke a cascade of other negations. Similarly denying Christ’s crucifixion would deny HIS resurrection, HIS victory over death etc. Therefore, the Christ who saves man from his sins is the Christ who is the second person of the blessed trinity, born of the virgin Mary, who was crucified and bodily resurrected.

It is abundantly clear that a Christian has to believe in the doctrines of virgin birth, Christ’s divinity, HIS crucifixion and resurrection. Negating one of these is to present another Christ. The Christ of the Bible is not the Christ who was not crucified (proposed by Islam) nor is Christ the spirit brother of Lucifer (proposed by Mormons). In other words, doctrines are essential to faith.

Rejection of a doctrine could lead to a belief in a contradicting doctrine or simply a belief in nothing. Both are equally dangerous, for both reject or suppress truth. 

Doctrines as a concept cannot be rejected as well. A deceptive statement is that “All doctrines are man-made and hence should be rejected,” but this:

(1) …is a doctrine made by man.

(2) …is the doctrine of a person who believes that there should not be a doctrine.

Therefore, the person who says that all man-made doctrines are to be rejected is trying to reject all doctrines by affirming the concept of a doctrine - a self-defeating proposition.

There are true and false doctrines found in all walks of life. According to Historic Christianity, the doctrine of virgin birth of Christ is the truth; all other contradicting doctrines are false. A Muslim believes in the doctrine of monotheism, and according to Islam all contradicting doctrines are false. A postmodern thinker believes in the doctrine that there is no objective truth. In fact he projects his doctrine as the objective truth (!!), and he believes that all contradicting doctrines are false. A liberal Christian believes in the doctrine that the Bible is not the final authority for man, so he believes that all contradicting doctrines are false.

Doctrines that promote truth are beneficial to man. The early church developed the Nicene Creed to fight the Arian heresy that relegated Christ to be a created being.

We are celebrating the birth of Christ of the Bible, who is God incarnate, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, was crucified and bodily resurrected, who is now at the Father’s right hand interceding for you and me, and will come again to judge the world. Until HE comes again, HE will generously offer all spiritual blessings that include wisdom and courage to all who seek HIM to defend the truth and fight the evil.

May the light of Christ shine into all hearts so to make them captive to HIM and HIM alone. Amen.   

Endnotes:

¹ http://www.gotquestions.org/liberal-Christian-theology.html