Well Defined ...

It seems that if you are a person that holds to the fundamentals of our faith you are a horrid person. If you are conservative you are held in equal esteem. If you are moderate you are a wonderful person. I remember back in early '98 a SBC pastor Howard Thompson (not sure if that is how it is spelled) that we say we are conservatives, they say we are fundamentalist. We say that are liberal, they say that are moderate. So I chose to list some definitions that may help us to see what is really what. I chose to use Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary of American English because it an older dictionary that has definition that would not have been changed by the ACLU and other radical faction that use a extra-constitutional reference to force their agenda on America. So I have taken this opportunity to post these definfitons and thier roots words. Discussion will come later.

FUNDAMENT'AL

, a. Pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation. Hence, essential; important; as a fundamental truth or principle; a fundamental law; a fundamental sound or chord in music.

FUNDAMENT'AL

, n. A leading or primary principle, rule, law or article, which serves as the ground work of a system; essential part; as the fundamentals of the christian faith.

FUND'AMENT

, n. [L. fundamentum, from fundo, to set.]

1. The seat; the lower part of the body or of the intestinum rectum.

2. Foundation.

CONSERVATIVE

, a. Preservative; having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss,

CONSERVE

, v.t. [L., to hold, keep or guard.] To keep in a safe or sound state; to save; to preserve from loss, decay, waste, or injury; to defend from violation; as, to conserve bodies from perishing; to conserve the peace of society; to conserve fruits, roots and herbs, with sugar, &cwaste or injury

Liberal

LIB'ERAL

, a. [L. liberalis, from liber, free. See Libe.]

1. Of a free heart; free to give or bestow; not close or contracted; munificent; bountiful; generous; giving largely; as a liberal donor; the liberal founders of a college or hospital. It expresses less than profuse or extravagant.

2. Generous; ample; large; as a liberal donation; a liberal allowance.

3. Not selfish, narrow on contracted; catholic; enlarged; embracing other interests than one's own; as liberal sentiments or views; a liberal mind; liberal policy.

4. General; extensive; embracing literature and the sciences generally; as a liberal education. This phrase is often but not necessarily synonymous with collegiate; as a collegiate education.

5. Free; open; candid; as a liberal communication of thoughts.

6. Large; profuse; as a liberal discharge of matter by secretions or excretions.

7. Free; not literal or strict; as a liberal construction of law.

8. Not mean; not low in birth or mind.

9. Licentious; free to excess.

Liberal arts, as distinguished from mechanical arts, are such as depend more on the exertion of the mind than on the labor of the hands, and regard amusement, curiosity or intellectual improvement, rather than the necessity of subsistence, or manual skill. Such are grammar, rhetoric, painting, sculpture, architecture, music. &c.

Liberal has of before the thing bestowed, and to before the person or object on which any thing is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal to the poor.

Moderate

MOD'ERATE

, a. [L. moderatus, from moderor, to limit, from modus, a limit.]

1. Literally, limited; restrained; hence, temperate; observing reasonable bounds in indulgence; as moderate in eating or drinking, or in other gratifications.

2. Limited in quantity; not excessive or expensive. He keeps a moderate table.

3. Restrained in passion, ardor or temper; not violent; as moderate men of both parties.

4. Not extreme in opinion; as a moderate Calvinist or Lutheran.

5. Placed between extremes; holding the mean or middle place; as reformation of a moderate kind.

6. Temperate; not extreme, violent or rigorous; as moderate weather; a moderate winter; moderate heat; a moderate breeze of wind.

7. Of a middle rate; as men of moderate abilities.

8. Not swift; as a moderate walk.

MOD'ERATE

, v.t. To restrain from excess of any kind; to reduce from a state of violence; to lessen; to allay; to repress; as, to moderate rage, action, desires, &c.; to moderate heat or wind.

1. To temper; to make temperate; to qualify.

By its astringent quality, it moderates the relaxing quality of warm water.

MOD'ERATE

, v.i. To become less violent, severe, rigorous or intense. The cold or winter usually moderates in March; the heat of summer moderates in September.

Are going to play ball or war

Since there is so much in uproar about both Landmarkism and the BMA/SBTC co-op. I thought I would post these three links.

http://nbbcemergent.blogspot.com/2006/01/bride-of-christ-and-family-of-god.html

http://nbbcemergent.blogspot.com/2006/01/further-information-on-sbtc-and-bma.html

http://nbbcemergent.blogspot.com/2006/01/landmark-baptist-group-and-texas.html

IMB supports my views

I received this from a freind Ben. This only helped to affirm my beliefs on this matter. Please take note of the red section

From: LandmarkSouthernBaptist@yahoogroups.com [mailto:LandmarkSouthernBaptist@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ben StrattonSent: Friday, January 20, 2006 10:06 PMTo: LSBSubject: LSB: IMB's New Policy on Baptism

Some of you have heard about the Southern Baptist International Missions Board's recent decision concerning baptism. On November 15, 2005 the IMB trustees passed the following baptism guideline by a vote of hands:

"a. Baptism is a church ordinance. Baptism must take place in a church that practices believer’s baptism by immersion alone, does not view baptism as sacramental or regenerative, and a church that embraces the doctrine of the security of the believer.
b. A candidate who has not been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church which meets the standards listed above is expected to request baptism in his/her Southern Baptist church as a testimony of identification with the system of belief held by Southern Baptist churches."

