Not to the Right or the Left

I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In the eyes of some people, every person, church, and institution ultimately falls into one of two categories: liberal or conservative.

                                                             1.      Perhaps in a politics, government, etc., it is possible to divide people into such simple categories.

                                                             2.      However, to categorize everything as either liberal or conservative is meaningless without some standard for reference.  Conservative of what?  Liberal regarding what?

B.      Let us consider presently that there is a different classification that pertains to all things that should be of greater concern for Christians.  This classification is determined by the God of heaven and His holy word.

 

II.      LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE?

A.      At the close of Revelation, John wrote a warning that should be applied to all of Scripture.

                                                             1.      Consider John’s warning: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19)

                                                             2.      John wrote specifically of Revelation, but it is always true that man has no authority to add to or to take away from God’s holy word from any book of the Bible.

B.      In a similar way, the Law of Moses teaches us not to stray from God’s commandments, although we do not abide by the Law of Moses today.

                                                             1.      Notice Deuteronomy 5:32-33 – “So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.  You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.”

                                                             2.      Also notice Deuteronomy 28:14 – “…do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left…”

                                                             3.      Consider God’s words to Joshua in Joshua 1:7 – “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.”

                                                             4.      Joshua passed this message on the Israel in Joshua 23:6 – “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left.”

                                                             5.      The common theme in these commandments is clear – man is not to veer away from God’s commandments in any way, neither to the right nor to the left.

C.      Notice the example of Josiah, king of Judah, who did right in the sight of the Lord.

                                                             1.      Josiah is the only king about whom it is said that he did not turn aside from God’s will to the right or to the left (2Ki. 22:2; see Deut. 17:18-20).

                                                             2.      As a result of Josiah’s unwavering commitment to God, the Scripture says, “Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him” (2Ki. 23:25).

D.      Therefore, in regards to liberalism and conservatism, which one should we be?

                                                             1.      We use right and left as symbols of conservatism and liberalism.  The Scriptures above do not intend this symbolism, nor do they speak explicitly in terms of conservatism and liberalism.  However, we do learn principles about conservatism and liberalism through these passages.

                                                             2.      The answer to the question above is that we should be liberal when God’s will is for us to be liberal, and we should be conservative when God’s will is for us to be conservative.

a.       Certainly, we should always strive to conserve the purity and perfection of God’s word (Jude 3).

b.       At the same time, we should always be liberal in our love for God, our love for others, our giving, our sharing of the gospel, and in doing good (actually the more liberal we are in these things, the better we conserve the commandments of God).

                                                             3.      Our greatest concern should not be about liberalism or conservatism, but rather it should be about God’s will.  It is wrong to turn away from God’s will to the right or the left, so let us be completely guided by His word alone.

 

 

III.   TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT

A.      Let us illustrate the folly of turning to the right or the left of God’s will by considering some Scriptural examples.

                                                             1.      The Pharisees turned aside when they taught their traditions as the doctrine of God.

a.       Jesus condemned them for binding their traditions as law (Matt. 15:7-9).  Typically, we would consider them to have been overly conservative, i.e., strict in their interpretations.

b.       At the same time, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for neglecting the weightier matters of the Law, such as justice and mercy (Matt. 15:3-6; 23:23).  In this way, the Pharisees were actually liberal because they took liberty with God’s commandments.

                                                             2.      The Gnostics turned aside when they took liberty to sin.

a.       Much of 1John was written to refute the Gnostic notion that Christians could sin with impunity.  This doctrine began in the first century and actually continues today.

b.       This was an example of extreme liberalism, for nothing in the gospel gave such license to sin.

                                                             3.      The Judiazing teachers turned aside when they compelled Gentile Christians to keep the Law of Moses.

a.       In particular, some early Jewish Christians attempted to bind circumcision upon the Gentiles as a provision of their salvation (Acts 15:1-31; Gal. 5:1-4).

b.       This is an example of being overly conservative, for the Jews were trying to preserve a tenet of the Law that had been fulfilled and cancelled by Christ and the gospel.

                                                             4.      The Jews turned aside when they falsely interpreted God’s law regarding divorce and remarriage.

a.       The Jews had twisted Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and interpreted it as permitting divorce and remarriage for any cause.

b.       Jesus corrected their false interpretation of the law in Matthew 19:1-9.  The Jews had liberally applied the Scripture in ways that God did not command.

B.      Let us also consider how some persons and churches have turned to the right or the left of God’s will.

                                                             1.      Like the Pharisees, some have turned aside by elevating their traditions to the level of God’s will.

a.       Wherever man-made traditions have equal importance with the word of God, then people have turned aside, whether it is in the name of conservatism or liberalism.

b.       Let us be careful that we recognize what is truly commanded of us by God and what is simply traditional (i.e., times and order of services, church buildings, song books, etc.).

                                                             2.      Some have turned to aside by taking liberty with the grace of God.

a.       The idea of “once-saved-always-saved” is foreign to the word of God.  The teaching is a liberal perversion of the doctrine of God’s grace (similar in effect to Gnosticism).

b.       Notice Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?  May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

                                                             3.      Some have turned aside in regards to the worship of God.

a.       Some have turned aside by taking liberty and offering unauthorized forms of worship (instrumental music, bands, dramatic plays, etc.).

b.       Others have turned aside by offering worship that is correct in form, but it is also hypocritical and devoid of holy hearts (consider Isa. 1:10-15).

c.        We must be certain that we do not turn to the right or to the left regarding worship.  God desires that we should worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24), which is worship that is right in heart and in form.

                                                             4.      Some have turned aside in regards to benevolence towards the needy.

a.       Some turn aside by heaping all the responsibility for benevolence upon the church.  Liberal and false applications of Galatians 6:10 and James 1:27 lead to unauthorized church-sponsored institutions (orphanages, retirement homes, food banks, etc.).

b.       Others turn aside by neglecting their personal responsibilities for benevolence altogether.

 

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      True Christianity is both liberal and conservative, just as our Lord Christ is both liberal and conservative.

                                                             1.      He liberally gives to us love, hope, blessings, peace, etc.

                                                             2.      He is the ultimate conservative, for He has worked to conserve the souls of all men.

B.      Therefore, let us not blindly label and categorize, but let us hold to the will of God, not turning aside to the right or to the left.




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