Unfortunately, Christianity Today is showing an increasingly liberal bias on a number of issues involving theology and morality. The latest article on the transgender condition is no exception. While it is important to be compassionate to those who are caught up in sinful lifestyles and sinful ways of thinking about psychological disorders, it is just as important to hold the line rationally against irrational arguments defending such sinful behavior and corruption. (Cf. Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 23:7; Matthew 15:19).
Moreover, Evangelicalism as a whole is losing ground to irrational liberalism on a number of fronts, including homosexuality and the transgender problem. I attribute this to a growing liberalism in Christian institutions of higher learning which are employing "Evangelical" professors who have graduated from liberal seminaries. The by-product of being educated in liberal institutions is that Evangelicals have not thought through the conservative side of things in detail and in great depth. They have merely been forced to study the details of the liberal side from a post graduate perspective.
While some Evangelicals do manage to survive and to challenge liberal theological biases, most to one degree or another are tainted and begin to overthink issues to the degree that nothing is certain anymore. The appeal to "compassion" on certain issues like the transgender condition is usually an appeal to subjectivism and emotivism rather than a solid rational basis for the position being argued.
Be that as it may, this is a compassionate response to a rebellious and sinful person who stubbornly refuses to repent or see the truth. Excommunication means that a sinful rebel is not allowed to partake of the Lord's supper or to hold membership in a church, though they are allowed to attend. Furthermore, shunning is not part of excommunication despite the misrepresentation of the liberal media.
In my opinion, Evangelicalism is going soft because of a lack of solid biblical theology due mostly to the pragmatic approach of the church growth movement and the charismatic/pentecostal emphasis on subjective, ecstatic experience as opposed to a solidly biblical and rational approach to ethics, morality, and social mores. The only hope for Evangelicalism is a return to a Reformation approach to truth. This would call for a more classical theology based on a biblical worldview.
The idea that Kantian philosophy has totally demolished the rationalism of the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation is bogus, in my opinion. The scientific establishment today seems to operate very well on modernist predispositions. This is particularly true of evolutionary science, astronomy and medicine. But when we examine psychology and sociology we see what is typically called "soft" sciences that operate much more on postmodernist and irrational biases that have little to do with the scientific method.
Hence, we see more emotivist arguments for psychological disorders like homosexuality and transgenderality. The fact that Evangelicals are calling for more compassion for those caught up in both of these sinful rebellions against God's law is a symptom of the influence of liberal propaganda within the Christian ranks. Rather than caving in to pressure from the world, Christians ought to be more willing to prophetically challenge the liberal bias of the world with an intellectually engaging response that leaves little doubt for the basis for the Christian position. While liberals will no doubt still disagree, the Christian response ought to be so well thought out that those in the opposition have no doubt that the Christian worldview is solidly rational and legitimately valid.
Instead, what we are getting from the likes of Christianity Today and a whole host of so-called "Evangelicals" is compromise and a slippery slope to accepting evil as good. The Bible prophetically predicts such compromise in passages like Isaiah 5:20.
Moreover, Evangelicalism as a whole is losing ground to irrational liberalism on a number of fronts, including homosexuality and the transgender problem. I attribute this to a growing liberalism in Christian institutions of higher learning which are employing "Evangelical" professors who have graduated from liberal seminaries. The by-product of being educated in liberal institutions is that Evangelicals have not thought through the conservative side of things in detail and in great depth. They have merely been forced to study the details of the liberal side from a post graduate perspective.
While some Evangelicals do manage to survive and to challenge liberal theological biases, most to one degree or another are tainted and begin to overthink issues to the degree that nothing is certain anymore. The appeal to "compassion" on certain issues like the transgender condition is usually an appeal to subjectivism and emotivism rather than a solid rational basis for the position being argued.
Even more disturbing is the way that a solidly biblical response to a transgendered person is distorted and deliberately misrepresented in the media. For example, one transgendered man was told he could not minister or hold a position of leadership or membership as long as he acted against biblical principles. He and his family were welcome to continue attending services and other functions of the church, however. The transgendered man and the liberal media distorted this response by saying that the man was no longer welcome to attend the church, which was far from the truth.
(See "Walking A Fine Line," http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/february/26.56.html).
Be that as it may, this is a compassionate response to a rebellious and sinful person who stubbornly refuses to repent or see the truth. Excommunication means that a sinful rebel is not allowed to partake of the Lord's supper or to hold membership in a church, though they are allowed to attend. Furthermore, shunning is not part of excommunication despite the misrepresentation of the liberal media.
In my opinion, Evangelicalism is going soft because of a lack of solid biblical theology due mostly to the pragmatic approach of the church growth movement and the charismatic/pentecostal emphasis on subjective, ecstatic experience as opposed to a solidly biblical and rational approach to ethics, morality, and social mores. The only hope for Evangelicalism is a return to a Reformation approach to truth. This would call for a more classical theology based on a biblical worldview.
The idea that Kantian philosophy has totally demolished the rationalism of the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation is bogus, in my opinion. The scientific establishment today seems to operate very well on modernist predispositions. This is particularly true of evolutionary science, astronomy and medicine. But when we examine psychology and sociology we see what is typically called "soft" sciences that operate much more on postmodernist and irrational biases that have little to do with the scientific method.
Hence, we see more emotivist arguments for psychological disorders like homosexuality and transgenderality. The fact that Evangelicals are calling for more compassion for those caught up in both of these sinful rebellions against God's law is a symptom of the influence of liberal propaganda within the Christian ranks. Rather than caving in to pressure from the world, Christians ought to be more willing to prophetically challenge the liberal bias of the world with an intellectually engaging response that leaves little doubt for the basis for the Christian position. While liberals will no doubt still disagree, the Christian response ought to be so well thought out that those in the opposition have no doubt that the Christian worldview is solidly rational and legitimately valid.
Instead, what we are getting from the likes of Christianity Today and a whole host of so-called "Evangelicals" is compromise and a slippery slope to accepting evil as good. The Bible prophetically predicts such compromise in passages like Isaiah 5:20.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 KJV)
It is my most sincere hope and prayer that Evangelicalism will return to its confessional and biblical roots in the Protestant Reformation before its slide into the abyss of moral relativism reaches its culmination in destruction. While standing for biblical truth and God's law may seem harsh, grace and compassion are absolutely impossible apart from acknowledging that we are sinners in need of regeneration, repentance, and conversion. Those who wish to be compassionate to sinners of all sorts must be willing to tell them of their lost condition and their sinfulness before a holy God. Grace, mercy and forgiveness are impossible so long as the sinner continues in ignorance and outright denial of their lost condition and their rebellion against God and His law. The duality of law and gospel makes this approach to evangelism essential and non-negotiable, which is why Evangelicalism in general has lost its foundation in Christ and the truth. As the old hymn says, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."
Lord have mercy!
Christ have mercy!
Lord have mercy!
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1 comment:
If the comments by the opponents of the Gospel show anything it is a complete and total misunderstanding of the doctrine of God. First off, comparing your own understanding to God's omniscience is like comparing a germ to a human being's intellect. There is no comparison.
Secondly, God's justice is perfect. You don't stand in a courtroom when you're guilty as hell and complain that the judge is being unfair.
The bottom line here is that God is compassionate and merciful to those who are willing to repent and accept His offer of pardon, mercy, and free grace despite our sinful condition. He can and will change hearts of the worst sinners as history has shown over and over again.
May God have mercy on the rebellious!
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