I have long been an interested observer of humanity, along with being a member of the group. Often I am amused, bemused and baffled by this great creation of God. It never ceases to amaze me that God choose to leave his work in the earth to the likes of humanity.
However there is one aspect of this that has come to greatly amuse and bemuse me. That is the frequent use of the label of Liberal (or Progressive) and the Conservative. This is a label that goes into both politics and religions.
If you are a politician you are labeled by the position that you take on various issues. This is true in most every country today. In America you can be a Conservative Republican, a Moderate Republican, and Moderate Democrat, Liberal Democrat, or just a right wing Tea Party Conservative Nut (which happens to be about where I land politically).
Unfortunately this label doesn't remain in the realm of politics. It makes its way into the church. For as long as can remember men have been labeled as a good conservative brother (or to borrow the term an Ultra Con), or a "flaming liberal who wouldn't preach enough truth to call fat meat greasy" based on various positions one my hold.
For most of my Christian life I have lived as a good conservative (Ultra Con) brother. However in the last few years I have began to notice that this whole label business is extremely relative. It is relative to whom I am standing with at the moment. I have always thought of myself as a conservative member of the church, until I notice that to some of my brethren I rank as liberal. And for some I'm probably a flaming (going straight to hell) liberal. And yet to others that I have known I stand as an extremist and ultra con.
For this reason I have come to reject the whole idea of labeling men as conservative or liberal and consider it to be laughable. It really doesn't matter who you are. If you are an Ultra Con then there is someone somewhere who would refuse to fellowship you because there is something that he has determined to be a mortal sin and you don't preach against it. Thus to him you are just another flaming liberal. Likewise there will someone who will allow something within his congregation that you would never allow and to him you are an Ultra Con.
Now I realize that there will always be differences among us. Place twelve Pastor's in a room and you will most likely have thirteen positions on a given subject. I also realize that there are neighboring Pastor's around me with whom I will never be good friends with nor would I want my congregation to fellowship with.
That being said we must come to a place of realization that we are children in the Father’s house, and when he comes he will sort us all out along with all of our squabbles.
Ultimately what has come to bother me the most in all of this is that the momentum and purpose of the Church in the earth is being frustrated. If I spend all my time focused on what is wrong with my neighboring Pastor and I don't have time to evangelize my city then I must ask myself. Am I working for the Lord or am I aiding the enemy. How please Satan must be with all the divisions among us.
Again I digress, yes there are Pastor's around me that I disagree with, most definitely. But I have determined to keep my nose in my vineyard and let our Heavenly Father deal with my Brother. And yes if he is born into the Kingdom by water and spirit, if he is filled with the Holy Ghost and Baptized in the name of Jesus than he is my brother. Just as I have brothers in the flesh with whom I disagree and yet they are still my brother, then I believe it to be likewise in the Church.
I refuse to use the Conservative or Liberal label any longer. I’m going to do my best with the task that has been assigned to me, and try a little harder to keep my nose out of what is not my business. I have found that the Lord is still very capable of dealing with his servants without this servant being involved!
Well that's my rant and I'm sticking to it.
