Salt and Light: the failure of Theological Liberalism

The Episcopal church the ELC, the PCUSA are now joined by the United Methodist church in recognizing homosexuality. 

This year they allowed clergy to perform gay weddings.

The PCUSA did so itself fairly recently though they had been moving in this direction for a long time They just finally did so this year. It’s safe to say this is a trend that won’t soon end

This continues a trend of conforming to the world in order to save the world.  This compromising of the Gospel is disturbing.  This comes in spite of the recent pew poll numbers recently released

The recent Pew Poll shows how poorly this is working.  The increase in “nones” (not nuns) has continued to grow and liberal churches are hurting the most.  

Thinking on it, regarding liberal churches this came to mind.

Matthew 5:13-16

(Salt and Light)

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[b] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who  is in heaven.

Liberal churches have chosen to stop being salty, to put their light under a basket.  All because the salt and light offends.  The method became agree and go along with it to get along.  But that doesn't work because the Gospel is offensive and offends because it is true.

This contemporary emphasis on not hurting people and on avoiding offending people is just as empty as the liberalism it's pushed.  Treating  my beliefs as offensive offends me, offense is inevitable.  In sacrificing truth for relationships we have no truth in relationships.  It's not loving what these churches are doing.  Instead it is abandoning people to stay in the world all to not hurt their feelings.

You'll never get people out of the world if you become just like the world. Making themselves identical to the culture they make themselves irrelevant. If your message is "I'm okay you're okay out there" the response will  be "okay, I'll stay here".  Essentially it's like a doctor saying "there's nothing wrong with you and there never will be! Come see me every week!"  Only defecting evangelicals move over, and many more within their churches leave as there is no real incentive to stay.

The solution they apply sadly is, drink more of the poison. It hasn't worked thus far it won't work in the future. But they can't understand that since they are spiritually dead. They've ceased being Christians and become apostates.  It's not compassionate to hide the light that could save a dying world.  They're numbers and dropping and it's no surprise or mystery as to why. God has left them, because they have left him.  Though this kills their churches they may never see it.

They may continue until they simply go extinct. The PCUSA Reported losses for three years and has lost near 25% of its membership.  Two years ago they lost 8,000 down from 10000, and declared it a success. They have declined mightily by their own numbers 

“Total membership at the end of 2014 was 1,667,767. That’s compared to 1,760,200 at the end of 2013 and 1,849,496 at the end of 2012.”  

Unsurprisingly those numbers jumped again this year. Under no real logic does the approach make sense. Here is this years report where the losses are noted. The report from last year shows the same.

Indeed the denomination is well in the red for growth.

If people are getting the same message in the culture by the media and other institutions, why be troubled to wake up on a Sunday morning and hear the same message?  They simply cannot see the damage and foolishness of it for they are not being led by regenerate Christians.

Many have made note of this disastrous decline.

Though these Liberal "churches" are dying the evangelical churches grow The mainline is bleeding dry.

Though some evangelical churches continue to shrink such the LCMS and SBC they aren’t declining as harshly.  Cultic groups however also seem to be growing as the mainstream of Christian religion empties.  The Mormons and the Jehovah’s witnesses reported growth.  That is worrying, but they do so because they have what the Mainline lacks.  A theology of saving, albeit horribly corrupt they at least believe in something.

The church shrinks, but becomes more pure.  Some have posited it’s not the theology.  To some extent they have a point.  Desire for growth is huge. Method and desire are huge, but what about the why?

Without the Evangelical spirit of taking the Gospel to the corners of the world, is it really that surprising?  A church with mission to save will be richer in itself.  Evangelical churches that grow naturally do so because they are living out their theology.  Liberal churches don’t, because their theology is weak.  If there is no need to bring in numbers for eternity, why evangelize if nobody is in any danger?

Even in these times when the Gospel has enemies within the church God is drawing many to himself even using the disaffection with the spirit of the age to draw people to him.  People are asking the hard questions upon seeing the emptiness of the world today. Instead of giving in and being in and of the world we are to be in but not of the world.

That is how we are salt and light.  Even now, God calls out his people.  That should give us hope

as we continue to be the salt and light of the world.

Trends are telling but while God may work to bless a strong church with numbers but not always.  Joel Osteen's church is huge, but not because of the Gospel.  Will his church last? Not likely.  God sometimes deals with false churches by ending them (see revelation) other times by letting them be a snare.  Still the pattern has held true on a larger scale.  The spiritual reality behind the downfall of the liberal denominations is quite clearly apparent.
Still, if growth comes with the Gospel it is because of the Gospel.  If not it is not because the Gospel failed for it goes out to God's purpose and calls his elect.  The true measure of a Church is it's holding to the Gospel.  It may be over centuries, but those churches will thrive. Those that leave God lose God's favor.  That is what we're seeing today

http://adam4d.com/death-of-christianity/