Can you be a liberal Christian?

[cinder]

Jesus said faith without works is dead, it has nothing to do with faith. When I last checked he was the author of the Christian faith and therefore the authority I should listen to. Nowhere in the bible does Jesus say faith alone is all that is required and flat out stated the opposite when asked.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2018%3A18-30

The book of James (not Jesus) says faith without works is dead. The book of Ephesians says it is by grace you are saved through faith. Both statements are Biblical and both valid. And how on earth do you get from faith without works is dead to it has nothing to do with faith? Faith is mentioned. The only value of the works seems to be that they are tied to faith. Faith and works isn't a one or the other proposition. You live a certain way because you have faith; or to put it another way your actions show what you really believe. But you're never going to get God to love you more because you act a certain way, your acceptance is not dependent on your action.

Jesus didn't take a side in that Luke passage. In fact the final thing that needed to be done was an act of faith, following Jesus. Like any other good teacher Jesus may have been trying to lead this guy to the point he was trying to make, that the man had more faith in his wealth than he had in God. That was the problem not the being rich part but the truly trusting in God part.

 

[Pipp]

Yes I believe you can be a liberal Christian although I don't believe it's what we are meant to be. We are supposed to be a peculiar people , set apart from the ways of the world. God said he'd rather us be hot or cold not lukewarm. Being a lukewarm christian makes God want to puke so to speak.... ( he says lukewarm he'll spew out of his mouth)
Revelations 3:14 -16

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

 

[Mitspa]

Jesus said faith without works is dead, it has nothing to do with faith. When I last checked he was the author of the Christian faith and therefore the authority I should listen to. Nowhere in the bible does Jesus say faith alone is all that is required and flat out stated the opposite when asked.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke 18:18-30

Funny how you deny the bible until you think you can use it in some way against Christians...very odd because that's the same thing that PhD fellow did..... how many times have you been banned now? I bet its some kind of record...you should be very proud

 

[JonahLynx]

Liberal on what topic? There are thousands.

 

[Mitspa]

Liberal on what topic?

Good point...how about sexual issues?

 

[Mitspa]

How about the moral standards of scripture?

 

[Mitspa]

How about the life of unborn babies?

 

[JonahLynx]

Good point...how about sexual issues?

Still way too general to say that 'liberal' or 'conservative' is unchristian.

How about the moral standards of scripture?

IOW do you have to be philosophically right about every doctrine to be Christian?

How about the life of unborn babies?

Yeah you can be pro-choice and a Christian, you would just have the wrong position.

 

[Siberian_Khatru]

Little tip about how the human brain works. We all absorb beliefs about the world, other people, and political perspectives subconciously without even thinking about them. Things slip through your concious mind and there is no way around it. Marketing techniques and political campaigns are designed to exploit this concept. Sometimes when a belief is challenged that we can't really even define we act emotionally and objectivity goes out the window. Every single one of us has these issues to varying degrees and unless you are 100% in submission to the will of God 24/7 persuing no conversation of interest of your own, you are affected by it. All you can do is lessen the negative effects of it by being extremely vigilant and self aware and examine why you feel a certain way when you feel it and why you think the thoughts you think instead of just cruising around on autopilot.

Autopilot makes you stupid

Reminds me of the Social Contract Theory.

 

[Mitspa]

Still way too general to say that 'liberal' or 'conservative' is unchristian.

No ...not too general at all..either you believe what the bible says ...or you believe what the world and liberal thought says.
same sex...premarital sex.... you know the conversation and how liberals have rejected the truth of scripture.

 

[JonahLynx]

No ...not too general at all..either you believe what the bible says ...or you believe what the world and liberal thought says. same sex...premarital sex.... you know the conversation and how liberals have rejected the truth of scripture.

"Sexual issues" is general, yeah.

I'm conservative on same sex and premarital but I'm liberal on women having the choice to marry. So that makes me a conservative and a liberal Christian depending on the topic.

 

[Mitspa]

"Sexual issues" is general, yeah.

I'm conservative on same sex and premarital but I'm liberal on women having the choice to marry.

What do you mean "having the choice to marry" since when has that ever been a issue to be liberal or conservative on? lol

 

[Siberian_Khatru]

What do you mean "having the choice to marry" since when has that ever been a issue to be liberal or conservative on? lol

Arranged marriages? Shotgun weddings? *shrug*

 

[Tintin]

IOW do you have to be philosophically right about every doctrine to be Christian?

No, not at all. But there are some key tenants of the faith that a Christian must believe to be a Christian. Denominations differ greatly, but they adhere to the same key tenants. If they don't they're sects or cults. And there's already to much sects and violence for my liking.

 

[JonahLynx]

No, not at all. But there are some key tenants of the faith that a Christian must believe to be a Christian. Denominations differ greatly, but they adhere to the same key tenants. If they don't they're sects or cults. And there's already to much sects and violence for my liking.

Yeah, so 'not all' would mean you can be liberal on some things and still be a Christian.

 

[JonahLynx]

What do you mean "having the choice to marry" since when has that ever been a issue to be liberal or conservative on? lol

Most of human history.

 

[Tintin]

Yeah, so 'not all' would mean you can be liberal on some things and still be a Christian.

Right, but you'd be growing into being more like Christ as you go.

 

[Mitspa]

Most of human history.

Where you from Kentucky or Utah? I have never even heard of anyone being forced to marry based on Christian doctrine?

 

[Mitspa]

It basicall comes down to do you really believe the bible and believe its words should sincerely be understood and obeyed in the grace of God.

 

[Tintin]

Yeah, so 'not all' would mean you can be liberal on some things and still be a Christian.

For example, if you're okay with people murdering babies in the womb and you're a Christian, I would strongly disagree with you, but you'd be a Christian (as much as I would struggle with the idea). That said, you would need to grow to become more like Christ. God is Life, not Death.
Or even something like Evolution. I believe Christians can believe in Evolution and still be Christian, but there comes a point where consistency is warranted in the faith and Theistic Evolution just isn't consistent.