Can a Person be a Liberal and still be a Christian?

[Guest Butero]

Yes. Progressives has been responsible for many important societal changes that make America and other nations great.

I can't think of one. Even in the examples some progressives give as positive changes, I can show how they had negative uninteded effects on society. Besides, that doesn't answer the question being asked. Just because you consider things progressives have done as having a positive effect on various nations, that doesn't answer the question over whether it is possible to be a liberal and a Christian?

[pwfaith]

Yes I think they can, but I think it would depend on where they are in their relationship with God. We do not have to be 100% correct in our doctrines, beliefs or views when we come to Christ, but one would think over time through the working of the Holy Spirit ones values would change and it would be evidenced in their life. There are many conservative Christians who are just as "in danger" as many liberals who claim to be Christians. They are "lukewarm" in their faith, stagnant. Scripture has a lot to say about "lukewarm" Christians - whether they are conservative or liberal. Being conservative doesn't mean mature Christian either.

My problem is more with Liberal Christianity as a faith system. It is all pick & choose. There are no standards, or core beliefs, it's basically whatever you want it to believe. Like was said above, most do not believe in a literal 7 day creation but rather evolution, most believe all religions lead to God, most don't believe in sin really either. None of these things are biblical. While I will not judge the state of their heart (only God can do that), by looking at their beliefs and values, I find it hard to see the Holy Spirit residing in them, working in them.

[MorningGlory]

Since most Liberals support abortion on demand, the homosexual agenda, the removal of all references to God in public and government life, the teaching of "evolution only" in schools, placing human reasoning over the Bible, etc., can a Liberal even be a Christian in any sense of the word?

What I have observed with regard to liberals who claim to be Christians is that they believe in Jesus, but they don't believe in following scripture. Many don't even regard the Bible as the innerant Word of God. Others believe they can somehow separate their political beliefs from their Christian beliefs. Some are just ignorant on what the Bible teaches.

When it comes to new Christians that came into the faith as a liberal, I look at it as they just need to be given a chance to learn about God, and over time, their liberal views should go. In the case of those who reject the innerancy of scripture, I believe they are serving a fairy tale Jesus. In other words, they think they know him, but in reality they don't. The entire Bible tells us of the nature of God, yet they choose to reject everything except the teachings of Jesus dealing with the love of God towards sinners. They create a false doctrine that claims Jesus was somehow a socialist, and it is clear that Jesus wasn't a political figure at all. Those who separate their religious beliefs from their political beliefs are only fooling themselves. You cannot separate the two. We are ambassadors for Christ, and it is our duty to promote God's views in this world, not our own opinions that contradict scripture.

As such, I believe it is possible for someone to start out as a liberal Christian, but not to stay that way. If they do, I look at them as I do liberal Republicans. We call them RINOs (Republicans In Name Only.) I would call liberal Christians CINOs (Christians In Name Only). I don't know if you have noticed, but the truly left-wing people here at WB spend most of their time in the political section, and when they venture into the doctrinal areas, it is usually to promote things like evolution or tolerance towards homosexuals. They are spending their time promoting anti-Christ things rather than sound doctrine. Some of the liberals don't ever discuss anything but politics, and you wonder if they even claim any real faith in the Lord, or if they just joined under false pretenses.

My view is no real Christian can support legalized abortion and shouldn't be supporting homosexual rights. With regard to the homosexual agenda, some acknowledge the sinfulness of the behavior, but are only saying they shouldn't be mistreated. I am not coming against those with this belief, but I do have a problem with those who teach that homosexuals are normal and that they are no differen't than anyone of a minority race when it comes to descriminiation. I suppose a person can have socialist political views and be a Christian, but what they don't realize is that socialists are putting their main trust in government. To the socialist, that is their true God, and the God of the Bible plays second fiddle to government. Some socialist minded Christians are just ignorant.

I absolutely agree, Butero. A Christian can't reject the Word, reject the teachings of the Bible, and be a true believer. God's Word isn't open to debate or revision. To do so is to reject Him and the consequences of THAT are eternal. So, as to whether a liberal can be a Christian.....they can if they accept Jesus as the way and the Bible as the Truth. Otherwise, no, they can't.

[Guest]

There Is Only One Salvation

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:2

And He Ain't No Political Philosophy

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

Deuteronomy 32:39-40

Glory!

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

>>>>>()<<<<<

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 3:35-36

[nagwalk]

As usual Fresno Joe, you elevate discussions like this to its proper place through the 'Word'.

