Last week I attended a public business meeting held by one of the Baptist Churches in Lancaster, Kentucky. The purpose for this specially called business meeting was to dismiss a young preacher for preaching on the doctrine of Divine Election. As usual at such business meetings, the auditorium was packed. Men and women ranted and raved at one another in what they called "Christian love". But at about ten o'clock, or a little after one of the men stood up and said this - The real issue here is not whether or not the Bible teaches the doctrines of election and predestination. The real issue is whether or not this doctrine agrees with the constitution of this church. Then he held up a copy of the church constitution and said, "We believe in the free-will of man. We believe that man has the right to choose whether or not he will be saved, and that God leaves it up to man to decide."
As I sat through that mockery of religion, I shuttered to think that men, in the name of religion, would dare accept the authority of a church constitution above and beyond the plain statements of the Word of God! I hope that none of you will ever be so foolish. If your religious traditions are contrary to the Word of God, you must give them up. If your church constitution is contrary to the Word of God, don't just change it, burn it! If the Word of God will split, or destroy any church, my own included, that church needs to be split, or destroyed.
We who are Baptists are supposed to believe in the total and absolute authority of the Word of God. Our creed, our constitution, our by-laws, our rule of government, our confession of faith must be the Word of God and the Word of God alone! We must believe, and teach, and preach "Thus saith the Lord." "Let God be true, and every man a liar." We recognize the authority of Holy Scripture. Church traditions, church covenants, church by-laws, church constitutions, all must bow to the authority of Holy Scripture.
We believe and preach what we do, because it is plainly taught in the Word of God. Does the Bible teach that God is totally sovereign in all things? Hear Psalm 115:3 - "Our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." Does the Bible teach that man is totally depraved, sinful, and spiritually dead? Hear Romans 5:12. "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." In Adam we all died spiritually. Does the Bible teach divine predestination? Hear Ephesians 1:11 - We were "predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Does the Bible teach the unconditional election of grace? Hear Romans 9:11-13 - The children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth; It was said, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Does the Bible teach that Christ effectually accomplished the eternal redemption of his elect people at Calvary? Hear Hebrews 9:12 - "By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Does the Bible teach the irresistible grace of God in salvation? Hear Psalm 65:4 - "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Psalm 110:3 - "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee." Does the Bible teach the final preservation of God's elect in Christ? Hear John 10:29 - "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish."
Now this is the real issue we must all face - Will we cling to our religious traditions, church customs, and human opinions? Or, will we bow to the authority of the Word of God? As for me, and the folks of Grace Baptist Church, we will bow to the Word of God. How about you?
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