Are We Getting Scared?
The more I read before the Southern Baptist Convention is gearing up, the more concerned I am getting that we are headed back to square one. I think there are those in the Convention who are getting scared, wanting to please everyone, and getting away from the scriptures not closer to it.
We are getting scared. We are afraid to take risks. The answer is to get on our knees in prayer, get away from all the clutter for awhile, and to concentrate on where God wants us to go as a Convention. Get those Bibles out, no matter how much you think you know what the scriptures say and prayerfully dig deeper. We need to hear from God himself, not others. Not now.
I give the challenge to the leaders of the Conservative Resurgence and the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The goal should be the Gospel. Period. It is getting further and further away from that goal. So I give the call to prayer and reading of scripture, leaving all biases and thinking out other than those two things. Is it about having more children? Is it about all the clutter that is now becoming a part of the document I signed that I did not see when reading it? I don’t think so, and God will let us either flourish or fall depending on what we do in the next couple of years. I’ll be honest in that I am concerned that it is now turning into a Fundamentalist controlled document in order to get them to cooperate, and while I do believe they should have a say just as others should, where is it turning? I’m not so sure.
Alan Cross and Joel Rainey have posted two articles that further my view on this point. I want to support the Convention, but only if they get closer to scripture, closer to the goal of the gospel, which is freedom not bondage, not away from it.
Debbie,
Maybe you should share with post with your Pastor. His second to the last one was over the line and had nothing to do with the Gospel. It was character assassination at best!
No one that I know is scared. I do know of many who are fed up with slander and garbage!
Tim G:
I read the post you reference and I did not see any character assassination or slander or garbage.
Tom,
Maybe you need to visit the eye doctor and also ask Wade why he changed the post? He says he does not do this yet he altered this one.
Tim G:
I am scheduled to see the eye doctor on 7-29-09 but thanks for the reminder. In my non-lawyer opinion he did not alter the post. Why don’t you ask him why he altered the post, because I am not going to–once again I do not believe he did.
Tom,
He took at least one person by name out after he had posted it.
That is called altering!
Poor Tim.
Alan,
Not sure what you are referring to but…?
How are you?
Tim: I happen to agree with all that Wade has posted. Not because he is my minister, which he is. But, because I have been waiting for many years, before I was Southern Baptist, but Baptist, for someone to stand up and speak against the legalism which destroys lives, puts burdens on people that God doesn’t, that add to where scripture doesn’t for far too long.
Most even in the higher ranks, who have been Christians for years, who have gone to seminary, don’t have a clue what the Bible says, because they have gone by what they have been taught it says, and haven’t read beyond the Old Testament, a few what they think are fire and brimstone verses in the Bible and left out the Grace chapters. The Biblically illiterate are not the one just in the pews. But in places of teaching positions.
Debbie,
I realize your past experiences are still a driving force in your writings. But the past does not equate to the many who today are teaching right.
You do paint with broad brush at times.
Maybe this would help in our discussion. What is the difference in your perspective between Holiness and Legalism? Can you have one without the other? Can one be taught without the other? If so – how in your opinion does this occur?
Tim: You are way too dismissive here. I think you will find to your detriment. Or should I say to the SB’s detriment. I could bring up many things that I have said would happen that indeed did happen and are happening.
In answer to your question there is a big difference between legalism and holiness. Holiness comes from a heart change wrought by God. Christ changed me, I love Him, therefore I do. I am accepted and because I am I want to live and please the One I love.
Legalism is giving rules beyond what scripture dictates, stressing a we can do it attitude vs. God does it through us, and it’s done to be accepted by the SBC, the church, or others. It’s taking a conviction that is a personal conviction, and expecting others to live and do those personal convictions. It usually leaves Christ and who we are in Christ out of the equation. I could write a whole post on what is the difference between holiness and legalism. Holiness begins with love. Love for Christ, which is only given by the Holy Spirit and is a mark of a true Christian. This is why Christ said the Greatest Commandment is this, love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And your neighbor as yourself.
So Debbie,
In your understanding then (or practice) are there thou shalts and shalt nots? Or?