[Fez]

However.

It depends on the changing definition of liberal.

Do you not think that the Romans and the Sanhedrin might not have labled Jesus as a liberal, had the term existed in the context of the time? Or was He labled as a radical?

[Guest yod]

I was a liberal before I met Jesus.

That changed rather quickly as I realized how righteousness could never support an evil agenda.

[~candice~]

I was a liberal before I met Jesus.

That changed rather quickly as I realized how righteousness could never support an evil agenda.

I was liberal in some areas, not in others. I don't think I ever supported abortion, but in terms of rights, I was very liberal pre salvation. That didn't change instantly at salvation, it took God a few good years to smack that outta me . Fiscally however, He is still smacking it outta me... ...

[Guest]

I was a liberal before I met Jesus.

That changed rather quickly as I realized how righteousness could never support an evil agenda.

Yes, and only Jesus can make a change of heart like that happen.

[Guest Butero]

Since most Liberals support abortion on demand, the homosexual agenda, the removal of all references to God in public and government life, the teaching of "evolution only" in schools, placing human reasoning over the Bible, etc., can a Liberal even be a Christian in any sense of the word?

you start with a bad premise, that you can with a broad brush paint all liberals.

I have been accused by many on here to be a liberal tough I do not support abortion on demand nor the homosexual agenda. I am not a liberal, but compared to many of the far right people on here, I seem to be.

The bottom line is, of course a person can be a liberal and still be a Christian. Can one be the thing you described and still be a Christian? I am not sure how, but it seems not our place to judge salvation of another

I definately think you are left of center politically, but I don't question your being a Christian. This is purely an observation, and so I am not saying this is a fact. You come across to me as someone who has come to a lot of opinions on your own like most people do. You think for yourself. You have faith in Jesus, and believe the Bible is the Word of God, but rather than trying to make your views conform to scripture, you find ways to make scripture match up with your pre-conceived ideas. If you can't make the two match up, you just ignore what the Bible says and continue on your own way. You just figure you know you are right and you don't want to investigate far enough to be proven wrong. It is called being willingly ignorant. Let me make it clear RG, that I am not saying this is reality. It is just how you come across to me. You hold to the Bible but you don't. You are not intentionally going against God because you aren't open enough to investigate areas of serious controversy.

I was talking to someone in pms not long ago about a message that greatly influenced the way I view everything. I was doing the same thing you are doing. I had formed my own world views based on those around me. Some of the seemingly extreme views I hold today were not my views in the past. I was watching Christian television one night and Myles Munroe was speaking on the subject of being an ambassador. He stated that an ambassador represents a nation or kingdom, and has no authority to promote views outside the official views of the nation he represents. He understood this in a unique way because he had served as an ambassador. The Apostle Paul stated that he was an ambassador for Christ. I know that message was true, and it caused me to re-think a lot of things I held to in the past. I had to decide which views I held to were Biblical and which ones were not?

I would have gone along with the conventional wisdom on things like slavery for instance that it was always sinful and wrong, yet in the law of Moses, it was allowed for and regulated. The subject even comes up in the New Testament, in the form of a run away slave that Paul sends back to his Christian master. Obviously slavery as was practiced in America was wrong, but to make a broad statement that all slavery is sin is not Biblically correct. Most people would shy away from things like this for a couple of reasons. Some never read the Bible through, and don't think these things are even discussed. Some are afraid that it will be a turn off to some and cause them to reject Christianity, so they hold to the p.c. position. Polygamy is another hot button issue. I don't believe that practice is prohibited in the Bible, though since it is prohibited by the law in America and since there is really no reason to revive it, I think it is best not to do it. I do believe polygamy will be revived in the millenial reign of Christ of necessity, as women will greatly out number men because of Armageddon. Anyway, I am kind of going off topic, but I am doing so that you can better understand where I am coming from. My natural inclinations would be to take the p.c. and accepted view that polygamy is a sin and always violated God's will, but he only put up with it, but I don't find that to be true. If it were, God wouldn't have regulated it, and he is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Biblical view trumps every other view.

Anyway, whether we interpret things the same or not is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that we believe in Jesus, that he is God, and the Bible is our foundation when it comes to right and wrong. Even if we don't interpret things exactly alike, if we hold to that position, we will generally come to the same conclusions on the most important issues. Most liberals simply reject the entire Bible or the Old Testament in order to make it match up with their world view, so there is no absolute standard. You haven't rejected Jesus or the Bible. Our differences are over interpretation.