I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. | Revelation 3:15–19
In 1923, J Gresham Machen wrote Christianity and Liberalism. 90+ years later, this book still stands as relevant. The main point that Machen was trying to make was that Liberal Christianity was not a slight deviation from orthodoxy, but an entirely different religion altogether. Here is how he described his own book in his memoir:
In my little book, Christianity and Liberalism, 1923, I tried to show that the issue in the Church of the present day is not between two varieties of the same religion, but, at bottom, between two essentially different types of thought and life. There is much interlocking of the branches, but the two tendencies, Modernism and supernaturalism, or (otherwise designated) non-doctrinal religion and historic Christianity, spring from different roots. In particular, I tried to show that Christianity is not a “life,” as distinguished from a doctrine, and not a life that has doctrine as its changing symbolic expression, but that–exactly the other way around–it is a life founded on a doctrine.
This is still an important issue today. If you want to follow a blog series following in the footsteps of Machen, Michael Kruger has begun to respond to the 10 principles of Progressive Christianity over at Cannon Fodder (he even references Machen in the intro).
My point here is to follow his line of thinking rather than take on the same target. As the title infers, my issue is not with liberalism, but with nominalism. To be clear, when I say nominalism, I am not referring to the obscure philosophical category, but to identifying as a Christian without living a life that looks any different than those who do not. Nominalism is allowing the culture to set your priorities, to form your identity, and to control your worldview.
A nominal Christian will agree with our sermon text from last week:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. | Philippians 4:8–9
Rather than this being a call to discernment, this becomes a confirmation that the world isn’t really that bad. Rather than pressing into God’s Word to determine what is true, honorable, and just, this becomes a jumble of good sounding words that we can all agree to. Rather than helping us to see the need for the church to strengthen us to keep our mind on such things, this becomes an excuse to abandon the institutions for the sake of general good that exists everywhere. Nominalism sets itself apart from Christianity as a completely different thing. It isn’t attempting to be transformed by the renewal of the mind, because it doesn’t see a big difference between Christians and non. Nominalism can not get swept up in Christianity, because it finds its value in staying neutral.
The reason we can be sure that it is a different thing is because GOD SAYS SO. In calling out the churches in Revelation 3, God takes aim at Lukewarm Christianity. He says: be hot or cold! This isn’t because He doesn’t care which direction you go, but because you can’t stay neutral. There is no nominal Christianity, there is only child of God or enemy of God. While this sounds harsh to us, it is because we value non-extreme middle road; God does not. He wants us to love Him, to worship Him, to be remade by Him, and to join Him in restoring His creation. So be Christian or be Nominal, because it isn’t possible to be both.