Q: #40. I hear some Christians being called "fundies." They say it like it is bad. What does this mean?
A: A ‘fundie” is short for fundamentalist. A Christian fundamentalist basically believes in these five things:
1. The Bible is the inerrant, infallible word of God.
2. Jesus is God.
3. The substitutionary atonement.
4. The virgin birth of Jesus.
5. The resurrection of Jesus and His second coming at some future time.
These are what should be considered the “essentials” of the Christian faith. However, many do not hold this view. This is especially true regarding the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible, and a literal interpretation of most verses.
What draws the ire of most, and the main reason why a person would be called a fundamentalist today, is when a Christian uses verses in the Bible to condemn sins and sinful actions as wrong. For instance, if we tell others that the Bible says abortion, homosexuality, divorce, living together, fornication, etc… is wrong, we are called intolerant, extremist, unloving, uncaring, homophobic, etc… Non-Christians or liberal Christians (it is my opinion a “liberal Christian” probably isn’t a Christian at all) then hang the “fundie” tag on what would be considered a “conservative Christian.”
Those who do not hold a fundamentalist view of the Bible offer all sorts of reasons why they do not need to take the Bible literally, or obey its teachings, especially where it condemns sin. For instance:
“The Bible is out of date. God doesn’t think that way now.”
(God DOES think that way now. He NEVER changes: Mal 3:6, James 1:17, Ps 102:26-27.)
“Your interpretation of it is wrong. It REALLY doesn’t mean that.”
(It really DOES mean just what it says.)
“That was Old Testament law. Since Jesus came, the laws in the Old Testament no longer apply.”
(The ceremonial cleansing laws to make us clean such as sacrificing animals have passed, but the moral laws like murdering the unborn and homosexuality have NOT passed.)
“Well, it may be wrong, I don’t know, but God will forgive me.”
(Repentance is a part of forgiveness. Repentance means we are SORRY for our sin, SORRY it ever happened, and we want to go in a new direction.)
“God made me this way. He gave me these desires, so He understands.”
(God doesn’t create ANYONE so that they HAVE to commit what He calls sin.)
“God is love, He won’t judge my sins.”
(God is equally love AND justice.)
When we attempt to explain away or validate our sinful behavior, we are simply destroying any relationship we might have with the Lord. This increasingly liberal view of God and the Bible, and its teachings are why this world is in a moralistic downward spiral. Holding a fundamentalist position is crucial, especially in the world today.
However, keep in mind, the main motivation of a fundamentalist should ALWAYS be to teach others the truths contained in the Bible with LOVE. When we speak out, we should do so out of a desire to bring people to the Lord, further the cause of Christ, and protect people from the ravages of sin and false teachings. I freely admit that some fundamentalists do go beyond Biblical boundaries to make their cases, but when they do, they cause just as much, or more harm, than those who teach a liberal view of the Bible.