It is important to understand that just as there are socialist conservatives, sometimes called progressive conservatives; there are also progressive Christians. Some denominations and churches have entire groups that identify themselves as progressives. Being progressive sounds good. It sounds like you are in favor of progress. But actually, it is more complicated than that.
As I speak about progressive Christians, I want to make it clear that I am speaking of the term in a generic way. The exact usage and definition of the word may vary somewhat between different groups. I also want to make it clear that progressive Christians are not our true enemy. Satan is our enemy (Ephesians 6:12), and according to II Timothy 2:25-26, mature Christians are to gently correct those who reject the truth and who have been enticed by Satan to do his will. Chances are you have contact with progressive Christians throughout the week. These folks may very well be your brothers and sisters in Christ, yet there is danger in getting too close. For example:
Progressive Christians despise a lot of things that fundamental Christians believe in. Most progressive Christians do not see any problem with being like the world, except perhaps in areas that may be considered some great sin. If you have premarital sex and get pregnant, some progressive Christian might see abortion as a viable option. If your marriage gets hard, they might say you can divorce just because you want to, even if there is no biblical justification for the action. If you get married and have kids and one of your children begins to explore homosexuality, they might affirm this rather than explain what the Bible says regarding this issue. If male authority figures are being over-bearing, they may say that the whole system of male leadership is oppressive and unbiblical.
Sometimes progressive Christians are hurt people who end up hurting more people with their un-scriptural solutions. Their pain is often valid, but their solutions are invalid. For an example, in disagreeing with a rule at the Christian school, they may over-react and place their kids in a government school. Should they find something disagreeable at church, they may decide to not attend at all.
Progressive Christians often love the world’s dress, entertainment, and music. Often, they emphasize spiritual gifts and see them as a sign of their own spirituality. They sometimes speak about how God has communicated with them in a dream or vision. They often feel free to offer counsel to others and feel qualified to do so.
Most Progressive Christians Reject the Differing Biblical Roles for Men and Women.
Not only did God design marriage for just one man and one woman, he also gave both the husband and the wife different roles within the marriage, both of equal importance, but still different (Ephesians 5:21-33). Progressive Christians fundamentally reject these truths. Not only do some progressive Christians accept all forms of unions (men with men and women with women) as real marriages, they also completely reject the idea that men and women are different and have different roles within the church and in the family. Some progressive Christians may have harmonious marriages, but their counsel might destroy yours. Progressive Christians worship oneness and unity with the world, forgetting that God has called His people to reject sinful worldliness and to embrace holiness.
Progressive Christians Often Use Their Feelings to Interpret the Bible Instead of Using the Bible to Interpret Their Feelings.
Progressive Christians are difficult to categorize because the only truth they are totally unified over, is the belief that a personal evolving truth is the only truth that really matters. Absolute truth is the only kind of truth they reject. They love to ask questions, but they reject the idea of there being only one true answer. They often have no problem believing that God has told them something, that you know with assurance cannot be true, because it is contradicted in His word.
People who come from an evangelical background often get sucked into this progressive propaganda because it sounds similar to the phrase “a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” Having a personal relationship with Christ does not mean that God ordained a separate doctrinal truth that only applies to you.
Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is different than creating your own personal Jesus made in your image. While it is true that God’s truth must become your truth, it does not work in reverse. No where are we informed that our truth magically becomes God’s truth. There is one truth and thus everything else is a false truth. As III John 3-4 explains, “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” If “your truth” is not the same thing as “the truth,” then your truth is wrong.
Progressive Christians love to change the meaning of words. They reject the biblical definition of words like love, faithfulness, and covenant and prefer to do whatever they feel like doing. It’s not a religion of biblical faith but of following your own feelings.
Progressive Christians Can Drag You Down.
In the end, I believe progressive Christianity is like saying you love someone but never really getting to know the person you say you love. Progressive Christians want their sin and their Savior to coexist in the same house together. But Jesus hates sin, which is why He paid the ultimate price on the cross to defeat the death we all deserve and to give us new life. It should be obvious; you cannot be close to Jesus and close to the world at the same time.
The sheer number of progressive churches out there means that more and more we are going to come in contact with progressive Christians. We are to love these people, as many of them could be our brothers and sisters. But we must be careful—just as their doctrine appeals to their flesh, it can also appeal to you and I.
Since progressive Christianity is inherently always evolving, it is hard to define this moving target. However, according to their own documentation their desire was to display an alternate way of being a Christian that would be different from the historical context. The leaders of this movement made it clear that they do not believe the Bible is the inerrant or infallible word of God. They don’t want Creationism to be taught in schools or churches. They don’t believe that God disapproves of abortion or homosexuality, and they don’t believe that people of other faiths will be judged just because they reject Christ.
So, beware of progressive Christianity. Truth is, it is not Christianity at all. The “emerging church”, as it is sometimes called, is not a church at all. It is a social club where people can disobey God and still feel good about it
Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry for over forty-five years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries and Christian Bible College.