OceanSide church of Christ

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I Am A Liberal Conservative
by: Dalton Gilreath

A child of God must be a liberal conservative. Of course I have to explain what I mean by such a statement. Unfortunately the words “liberal” and “conservative” have come to be associated with religious or political viewpoints. But for this discussion I am using them in a different sense. When I say conservative, I simply mean the idea of conserving or preserving. In a discussion about false teachers Paul expressed the need for the gospel truth to “continue” (KJV) or to be “preserved” (Galatians 2:5 ESV). In other words, Christians must make a stand for the Truth and not waver. Therefore, to be conservative with the gospel is to hold firm with what the Word of God teaches and not allow false teaching to pervert the Truth in any direction.

Furthermore, when I say I am liberal, in this sense I am not referencing my political or “religious affiliation”. I am using the term the way Paul did in 2 Corinthians 9:12-13. As Christians we must be liberal in our giving and ministering to those in need. We must be willing to freely share our possessions, material wealth, and even our time to our brethren who are less fortunate. This is also true of our liberality in giving to God and His kingdom as well. In conclusion, as Christians there are ways we must be both conservative and liberal. Do not let the world pollute those terms so much that they lose their Biblical meaning. Let’s be conservative with God’s Word and liberal in ministering to the needs of others.