For Christians (And Everyone Else) With A Better Idea Than The Bible…

I’ve noticed that in every generation, someone decides they “have a better idea” than what could be called historic Christian values for reaching culture. It’s usually about “compassion” because they’ve become friends with someone whose lifestyle, values, sexuality, politics, or other issues are contrary to traditional Biblical teaching. “Sure, the Bible says this, but this is my friend, and I want to support him or her.”

I have a friend at a major advertising agency who’s always been a Christian, but in the few years he’s been there, he’s completely cut off his Christian friends and gone all-in on the Progressive view of everything. Although he still considers himself a Christian, he’s decided that he’s a 40-year-old man who doesn’t need to be married, so he wants to have sex with anyone he wants – and he has enough money that he can afford the woman’s abortion if necessary. About 6 months ago, he cut our friendship off entirely.

I went to college with a guy who could have become one of the premier preachers in America, but about 20 years in, he decided it was more “compassionate” to preach Universalism – essentially, that everyone was going to heaven. For a few years, he was celebrated as a revolutionary Christian – speaking out against the hate-filled church. The New Age and Progressive crowd loved him. But after a few more years, he went from filling arenas to speaking at tiny Unitarian churches around the country and eventually completely went off the radar.

That last line about going off the radar is the key. In my lifetime, I’ve seen people from multiple generations who had “a better idea” for Christians than what is considered historic Christian teaching. For a time, they became celebrated and praised for their “bravery,” and they generally looked down on the rest of us because we were so out of date and on the wrong side of history.

But in every case, within a remarkably short time, they disappeared off the radar.

You can probably recall a few Christian leaders from the past who fit that description. I remember one who, at the time, was considered one of the “25 most influential evangelicals” by a major secular magazine.

But where are they now?

After studying 2,000 years of Christian teaching, I’ve decided I don’t have a better idea than the thousands of committed scholars, pastors, and Bible teachers who have gone before me. Following the historic teaching of these remarkable believers is more than enough for me.

I’ll save my “better ideas” for some other area of life…