Jan 7, 2016 By Francis Lilly 4 min read

With great interest I read Jan. 5 column by Pastor William Nicholson of the Grace Baptist Chapel. The headline read “Big differences between liberals, conservatives.”

I’m a United Methodist layperson. I understand Wesleyan “regeneration” within individual hearts. I walk in a fallen world. The topic deserves thorough discourse, which will never happen since Pastor Nicholson declared the differences “irreconcilable”(which kinda takes God out of the picture).

Reading the letter was a high until it went over the cliff. Out of 10 paragraphs, I am seriously in agreement with the first eight, and thankful for that message. My personal spiritual journey including Bible studies familiarized me with some writings of theologians cited. Can I cite specific passages from memory? No. Do I look for the imperatives and precepts? Diligently. Do I try my best to walk the walk? Yes. Do I succeed? Often. Am I “in the world, but not of the world”? Good luck with that, it’s capitalism.

Hence, that title hook was a barb into worldly me. It’s my hot button because (in my faith struggles) I observe, because of those two labels, schism upon schism, within Christ’s church. Worse, those schisms become divider metastasizing cancers, not only within individual churches/denominations, but communities, ethnicities, states (red/blue), nations etc. (“neither Jew nor Gentile” ..N/A)

“Big differences between liberals, conservatives”? Such cannot be defined beyond Pastor Nicholson’s implied genetic fallacy construct that (following paragraph 1-8 biblical truths about human kind), “there can be no middle ground”, ergo, all liberals are not godly, and all conservatives are godly. That construct has several more components not included. Similar constructs imply logically absurd arguments about “the government” created by the U.S. Constitution they claim, evil slaughter of babies (exclusive of supported) bombing of pregnant women in foreign lands) by strong military in unjust wars (Note: I honorably served 8 years in the Vietnam era).

Discernment reveals sadly/factually, the words “liberal/conservative” in today’s society have one, and only one function: Division with a capital D. Consider: In every aspect, God’s people are unique each to one. No person is purely liberal or conservative (if they think). Labels put individuals in boxes that can be called names, demonized and manipulated. Pastor Nicholson knows this because he uses a required “qualifier” term “political” liberals and conservatives in paragraph nine. Does a thinking individual stay in a box for every issue regarding the thousands of worldly opinions and decisions about: economics, immigration, legislation, guns, religion, court decisions, welfare (poor, corporate, constitutional “general welfare” for the nation)? Does political affiliation trump brains? Is being a pack animal the comfort zone? Satan is the great divider. He does that through his disciples. There are puppeteers and puppets. It is the way of the world.

“What we do today..” in paragraph 10, to me, smacks a bit relying on God only to the point that, if he doesn’t deal with it, the way we want, we can handle it…..we got guns. Lest we forget: Matt 10:28-“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and souls in hell.” How’s that fear thing working out?

Also Remember: Mark 3: 24-26 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!” This begs the question: If Christian factions are enablers for the first two precepts, how then the mission for the third?

In Christian love, I respect the pastor’s commitment, dedication and obligation to lead his flock. I suspect I could not be a good follower. Is God a pawn in political movements? Scriptural passages can be cherry-pick interpreted to become justification for (good or evil) actions. The accounting is in Book of Life. Changing jots and tittles is serious business. As for me, I thank God for his blessings and our Constitution, but I never confuse the authority of my scriptures with that great document. I try very hard to be aware of the God I worship. Treasures, including guns are not included in my worship.

Francis Lilly is a resident of Finleyville.