Steering Clear of Christian Liberalism and Christian Legalism

The following quote is from Christopher W. Brooks, writing in his book, Urban Apologetics: Why the Gospel is Good News for the City:

"Our social concern should be matched by our scriptural faithfulness. We should not experience a theological discomfort when it comes to this type of issues-focused, gospel-centered apologetic. The apostle Paul makes this clear in Ephesians 4:15 when he tells us to 'speak the truth in love.'Admittedly, this is much easier said than done and presents a tension for many in the church. The duty of balancing truth and love has proven to be quite elusive for the vast majority of believers, yet it is possible to find harmony between these two virtues.
History reminds us of the two major pitfalls that we must avoid in our attempts to help people experience salvation in both this life and the life to come. If we are to eschew the dysfunctions that result from giving in to either extreme of 'love' or 'truth,' namely Christian liberalism or Christian legalism, we must recognize the dangers associated with either of these two extremes. Truth and love are not mutually exclusive and must be married together in order to see the full glory of God in our evangelism. Whenever they are divorced, the gospel is stripped of its beauty and, more often than not, rejected by those who need it.
Christian liberalism has been the historic label given by conservative Christians to those who have become so committed to enhancing the living standards of people who suffer from the broken systems of our world that they lose sight of the central claims of the faith. We must never forget that although love is the primary ethic of the church, winning people to Christ is and always will be the primary mission of the church. To this end, the doctrines of sin, repentance, the uniqueness of Christ, and the sovereignty of God in all things are essential. Christianity is currently being crippled by professing believers who have convinced themselves that 'loving' people means that we have to give up on our commitment to the exclusive teachings of Scripture and the call to repentance that all individuals must submit to.
The best way to steer clear of this mistake is to remember that sin is the reason for the problems we face in society and what sent our Lord to the cross. The only remedy for our hostility toward God is to turn from self-centeredness and to fully trust in the Lord and faithfully obey His commands. The fundamental flaw that many well-meaning Christians make in their sincere but misguided compassion is to separate love from obedience.The words of Christ echo throughout all generations reminding us, 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments' (John 14:15).
The other trap that has frequently ensnared the church is what is commonly called Christian legalism. This is the antithesis of liberalism. Whenever Christians become so extremely dedicated to the letter of the law that they disregard those whom the law was created to protect and save, they become like the Pharisees of Christ's day. Jesus condemned those religious leaders for being more passionate about their tradition than they were about the precious people Christ had come to seek and to save. The only way we can avoid this type of legalism is to live in the awareness of Matthew 25:40: 'As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' By seeing the face of Christ when we look into the eyes of the homeless, the hungry, or the hurting, we ensure that the fruit of the Spirit will anchor our theology." Christopher W. Brooks



Lest we think that liberalism can happen only in "liberal Christianity," or that legalism can occur only in "conservative Christianity," in the coming days I will elaborate on how liberalism indeed has its own religious legalisms, and how some conservative, "Bible-believing" churches are succumbing to syncretism and liberalism.