In This Issue:
The Damage They Have Done
The Old Is Better
Christianity above Philosophy
Whose Christ?
Volume: 870 August 8, 2022
Theme: Liberalism
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The Damage They Have Done
Bill Brinkworth
A liberal philosophy has existed throughout history, but rarely has it done as much damage to society as it has done in the last fifty years. Many boast and are not ashamed of having such a philosophy, but its destruction to individuals and the populace is far-reaching.
Webster’s dictionary (1828) defines “liberal” in many ways. The definitions applied to a liberal philosophy include “not literal or strict, licentious, lacking decorum, unseemly beliefs, favoring changes, progressive, tolerant of other views.” Liberal thinking is usually a value system that deviates from what is traditionally considered normal and moral. From a Christian’s perspective, it includes beliefs that reject and want to change moral truths preserved by God in His Word, the Bible.
Any variance from how God wants man to believe and live will only lead to an individual or society becoming more immoral and living a lifestyle further from God’s demands. The outcome of accepting immorality has never been good for cultures of the past. Societies deviating from following God’s guidelines have suffered, whereas those abiding by His commandments have flourished.
Over the years, we have not discouraged these philosophies contrary to God’s Word. In too many cases, liberal thinking has even been encouraged. Liberal philosophers, politicians, preachers, professors, and teachers, whose beliefs kept them from being employed in the past, are now sometimes given preferential treatment in getting a job. Although their thinking is often accepted, the price it has cost society is immeasurable.
Here are some of the negative changes liberalism has caused in our society:
- Where the morality of the majority of society was in line with scriptural teachings, the Bible has been banned in many institutions, societies, and even in conversation. In doing so, the standard that says lying, stealing, taking of lives, adultery, homosexuality, worshipping other gods, and other moral limitations, has been removed. Without God’s standards, it is acceptable to tell “little” white lies, take things that do not belong to you if you are needy, kill unborn babies because they are unwanted, commit homosexuality, and worship anything you want, because you feel better when you do so. Without God’s measuring tool, the Bible, anything goes.
- Leaders who once could not get a job or be elected if their character or beliefs strayed from biblical teachings are now elected to positions that make decisions that alter society’s morals. Elected leaders in the United States have passed laws that allow over 4,000 murders of unborn babies every day. They have also removed mentions of anything about God or His Word in public situations (including the Ten Commandments that were posted in many public buildings), encouraged public acceptance of homosexuality, making it a crime if anything is said contrary to their beliefs (“hate crimes”), and countless other anti-scriptural laws.
- Liberal religious schools have produced preachers and leaders brainwashed to question and doubt God’s Word. When they preach, they instill those doubts to their congregation, and now few under their preaching know what the Bible says, believe it, and certainly do not follow His Word. Because of the liberal infiltration of pulpits, “thus saith the Lord” is no longer instilled in minds. The “fear of God” has been removed from many churches!
- Tolerance of anything, including others’ beliefs, has allowed unscriptural, damaging lifestyles to breed. Humanity’s depravity is now laughed at and accepted most times, as there are no longer any standards that say anything is wrong.
- Teachers and professors with little biblical character and standards are allowed to guide and direct young minds during most of their students’ day. How do you think a student’s thinking will be after 12 years of liberal propaganda?
As an old ad said, “We have come a long way, baby.” Unfortunately, the way we have gone is morally downhill, and it is not good — in God’s eyes!
Just because the liberals are confused, have few biblical standards, and in many cases, are rebellious against God does not mean that we have to follow and conform to their way of life that we are forced to live! We, as Christians, know where the Truth is.
Our responsibility is to be examples many will want to follow. Christians are to be a light in this dark, sinful world. We need to lead Biblically, not follow unscriptural pathways. If one by one, we each live our lives according to what God has preserved in His written Word, once again, it will be unpopular to think and live contrary to what God’s Word says to do.
“Usually, the liberal tries to camouflage his true identity.”
— Dr. Harold Sightler
What is the new theology?
Some substitute for Calvary?
Exalting sinful self, guilty man.
Ignoring Heaven’s peerless plan?
It cannot give my conscience peace,
Nor find my spirit’s sweet release.
What is the old theology?
‘Tis Jesus died instead of me.
Jehovah’s law he magnified.
God’s justice is fully satisfied;
I died in Him, yet live I again
With Him forevermore to reign.
“God’s perfect will and way need not be modernized.”
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Heb. 13:8
Christianity above Philosophy
Author Unknown
Every system of philosophy is little in comparison to Christianity. Philosophy may expand our ideas of creation, but it neither inspires a love for the moral character of the Creator nor a well-grounded hope of eternal life.
Philosophy, at most, can only place us at the top of Mount Pisgah, but there, like Moses, we will die. It gives us no possession of the good, Promised Land.
It is the province of Christianity to add, “All is yours.” When you ascend to the heights of human discovery, some things are beyond reach. Scriptural revelation is the only medium by which standing, as it were, on “Nature’s Alps,” we discover things which the “… eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
“Man’s philosophy is a bully that talks very loud when the danger is at a distance, but when facing life’s real difficulties, it runs away and cannot be found.” — Author Unknown
Whose Christ?
Herbert Lockyer, An Instrument of Ten Strings
Christians who love to be in places of worldly, sinful amusement give the world a false conception of Christianity. Their being in those places indicates by their presence that Jesus Christ can save, but He cannot satisfy and that there has to be some addition of the world to make the Christian happy.
I met a girl in Liverpool who listened one evening as I spoke about complete separation from the world’s ungodliness. She went home and was very unhappy.
She returned in desperation to tell me that if the theater, movies, and worldly amusements went out of her life, she would have nothing to live for.
I said, “God help you.”
“But,” she said, “I belong to the ___ church.”
“Well,” I said, “what has that to do with it?”
“We are told to have our quiet time in the morning,” she answered, “and then we can take Jesus into all these places.”
“Well,” I said, “you may take your Jesus into those places, but you cannot take the One of the Bible into there.”
“But, those who go to the limit to enjoy all the things that the devil provides in this world find that the way in the end is hard. For the moment sin appears to be the thing that you need, and there is a thrill in it, the ‘thrill’ soon harms the sinner, and it becomes a burden and a heartache.” — Dr. Harold Sightler