So, just a few minutes ago (it is now 6:53pm) Letter 25 stopped me in my tracks, and I had to read it to Nicole. This is what made me pause…
“The Enemy loves platitudes. Of a proposed course of action He wants men, so far as I can see, to ask very simple questions; is it righteous? is it prudent? is it possible? Now is we can keep men asking; Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time? Is it progressive or reactionary? Is this the way history is going? they will neglect the relevant questions.” Screwtape
This is an amazing description of the difference between conservative Bible believing Christians and the ones with more of a liberal mindset. People that want to live by the Bible ask – Is it righteous? Does the Bible say it is righteous? – people who want to live by the culture will take cultural trends and make the Bible fit those trends – (what is the movement of our time?) Making the Bible fit cultural trends and movements makes the Bible say what the people want it to say rather than what God has already said.
The deception comes when the “liberals” say, with a matter of faith and belief – that the Bible supports their causes. In an attempt to make things contemporary they miss out on the truths of the word that are designed to create a different world than the one we live in currently. The real question is how does the Bible want me to live? or How is a citizen of heaven suppose to live in a fallen world? It is NOT suppose to be how can I continue to live in this world by convincing myself the Bible supports worldly ways, the cultural trends or “movements of our time” that have been set in place by the devil.
Beware of the feeling that we as believers need to fit in so people will think we care and love them. Beware of falling into sympathy for lifestyles that the Bible clearly calls sin.
The best thing to do is keep a focus on the simple questions…
Does the Bible say this is right?
Does the Bible say this is wrong?
Those answers have never changed, regardless of cultural trends.
We need to let the Bible speak for itself and follow it and make sure we are not speaking for the Bible and following ourselves.
Well not sure how to end this one…
so I guess this is how.
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