IS YOUR CHURCH FUNCTIONALLY LIBERAL? by Ray Ortlund “It is one thing to hear God’s Word. It is another to fear it, heeding all God’s warnings, trusting all God’s promises, and obeying all God’s commands.” Philip Graham Ryken, Jeremiah and Lamentations (Wheaton, 2001), page 551. The liberal churches I’ve known are not openly hostile to the Bible. They like the Bible. They want their preacher to use the Bible. They have home Bible studies. What makes them “liberal” is that the Bible alone is not what rules them. They allow into their doctrine, their ethos, their decisions, other complicating factors. The Bible is revered, in a way. But it is not the decisive factor. It is only one voice among others. This lack of clarity allows unbiblical ideas and behavior to get traction. In a liberal church no one stands up, with an open Bible in his hand, and says, “Hey guys, we just don’t say/do things like that around here. It isn’t biblical.” That simple clarity just doesn’t exist in such a church. There is no authority towering over all else, rallying the people to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Only the Word of God, received with meekness, can prevent a church from sinking lower and lower into mediocrity, irrelevance, conflict and sheer boredom. Is the dominant mentality of your church functionally liberal? Whatever your church’s commitment might be on paper, what is it that, in real terms, leads and guides and defines your church culture?’ thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2014/12/26/is-your-church-functionally-liberal/
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 23:59:11 +0000