Liberalism The Disease
It must be woefully admitted that a wedge is being driven into the ranks of the Lord's church. The unobserving and lethargic souls among us look upon the differences that divide us as nothing more than minor disputes, wrangles, and growing pains. They cannot be concerned with what they call "petty quarrels among brethren," so they complacently hear nothing, see nothing, and say nothing. The more thoughtful and diligent realize that the present condition within the body of Christ is more than a stumped the; to them it is a chronic disease. The same cause that divided the church in the last century is at work today. That cause is liberalism.
The present day trend of institutionalism, for example, is parallel to the missionary society and mechanical instruments of music which were introduced a century ago. Liberalism is the basic cause of these symptoms. As it has been stated, innovations of the last century were simply the horses upon which the liberals rode. The same battle is being waged today that was fought in the middle and close of the nineteenth century. Fearless, truth-loving men stood together, solidly opposed to innovations of any kind. As in the past, when loyal gospel preachers cry out against deviations from the New Testament plan of work, organization, and worship, they are branded by the liberals and their sympathizers as "legalists," "factionists," "radicals," "hobbyists," and "antis."
Softism is a symptom of liberalism. Pulpits of churches of Christ in some places are filled with men who present soft-soaping sermonettes that could be preached in almost any denomination, with approval. Their voices project an apologetic tone. Distinctive preaching, the kind that draws the line between truth and error, the kind that distinguishes the church of Jesus Christ from denominations is old fashioned and unpopular, according to those men. They are delighted by the flavor of Satan's deceitful slogan, "Preach the man, not the plan." Denominations are no longer alone in contending for that kind of preaching. It has invaded the Lord's people and so tremendous is its effect that it is rapidly changing many congregations into nothing less than denominations under the guise of "churches of Christ."
Jesus Christ cannot be preached apart from the plan that he gave for man. Christ cannot be preached without opposing any and everything that would destroy his teaching and corrupt the church for which he died. Faithful preachers will adhere to the following admonition and warning to Timothy: "Preach the word: be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away from the truth, and turn aside unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:2-4) Brethren who seek to please the Lord will not hesitate to speak out against error in the church and out of the church.
The social gospel, that which is designed to meet the social needs of man and not his soul, the remodeling of the church into a social institution, brotherhood promotions which make one church the treasury for other churches, the church support of human institutions, and the prevailing softism that is reflected in the pulpits and approved by the hearer are but the naked unveiling of a serious disease — LIBERALISM. What is liberalism? It is an attitude of taking the liberty of doing what we want to do without respect to the authority of God's word.
Faithful brethren of the past fought for every Inch of ground that the true church occupies today. That ground is the New Testament. Why cannot brethren be content to preach the word and cease to promote the schemes that divide us? The mission of the church is to preach the gospel and each congregation is to do its own work. That simple plan has been in operation since the establishment of the church and it will get the job done. Man cannot improve upon the Lord's way. The best and safest known method of inoculation against liberalism is strict adherence to the Lord's will that is revealed in the New Testament. When brethren will love the church and cherish it above every human institution, when each congregation will fulfill its God-given obligations to the very best of its ability, the gospel will be preached, souls will be saved, Christ will be exalted, God will be glorified and unity will prevail among us.
— 2958 Grape, Abilene, Texas