The Missouri Synod Lutheran Church had at one time 'gone liberal' but was reclaimed by the orthodox.
So too, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church was widely seen to be 'liberal' by the 1970's. It too was revitalized by a strong evangelical movement.
St. Paul, in spite of the sin and heresies of the Corinthian Church, still regarded and addressed that body as part of the true Church. There is no perfect Church - Augustine put down the Donatists on that count. Thank God we have a perfect Savior.
***St. Paul, in spite of the sin and heresies of the Corinthian Church, still regarded and addressed that body as part of the true Church.***
I hear you. But the issues Paul dealt with in Corinth probably wouldn't show up on the radar in our current era.
We are dealing with issues like convenience abortion, lesbianism & homosexuality in the ministry, same sex marriage, child molestation, religious syncretism, denial and rejection of foundational Christian beliefs (incarnation, deity, resurrection) etc.
Paul told the Corinthians:
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
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Jesus also dealt with churches. He used words like:
"Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."
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"Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
I will strike her children dead."
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"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
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***There is no perfect Church - Augustine put down the Donatists on that count.***
By the time the Angels cam to get Lot, he was no longer scandalized by what went on around him. Why? Because after being exposed to such things year after year he had accepted them on some level and had lost his moral bearings.