5 Counterfeit Truths of Progressive Christianity

Original article published at Bible Study Tools 

I’m convinced that one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind is the discovery of all things dairy. Cream-top milk, full-fat cheese, grass-fed butter, rich gelato, and whipped heavy cream are some of my favorite indulgences. Can you imagine the bitter existence of having to drink your coffee black—or even worse, lightened with nut milk? Give me half-and-half or give me death.
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Unfortunately, my sister has been allergic to the stuff for as long as I can remember. One Christmas, she splurged on some really expensive non-dairy brie “cheese,” and exclaimed, “This is SO good. It tastes just like the real thing!” Her excitement was palpable, so I gave it a taste. As the gray clotted mass made its way toward my face, I got a whiff of what smelled like moldy mushrooms, leather, and pennies. Forcing a small bite between my grimaced lips I mustered a polite, “Mmmm. That is . . . uh . . . interesting.” I paused before asking, “Is that what you think brie tastes like?” We burst out laughing as she realized she had never even tasted it.

My sister thought the imposter cheese tasted right because she wasn’t familiar with the real thing. It’s wasn’t her fault. She’d never sampled the double-cream goodness melting over a cracker and topped with fig jam. But I could never be tricked because I eat the real thing regularly. And. I. Love. It.

It’s the same with the gospel. There are all kinds of false ideas about God floating around that seem right at first. And if we don’t know the real thing, we might even feel satisfied with their half-truths and misrepresentations. One of these false ideas is the modern trend of progressive Christianity. Christianpost.com gives a warning against the misguided values of "progressive Christianity" saying,

"The counterfeit gospel is under the guise of Progressive Christianity. Yet, if you hold this doctrine up to the light it will be missing the watermarked face of God. This doctrine is worthless and void of truth and robs the soul of true joy in Christ, do not be deceived. Some of the core ideas spread by this relatively new sect are fragmenting through the body of Christ like shrapnel. We must guard our hearts and minds with the armor of God and strike back with the sword of Truth."


What Is Progressive Christianity?

The movement called progressive Christianity seeks to redefine what it means to be a Christian. Although it is marketed as “the real thing,” core essential doctrines are abandoned or radically redefined. Progressive Christianity utilizes Scripture, employs Christian vocabulary, and claims to follow the teachings of Jesus. Although it looks, smells, and sounds like the real thing, it ends up being more like fake brie than the historic Christian gospel. At the end of the day, the unifying beliefs of their movement add up to counterfeit truths.

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1st Counterfeit Truth of Progressive Christianity: You Are Perfect Just as You Are

In progressive Christianity, the doctrine of original sin is abandoned and replaced with “original blessing” or “original goodness.” In their comprehensive survey of progressive Christianity, progressive authors David Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy write, “Far from being fallen creatures trying to return to a mythical Eden, human beings are emerging as a species from more primal and baser instincts to become more responsible and mature beings.” Although most progressive Christians will acknowledge that humans are “broken,” they typically avoid identifying that brokenness with sin, but rather, attribute it to immaturity.  CONTINUE READING AT BIBLE STUDY TOOLS

Learn more about progressive Christianity in my book, Another Gospel?: 
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