I used to share this view. More on that, later.
The Danger of Liberal Christianity
Here is the danger with Liberal Christianity: If you start to remove from Christianity things you "don't agree with" about it, then you are really worshiping… you.
This may seem harsh at first, but consider an example. Suppose Libby calls herself a liberal Christian. And suppose we ask Libby about some basic Christian doctrines:
| What the Christian scriptures (the bible) say | What Libby thinks "makes sense" | What Libby would say "Liberal Christianity" believes | |
| Is there a Hell? | Yes | No | No |
| Universal Salvation (everyone goes to heaven)? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sex only within one-man-one-woman-for-life marriage? | Yes | No | No |
| Jesus' Bodily Resurrection? | Yes | No | No |
| The Deity of Christ? | Yes | No | No |
Notice that the last two columns will always be the same. Exactly the same. What does this reveal?
If we're honest, it reveals that Libby's Christianity is completely determined by what she thinks "seems right", and completely unaffected by the actual teachings of Christianity. What she thinks is all that matters.
If you are like Libby, then your opinion is all that matters. Whatever seems right to you, that's what you'll call "truth". You become the ultimate authority. Your picture of Christianity is a 100% picture of you.
Is this Christianity? Clearly not. This is 100% "me" religion.
If this is the case, why even call it "Christianity"? Couldn't we just as easily call it "liberal Buddhism" or "liberal Islam"? If the name of the religion has 0% effect on what I will believe, I could pick any religion's name we want and be just as (in-)accurate. In reality, "Liberal Christianity" is just a less offensive way of saying "me" religion.
My Story
The liberal Christian story was my own story. Up to the time I was 30, I was a "liberal Christian" by the very definition I use here. I read the bible and went to church and even served in it. But I filtered everything through what "seemed right to me", even if it contradicted the Bible.
And guess what. Eventually, my life became a mess. I had been fooling myself for years, and the cracks in the foundation eventually showed... and widened... and then the house fell.
Since that time, I have become a Biblical Christian. Jesus is Lord now, and I'm living a "traditional" Christian life.
And guess what. My life has been blessed beyond my imagining since I made that change. I don't need to rely on "me" and "what I know", but on God and what he knows, and has revealed to me about himself and myself. He's the authority on how I should live now, and not me.
I hope this post is helpful to someone who is caught in the trap of "liberal Christianity" as I was. I hope this is a wakeup call to "come follow" Jesus, and to "know the truth (HIS truth, not mine), and the truth will make you free". And to avoid hearing "I never knew you" from our LORD.
