We Are So Judgemental

This past week Hillary Clinton released her new podcast called You And Me Both. In her first episode she had on political activist and preacher William Barber II. They  discussed the current events in the world around us. They spoke about social justice and the ever changing culture in our country. During the podcast she turned her attention to the church and talked about its lack of dedication to the current social movements. According to DISRN.com she said, “Because a lot of people are leaving the church, a lot of young people are leaving the church in part because [of] the way they understand what Christianity has become is, you know, so judgmental, so alienating, that they think to themselves, ‘Well, I don't need that. I don't want to be part of that,'" Clinton said. "So, this should also be a time for the church to take a hard look at itself and try to figure out how it can be a real partner in this moment of moral awakening." 

So according to Clinton, the church needs to be less judgmental, more inclusive and be a “partner” in this current “moral awakening” that we are experiencing. Why? Why should the church be a partner to the world? Her answer is because more people will then be a part of the church. More would attend instead of turn away. But is that why a church should ever operate? Does a church exist to cater to the world? Does the church form its doctrine to the desires of people? 

Her logic and philosophy is that the current moral standard of the world should be what the church accepts. The local church needs to embrace whatever ethical standard the society has agreed on. This view puts the people first. This philosophy puts the desires of man over and above what God desires. Rev. Barber supported Clinton’s notion saying, "Black and white and red and yellow and gay and straight, trans — whoever we are — we are this movement," Barber said. "And the last thing we can do is just die." Movement from what? Old societal standards? Has either of them stopped to think that the movement is right? 

Now they would tell you that it is. Hillary said,  "how can you be a Bible-reading person, a church-attending person," and not recognize that there is "no separation between Jesus and justice." But whose justice are we talking about? What standard is being used to determine what is just and unjust? Is what they view as just and right according to the scriptures? Or is it according to popular opinion? This is a belief system written by man, not God. This promotes man, not Christ. For if they were going by what the Bible teaches, then we would not be the movement. For man is evil and sinful. There is nothing good in us. A philosophy such as this promotes humans above God himself. It assumes we are all basically good. Thus the church should listen to the people. Picture what they are saying here. The church should be listening to man and not God!

What they both don't realize is that the church’s allegiance is to God. Not our culture. It is His church, not our church. Christ is the head, not the culture. It is the church of Jesus, not the church of the people. We are to be listening to God, not the people. We don’t partner with the world, we submit to His Lordship. Our doctrine is His living and breathing word, not the whims and emotions of sinful people. This is a very liberal theology that promotes man over God. The church is to stand for what God says is right and wrong. They label this “judgemental” because they are rejecting God’s moral standard. They are the problem, not the church. The church is not to conform to the world. God does not change. God does not care about “partnering” with any moral revolution. Instead He cares about us being holy as He is holy. To be holy according to His standard and not the worlds.