OceanSide church of Christ

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THE TWO EXTREMES:

Liberalism and Anti-ism

Victor M. Eskew

 

            The Bible has been given to man by God through inspired apostles and prophets.  This divine message has one intended meaning.  Yes, man may come up with numerous interpretations of a passage, but God only intended one meaning to His words.  We see this very clearly in a discussion Jesus had with a lawyer during His earthly ministry.  It is recorded for us in Luke 10:25-28.  “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 25).  This was a spiritual question.  Jesus directed him to the Law of Moses for the answer.  Listen to the Lord’s words:  “He said unto him, What is written in the law?  how readest thou?” (v. 26).  The second question Jesus asked is interesting.  “How readest thou?”  In other words, Jesus asked the man:  “What is your interpretation of the law?”  “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself” (v. 27).  The lawyer’s answer to his own question involved two things.  One must love God, and one must love his neighbor.  Jesus’ response is informative.  “And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right:  this do, and thou shalt live” (v. 28).  Jesus told the man that he answered “right.”  He had read the law and had interpreted the law correctly.  He came away with the correct meaning.  He was right.  Had he been wrong, Jesus would have told him (See Matt. 22:29).  Dear reader, it our responsibility to read, to study, and to interpret God’s Word correctly (II Tim. 2:15).

            In the interpretation of the Word of God, there are two extremes.  One of the extremes has been labelled liberalism.  The other extreme has been called anti-ism.  In this article, we want to briefly define these two extremes.  Liberalism loosens where God has not loosened.  There are teachings in God’s Word that are restrictive in nature.  In fact, God sometimes says:  “Thou shalt not…”  A liberal interpretation of the Scriptures refuses to comply with God’s restrictions.  In other words, a liberal will loosen where God has not loosened.  Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, were involved in liberalism on one occasion.  These two priests were responsible for the burning of incense.  The fire that was to be put into their censors was to come from the altar of God (Lev. 16:12).  Instead of giving heed to the command of God, they got the fire from another place.  “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not” (Lev. 10:1).  Notice, these young priests offered something which God had not commanded.  It is referred to as “strange fire.”  These men loosened the command of God.  The fire from the altar was rejected for another fire.  Their actions are liberalism on display.

            The other extreme in interpreting God’s Word is called anti-ism.  Anti-ism binds where God has not bound.  It restricts where God has made no restrictions.  Paul gives us two examples of this in his discussion regarding the falling away of the early church.  “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth” (I Tim. 4:1-3).  It was God who had authorized marriage.  Some of the false teachers of the falling away, however, forbid marriage.  They placed a restriction on others where God placed no restriction.  God also authorized for meats to be eaten.  In I Timothy 4:4, Paul says:  “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”  These meats that God said could be received were forbidden by some of the false teachers of the falling away.  This interpretation of the Word of God is called “anti-ism” because it is against things that God’s Word authorizes.

            When dealing with liberalism, we often refer to it as the left.  When referring to anti-ism, we call it the right.  We do not want to be on the left or on the right.  We want to be dead center when it comes to interpreting God’s Word.  Solomon gave some wonderful advice on this matter in Proverbs 4:26-27.  He writes:  “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:  remove thy foot from evil.”  Our walk in the Christian faith must be constantly directed by God’s Word.  Our ways need to be established, that is, authorized by God (Col. 3:17).  Notice, the wise man says:  “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left.”  Both of these ways are evil.  Solomon’s wisdom is only a reflection of the teaching given by the law-giver of the Old Testament, Moses.  In Deuteronomy 5:32, Moses wrote:  “Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you:  ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”  He echoed that teaching again in Deuteronomy 28:14.  “And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”  Yes, there is one correct interpretation of God’s Word.  The left, liberalism, is not it.  The right, anti-ism, is not it.  Our prayer is that none of us will be fooled by the evil one to deviate from the correct interpretation of God’s Word.