Confronting Fundamentalism

I am thankful today for the Blogosphere where all of us are utterly free to express ourselves and agree or disagree with others in the community. We each have the unreserved right to write what we feel and moderate comments however we see fit in keeping with the spirit of our own blog.

The Heart of a Pastor’s Wife received this comment following Tuesday’s Post, “Hanging Christians. . . ”

. . . Don't you think Christians need to let up a little on preaching about sin and start emphasizing more love and acceptance of people who don't believe exactly like we think they should? Not everything is a sin! God is the final judge. Preaching about sin only makes people angry and drives them away from the church. Isn’t God the final judge? I just think that Christians need to learn more about love and acceptance and compassion. Christ was all these things.

With all proper respect to this commenter (who happens to maintain a perfectly attractive and purposeful blog), I disagree.

And in offering an explanation to a comment that I chose otherwise not to publish, I am calling attention to an issue that has effectively altered the Church over the last several decades.

First I should point out that I am not prancing through my church and neighborhood preaching to and labeling everyone I see a "sinner." (My husband did require that I take "Christian Diplomacy 101" as a pastor's wife.)

That said, I do fall into the “Fundamentalist” category when it comes to evangelical labels.

What exactly is a “Fundamentalist?” One meaning the dictionary gives is "one who is immovable from [her] beliefs."

Sadly, the trend over the last 20 years in the “evangelical” church is to lean away from the absolute Truth of God’s Word and the meaning of the term “Fundamentalist” has undergone a change in meaning.

Used to be that the term "fundamental" by definition, meant not only believing in and sharing the Gospel of Christ -- but also pointing out err. That is, showing others -- by the use of Scripture -- that we are by our very nature – intrinsically, inherently and naturally -- sinners.

But the evangelical movement has leaned away from the absolute Truth of God’s Word and has chosen instead to offer the Gospel of Love/Acceptance/Tolerance. The thinking is that to call someone a sinner might offend them. (Oh MY!)

To a Fundamentalist, this sacrifices the Truth of Salvation! And thereby the Truth of Scripture.

How can anyone come to a true faith in Jesus Christ without first seeing their sinful nature and their great need of salvation? The Book of Romans is very clear - and very much addresses sin in full -- and previous to -- the introduction of Grace and Love.

The Gospel of Love and Acceptance alone does NOT offer eternal salvation.

Today, the word “Fundamentalist” is often used as a term of mockery and ridicule – even contempt – against those who still believe that God’s Word is the absolute final authority on all things --including the portions that address behaviors that offend God.

The term “Fundamentalist” is also loosely interpreted to describe anyone who expresses any kind of belief in the teachings of the Bible.

So you can see that there is a collaborative effort made by both the secular media and some “Christians” to smear “Fundamentalists” with the image of being unloving, intolerant, unkind, judgmental, snobbish and unattractive. …All because Fundamentalists believe God’s Word is genuine, accurate and all-inclusive.

When the Apostle Paul was leaving the church in Ephesus, where he had ministered for three years, he reminded the Christians there, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27) What he was saying was, “I have spoken the truth of God’s Good News to you. I spoke the whole truth. I left nothing out. I gave you all the facts.

Sounds a lot like,” Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

Works well in the state and federal court systems.

Not so well in all churches.

The whole counsel of scripture includes a great deal about sin. If you really examine the major themes of the New Testament, you would find a great number of passages addressing people (including “Christians") who are not living as True Believers.

The entire Old Testament is a chronicle – the complete story – of mankind's sin against God. Beginning in the Garden of Eden and narrated right up to the destruction and rebuilding of the temple in The Book of Nehemiah.

Proverbs and Psalm are abounding with cautions and warnings and reprimands.

The entire New Testament in confrontive in nature. Every New Testament Epistle was written to a local church body with problems. (See I and II Corinthians, James, I and II Peter.)

Turn to the Gospels: In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus confronted people with Truth. Remember the Woman at the Well. (John 4:1-42) Jesus confronted her. He did it, of course, with abundant compassion, concern and kindness. But he did not offer that compassion, concern and kindness by itself. Had he done that, she would have walked away believing she was "okay in HIS sight." And she was not. He confronted her sin.

Remember Zacchaeus (Luke 19)? Remember Nicodemus (John 3)? How about the scathing rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 23?

As a writer with discernment, I fall on the side of "confrontive" rather than "tolerant and accepting." I never want anything I’ve written to be misconstrued. I never want anyone to misinterpret Scripture based on something I’ve written. A misunderstanding of God’s Word can/will have eternal consequences.

As a Christian Counselor, I recognize and appreciate that working with people is a delicate zone that love must guide.

Confronting in Love. What a calling!

It is not a bad thing to be a fundamentalist!

I am thankful that God's Words as revealed in the Bible are just as true today as when they were first spoken by chosen men of God under divine inspiration.

I am thankful that the solutions God provides in His Word are suitable for all the problems we face today.

I am thankful to be counted as one who believes in the absolute inerrant reliability of God’s Word.

- Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

© Copyright 2008 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife