The following article was written for the 2005 Bellview Lectureship book "The Blight of Liberalism." The lectureship book maybe ordered from Bellview church of Christ, 4850 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL 32526. E-Mail: bellview@bellviewcoc.com

Organization is an essential part of any institution. Every institution requires some kind of organization. The home requires organization. Civil government and secular business require organization. Any business lacking the proper organization is destined to decline and to deteriorate. Any government deficient in organization is a government on the road to ruin. God in His infinite wisdom has structured the church in such a way that the benefits of sound organization may be realized. Liberalism has affected government. Liberalism has affected the organization of the home. Liberalism has affected the organization of the church. To understand how liberalism has affected the organization of the church requires knowing what liberalism is, as well as knowing what the scriptural organization of the church is.

Webster defines "liberalism" as "the quality of state of being liberal...a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity." The word "liberal" derives from the Latin "/wiki/Latin_languageliber" ("free") and liberals of all stripes tend to see themselves as friends of freedom, particularly freedom from the shackles of tradition (Wikipedia). Liberalism is not one simple, undifferentiated doctrine. As with other doctrines or ideologies, there are varieties of liberalism. Most liberals agree on the primacy of individual freedom and individual choice, although some liberals argue in favor of these core values by means of highly abstract reasoning (Sally). Liberalism in the Biblical sense is an attitude toward God and His Word which denies what God has stated in His Word. Rubel Shelly, before he went head long into liberalism, stated, "to put it bluntly, liberalism is something altogether different from Biblical Christianity and would destroy it." Liberalism denies the authority of the scriptures. Liberalism denies that God has provided a pattern for the organization of the church.

The word "liberalism" is not found in the Bible. The word "liberal" is found six times in the Bible. The word "liberal" is found five times in the Old Testament (Prov. 11:25; Isa. 32:5,8) and one time in the New Testament (2 Cor. 9:13). The words translated "liberal" in the Old Testament do not have the same meaning as usually attached to the word liberal today. The two words translated "liberal" in the Old Testament mean generosity, blessings, etc.. The New Testament word translated "liberal" does not have the same meaning as usually attached to the word liberal today. The word (haplotes) that is translated "liberal" in the New Testament (2 Cor. 9:13) means "singleness, sincerity (without dissimulation or self-seeking) or generosity (copious bestowal), bountifulness, simplicity" (Zodhiates, p. 1667). The context of the word is very important. The context of the word liberal when used in connection with giving is a good thing. When this same word is used in context of being liberal with the Scriptures, it is a bad thing.

There are many examples of liberalism in the Old and New Testament even if the word itself is not used. There were some who were not happy with the way God had organized the children of Israel into a great nation. Miriam and Aaron were not pleased with God’s organization and spoke against Moses (Num. 12:1ff). Korah rebelled against God’s plan of organization (Num. 16:1ff). Liberalism once again lifted up its ugly head when the children of Israel rebelled against God’s pattern of organization, when they wanted a king so they could be like everyone else (1 Sam. 8:5). Paul warned of liberalism that would take place among the elders (Acts 20:29-30). Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence and was attempting to change the organization of the church to one man rule (3 John 9-10).

Jesus promised to build one church (Matt. 16:13-19). Jesus purchased this one church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). Jesus loved the church enough that He gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25). The church was purposed from before the foundation of the world (2 Tim. 1:9). The church is the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 3:10-11). Every person throughout the whole world who obeys the gospel of Christ, is added by the Lord to this one church (Acts 2:47). The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the only head of the church (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23). The church is composed of all the saved throughout the whole world. Therefore the church is used in the universal sense, and relative to the church universal there is no functioning government on the earth. The church for which Jesus died, the church of Christ, is governed completely by divine authority (Eph. 1:22-23). Christ is the only head, the only authority of His church, and He exercises that divine authority through the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16-17). There is no person on earth who is head of the Lord’s church. There is no such thing as a group of men today who dictate or make laws for the Lord’s church.

continued next week