Christian = conservative?

On social issues, such as aborti*n or homos*xual marriage, then conservative beliefs tend to mirror Christian teaching found in scripture.

On other issues, such as support for war; support for the death penalty; interlocking free-market capitalism with Christianity; and so forth... there appears to be much room for debate.

The use of the power of the government, either by liberal Christians or conservative Christians, to advance their beliefs is a mistake, imho.

peace to youraying:

 

Of course. Christianity teaches that men are corrupt, and if given power will abuse it. Not might abuse it. WILL abuse it.

 

I would pick no, but I wouldn't say politics has nothing to do with it. There are corrupt and blatantly unchristian ideas on both sides of the aisle.

Conservative and liberal (assuming we're talking politically) are different agendas that stream from different perspectives - and there is a lot of room for variation inside them.

 

Anyone looking for hope on either side of the political divide will fail to find it. Politics embraces a power structure contrary to the Gospel. No political values can ever match the change produced by faith and growth in Christ.

 

Hello Andy,
because of to difficulty with what words mean to different people today what exactly do you mean by Christian values and conservative? Also is this a political question?

 

Christians should listen to God, not a political party. We have folks that call themselves Christians that believe that since they are against abortion (murder of babies while in their mother's womb), they can vote for candidates and parties that support it. They believe being against abortion absolves them from being responsible for what the people they vote for do, even thought they knew the candidate was pro-murder of babies in the mother's womb before they cast their vote.

They refuse to take responsibility as long as they are not the ones committing the actual murder. This type of behavior is typical and the main reason the USA is gravitating the direction it is going.

 

Terms like "conservative" and "liberal" need a context. Depending on the starting point, people see Jesus as either liberal or conservative, and they are (for the most part) describing the same Jesus!

I'm sure you are using the terms in the common fashion of the day concerning political and social expectations and worldview, but the scale is a moving one, again, depending on where one starts.

I find that Christianity tends to draw persons toward a conservative (in the common sense) view, in that it is oriented around true family values, true love for neighbor, true worship of God (with all that entails), and true support of government, which in the case of the USA is a government of, by, and for the people as originally crafted by the Founders.

But, Christianity also tends to push one in liberal directions, i.e., that we begin a campaign to overturn current laws, current ethical dilemmas, and current cultural issues toward a biblical worldview.

 

I agree! Here, one of our main three political parties is actually called Conservative, but they certainly don't have a monopoly on Christian values, and there are Christians in the Liberal Democrats and in the Labour party too.

 

Totally agree.

 

What do you mean returned to the faith? How does a believer not be in the faith? Someone not in the faith is not saved.

 

No I can't say I have. However I suppose it depends on what you mean by wander. Yes I have sinned and had some serious battles with some serious sin but the whole time I was confessing the sin and seeking a way out of it, but I have never left the faith (Lord) as the scriptures say if anyone leaves they were never saved to begin with. 1John 2:19. Also they clearly teach that if anyone is practicing sin they are not saved. 1John 3:9-10.

 

Andy I have no need to forgive you as you have not sinned against me. I understand why you believe what you do. It is a powerful false teaching that is rampant in the church. Many are deceived by it. The prodigal son is not about someone who is saved and leaves the father and goes into sin. The prodigal son is about a people (Israel) who leave God as a people and are lost and finally get saved because they finally see their need. Read the passage as it says the son was lost and he gets saved. Luke 15:24

There is no Christian who has ever left the Lord. We are kept in our salvation and we are kept in our walk. While we may sin from time to time a true believer never leaves and never returns to practice sin. 1Jhn 3:9-10 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (practice) sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot (practice) sin, because he is born of God.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

What you are talking about is a false teaching that has crept into the church and confused many.
People who leave and return to sin were never saved. They miss-understand what it means to believe. They have a faith that does not save.
1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Yes at some point later they can come for salvation and many do, but if they leave to return to sin they were never saved according to scripture.

 

I would ask them conservative how? Politically, socially, theologically?
As glfredrick said:

Historically we have defined conservative as holding to traditional values/beliefs and opposing change while Liberals have advocated change.

In the days of the American Revolution, the Patriots were the liberals, advocating a change in our government, while the Tories were the conservatives, loyal to the existing crown.

Was Jesus a Liberal advocating change from the traditional Jewish religion? Or was he a conservative advocating change back to a tradition that predated the religious system?

If I accept a sola scriptura model of theology that puts me in opposition to some religious tradition. Does that make me a liberal or a conservative?

 

Often, folks confuse the true believer with being conservative and imposing that view upon the heathen unconverted hearts - which is often the political aspect of those who want to subscribe to social reform gospel.

Such thinking is historically based because typically the churches ruled the towns and religion ruled the countries (still does). America is still considered puritanical in the eyes of some European nations.

As a believer, I am personally what some might even consider radically conservative, but politically, I am highly independent.

 

What are the parameters for being a conservative?