Evangelicals and Progressives: The Great Divide
As the reader probably has noticed, there is now a great divide between Evangelicals and Progressives. Can that divide be bridged? It is impossible to know, though it doesn’t appear likely at this time. Our understanding of God and His word are very different.
In our book, A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life, the Epilogue, “Fear of Flying,” was included to help the readers understand how those in cults and high-demand authoritarian groups can feel trapped. They have been given a view of God as a malevolent being that is on the lookout for them to step out of line – whereupon He will happily crush them. Many of these people give up or “deconstruct” their abusive faith and opt for atheism or agnosticism. “Joshua Harris – Kissing WHAT Faith Goodbye?” was one who followed that path.
Still, others adopt a faith system that gives them what they believe is greater personal control over their lives – and so they cast off their harsh view of what they thought was the Biblical God and embrace Wicca or some other New Age belief. Many cultists and some former Evangelicals fall into this camp.
We have helped many that have left such groups unwind their false beliefs and embrace grace. It takes time, patience, and availability. There will be many questions the person has to sort through, and it may be some time to begin to trust the word of God again to discern what is true from what is false. Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s book, Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear tells, her story of growing up under the authoritarianism of Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles.1 Jinger’s transition did not cause her to abandon the Christian faith and the Bible. She instead learned to recognize false teaching, legalism, and authoritarianism and gain a spiritually healthy understanding of the biblical faith.
Many people who leave authoritarian groups or churches are rejecting the very dark view of God they were taught and shifting toward progressivism. Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, Rachel Held Evans, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, and others made that trek – and have taken many with them – over a relatively short period of time. Richard Rohr has been the pied piper for many of them. Progressives give a nod to the Bible but adopt what they view as a kinder, more inclusive idea of Jesus –while ignoring or outright rejecting His exclusive claims. As sociologist and professor of sociology at Baylor University, George Yancey points out:
It’s not surprising that the image of Jesus for progressive Christians differs from the image of Jesus for conservative Christians. For progressive Christians, Jesus is the model of inclusion and tolerance. For example, one progressive Christian drew a cartoon of Jesus saying, “The difference between me and you is you use Scripture to determine what love means and I use love to determine what Scripture means.” Progressive Christians focus on the actions and teachings of Jesus that reinforce their values of tolerance and inclusion, which they see as examples of love.
For conservative Christians, Jesus is interpreted through a traditional historical framework. They have less of a problem interpreting Jesus as teaching an “intolerant” faith that excludes from salvation those who don’t follow him. Both progressive and conservative Christians affirm the majesty of Christ, but they greatly differ on what values they see emerging from his life and ministry.2
For Progressives, determining the meaning of Scripture has little to do with what God has said in the historical-grammatical context. They judge and understand scripture by the individual’s personal “social values.” One consequence is that Biblical justice is abandoned and replaced with Marxism’s Social Justice.
For one example, Martin Luther King’s maxim of judging someone by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin is rejected by Progressives today, replaced by completely judging people by their skin color and according to their loyalty to all progressive issues.
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How to Live for God with Fear of Need, Want, or Lack
David can pen Psalm 23 in sincerity and integrity because want from which he is safe is not bodily want at all but the want of his soul. David’s soul, and therefore his life, and therefore his hope, is secure with Yahweh as his shepherd. David is content with that, and we can be too.
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want” – Psalm 23:1
What a lovely sentiment. I have seen this psalm invoked many times by people attempting to comfort themselves or others. It may not be too much to say that this entire psalm is devoted to reassuring God’s people in times of fear. So it is an appropriate psalm for us to examine.
The 23rd Psalm and Real Life
This verse tells us that those who have the LORD as their shepherd need not fear need. Yahweh’s people are not subject to want or lack in the same way that those who do not have him as shepherd are. At the same time, it is possible for God’s people to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. The presence of Yahweh as shepherd does not preclude exposure to danger; it only limits the nature and extent of that exposure. This limiting of the nature and extent of the exposure is a key to which we must pay close attention.
The message of psalm 23 is, in part, that God’s people can live free of fear of want. And yet, rather incredibly, God’s people can and do suffer want. God’s people have been persecuted, martyred, and subject to famine and drought just like other people. And while we tend to enjoy focusing on the victories in King David’s life as a young shepherd boy or as a persevering and faithful king elect, it is much harder to reconcile this psalm’s message with the character and events of David’s life following his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah. From that point on, and by the decree of God no less, relatively few good things happen to David in the last half or so of his life. He loses a child, one son rapes his half-sister, more than one rebellion occurs, David is forced to flee Jerusalem, and one of David’s sins brings a plague on the people.
In fact, we have a terrible penchant for overlooking the morally gory and sinfully grisly details of the lives of saints whom we love to eulogize. We read Psalm 23 as a pastoral psalm with the same escapist desires as someone who might take up and read Far From the Madding Crowd. Psalm 23 must be able to be read for real life with all its mundane dangers and fears. We need God to be our shepherd for real life and not just for those times we wistfully wish for another kind of existence. The Lord is our shepherd for this existence, and this existence is hard. So what is Psalm 23 saying?
It cannot be saying that bad things will never happen to God’s people.
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The Devil’s Favorite Question
Wisdom promises short-term pains but long-term gains. Proverbs 3:1–10 has five sections that call us to a certain action with an incentive that follows that action. It’s a “rule-reward” pattern. Verses 1–2 introduce the pattern and verses 3–10 show us how it works out in four specific areas.
“How much will you lose if you follow Jesus?” That’s the devil’s favorite question; he has successfully used it more than any other to lead billions to hell.
The Bible clearly warns that there will be loss in following Jesus. However, it also teaches that there are compensating gains. So, in addition to counting the cost, we must also count the profit. Yes, there are expenses, but there’s also income.
Proverbs 3:1–10 helps us answer God’s question, “How much will you gain if you follow wisdom?” In this article, we’ll audit wisdom’s material gains.
Wisdom Will Usually Make Your Life Better in the Long Term
Let’s pause to identify three general principles that will help us in our Wisdom University classes. First, by saying “usually,” we’re acknowledging that the proverbs give us general rules, but also that there are exceptions. Proverbs are not cast-iron guarantees, but general maxims that usually work out in life (though not always in the way we think).
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The Yoke of Christ
The yoke of Christ is EASY. Compare it with the yoke of Satan, which we wore in our natural state; the yoke of Moses, as worn by the Jews of old; the yoke of superstition, as worn by pagans now. It is easy, because connected with it for every trial, there is assistance; for every temptation, there is support; for every difficulty, there is help; for every sorrow, there is solace; for every trouble, there is tranquility; for every loss, there is unspeakable gain; and for every service, there is a rich and eternal reward!
The “yoke” symbolizes subjection and obedience. The yoke of Jesus includes the subjection of the understanding to His teaching. We must receive the kingdom of God as little children. All that He says, we must believe; and all that He commands, we must do.
The yoke of Jesus includes the subjection of the conscience to His authority. He must be sole Lord of conscience. As cleansed by His blood, enlightened by His truth, and sanctified by His Spirit, the conscience must bow to Him, be zealous for Him, and maintain His honor.
The yoke of Jesus includes the subjection of the will to His pleasure. We must prefer His will to our own, and make His pleasure ours. The yoke of Jesus includes the subjection of the heart to His love. His love must inflame, regulate, and elevate the heart. He must become the object of its highest, warmest love. Love to Him must rule our thoughts, words, and actions.
The yoke of Jesus includes the subjection of our abilities to His service. For Him, the duties of life must be performed.
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