Conservative Evangelicals...Liberal Progressives...Who's Right? Who's Wrong?

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"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:3-6)

Conservative evangelicals read passages like this and point the accusing finger at the liberals to accuse the liberals of not obeying God's commands. "This is exactly what's wrong with the liberals," the evangelicals say. "If they would just take God's commands and word seriously, their lives would reflect God's holiness."

Liberals read passages like this and point the accusing finger at the conservatives and accuse the conservatives of not obeying the commands of Jesus. "This is exactly what's wrong with the conservative evangelicals. If they would just obey God's commands to love and welcome, their lives would reflect more of Jesus' love for people."

So who's right?

Who's wrong?

Perhaps, it's really not about who's pointing fingers at whom.

Perhaps, the truth is that the Word points it's finger at us - all of us conservatives and liberals and everyone in between - to challenge us to love and welcome all people as Jesus, and challenging us to keep God's laws so that we can be found pure and holy.

It is the Word that judges us.

It is the Word that challenges us.

It is the Word that transforms us so that we can walk as Jesus walked.

We all need to be more like Jesus.

We all need to be judged, challenged, and transformed by the power of the Word of God.