In this article I use the words 'liberal' and 'progressive' to identify those who support changing Primitive Baptist practices to include but not limited to the addition of Bible studies groups, youth activities, outreach ministries, missionary endeavors such as the Primitive Baptists Philippine movement and lax discipline in the Church. Also, fellowship is implied when using the words associate or association in reference to church associating.

Some take the position that a Minister should not be labeled guilty of being a liberal just because of his association with liberals. I agree that care must be taken before labeling anyone. But labeling in accordance with scripture is commanded and should be done. Roman 16:17 instructs us to do so: " Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them". The leaders of the liberal/progressive Primitive Baptist movement are doing exactly what this scripture says we should mark and avoid a person for. If a minister chooses to fellowship and consistently association with those that fit this category, do we not also need to label them as a supporter of division and offences contrary to sound doctrine. Are we following the command in Roman's 16:17 or Jude's exhortation "…that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) if we do not do so?

In general a person's chosen Church affiliation automatically labels him? Did not the damsel correctly proclaim Peter's guilt by his association with Jesus and the Apostles? If we regularly attend a Methodist Church, we are viewed (labeled) as a Methodist or at the very least a Methodist supporter. I realize there are cases where a member of the Primitive Baptists will on a regularly basis attend services with their husband or wife in a denominational church. This situation does not constitute guilt by association as long as the individual does not become active in supporting the doctrines and practices of the denominational church with indifference to his own church. But as stated, a chosen Church affiliation certainly does.

Due to the necessities of life we sometime associate, in the work place, with fornicators, idolaters, covetous and extortioners. The scriptures draw a distinction between that necessity and chosen church associating (Christian fellowship). "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world." (I Corinthians 5 9-10) If we choose to company with such persons in church fellowship then we have guilt by association. We would be guilty of violating this very scripture. We could correctly be labeled by others as a person that is liberal and one that does not hold to the scriptural teachings by associating with those that permit such persons in the fellowship of the church. This holds true for all the unscriptural practices of the liberal brethren, if we persist in associating with them in Church fellowship, we correctly should be labeled a liberal supporter.

As indicated above, there could be exceptions to the rule in guilt by association and some have been too quickly and unfairly labeled liberal because of a one-time attendance at liberal gatherings. Some have used this fact and ridiculed 'guilt by association' in saying that a minister can be called in question because he preached with a preacher that had preached with a liberal before. Those who use either tactic are being disingenuous to Christian labor. The promotion of unscriptural practices and doctrines is an evil and we become partakers of that evil if we persist in fellowshipping liberal or progressive ministers and churches and we should expect to be labeled guilty by that association. —Elder Claude McKee