IMB trustee chairman Tom Harley has said the vote was 50-15 in favor of the new policy. This new policy specifies that potential IMB missionaries must have received baptism in a church that meets these guidelines. You will notice this policy excludes virtually all non-Baptist baptisms. According to this new policy any church that practices infant baptism or sprinkling for baptism (such as a Presbyterian or Methodist church) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that believes in baptism regeneration (such as the Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Lutherans) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that rejects the doctrine of eternal security (such as Penteocosts or Free Will Baptists) can not administer valid baptism. Even if these groups baptize by immersion, their baptisms should not be considered valid.

Personally I am thrilled that Southern Baptists are finally getting some doctrinal standards for our missionaries. Their was a time not too many generations ago, when 95% of Southern Baptists would have agreed with these new guidelines. If someone is going to be a Southern Baptist missionary, they need to have a baptism that matches the doctrines Southern Baptist believe and practice.

I welcome your feedback on this controversial issue. *** If you enjoy these messages, why not tell someone else about them. *** "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism." Ephesians 4:5Homepage: The Landmark Southern Baptist: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LandmarkSouthernBaptist

pic of me

This is me  

freewill baptist are not baptists!

A recent event has brought to the front a problem I foresaw at the onset of my pastorate. Would we accept a letter of membership from a freewill baptist Church. The answer is no. Below is a snipet of a letter I sent to a fellow member concering such


taken from thier stament of faith:

9.Perserverance - We believe that there are strong grounds to hope that the saved will persevere unto the end, and be saved because of the power of divine grace pledged for their support.

We believe that any saved person who has sinned (whether we call him a backslider or sinner), but has a desire to repent, may do so and be restored to God's favor and fellowship.

Since man, however, continues to have free choice, it is possible because of temptations and the weakness of human flesh for him to fall into the practice of sin and to make shipwreck of his faith and be lost.


This was taken from their Treatise.
Quote:
There are strong grounds to hope that the truly regenerate will persevere unto the end, and be saved, through the power of divine grace which is pledged for their support; but their future obedience and final salvation are neither determined nor certain, since through infirmity and manifold temptations they are in danger of falling; and they ought, therefore, to watch and pray lest they make shipwreck of their faith and be lost
Quote:
We believe that a saved individual may, in freedom of will, cease to trust in Christ for salvation and once again be lost. This we hold in distinction from those who teach that a believer may not again be lost.


Although they say salvation by grace, the quote above from them teaches is salvation by works. It is the same heresy believed by the Pentecostals, Campbellites, Methodists, Lutherans, Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Nazarenes, Mennonites and many others.

My biggest problem is that they believe that you can lose your salvation. This makes the good news not so great.

Quote:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

Must Christ die again, over and over?
Quote:
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Rom 6:8-10)
Quote:
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb 10:10)

Additionally they have a form of Church polity in which they look up to a larger group for actions and discipline. This in not baptistic and a carry over from their catholic-lite heritage.


Quote:
The district association, in this plan, is the body which deals directly with the local church and would be the first level of appeal from the local church. It is also the body to which the local church delegates its authority to ordain and discipline ministers


They also have the issue of a “third ordinance” that does not correspond with the symbolism of the Lord’s Supper and Scriptural Baptism. The foot washing may shoe humility and service, but it does not represent the death of Christ as the other two do. This so called ordinance has proven to actually cause sin as people will primp and fawn over their feet when there is to be a foot washing service. They tend to become vain are worrisome over the condition of their feet.


The Free Will faith was actually started in the 170 hundreds and kind of has a Church of Christ/ Disciples of Christ ring to it as you will see that two men started tweo groups and they bonded to gather like Stone and Campbell did.

In 1702, settlers in Carolina wrote a request for help to the General Baptist association in England. Though no help was forthcoming, Paul Palmer would labor among these people 25 years later, founding the first "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan, North Carolina in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina After 1755, missionary labors conducted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association converted most of these churches to the Particular Baptist positions of unconditional election and limited atonement. By 1770, only 4 churches and 4 ministers remained of the General Baptist persuasion. By the end of 18th century, these churches were commonly referred to as "Free Will Baptist", and this would later be referred to as the "Palmer" line of Free Will Baptists. The churches in the "Palmer" line organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized a General Conference in 1921. While the movement in the south was struggling, a new movement rose in the north through the work of Benjamin Randall (1749-1808). Randall initially united with the Particular or Regular Baptists in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to their strict views on predestination. In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" or "Free Will" Baptist church in New Durham, New Hampshire. By 1782 twelve churches had been founded, and they organized a Quarterly Meeting. In 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. This northern line (the "Randall" line) of Free Will Baptists expanded rapidly



As “true Baptist” we hold to a simple but effective statement of faith

1. A New Testament church is a local, visible assembly orCongregation of immersed believers.

2. The first such New Testament church was started by the Lord JesusChrist during His earthly ministry, and churches like it have existedin the world ever since that day.

3. The Great Commission was given by the Lord Jesus Christ only tothe New Testament church.

4. Catholic and Protestant churches do not qualify as New TestamentChurches because they preach a false way of salvation and/or practicea false way of baptism.

5. The practices of alien immersion, open communion, and pulpitaffiliation should be rejected


(Pro 22:28 KJV) Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Navy Seal Christians

I read this note on the net today

Navy SEALs are always taught

1) Keep your priorities in order
2) Know when to act without hesitation

Only if Christians were tuahgt this or would act like this.

The Drop

I have to drop a class tomorrow. I don;t want to not take the class. It is more a matter of I can not take the class and do the job I should. I should be able to apply myself and walk out with an A. But this will not happen. Part is becuase I am taking two other classes at a local college to finish of my bachelor's degree. This is more important that a Master's class. I would also have to miss some of the class at the seminary which would lower my grade which I feel would already be sub par. I know that profesor will not be happy with me and probably think I did nto do the work. Fact is most of the work is done, but i don;t have the tiem or the will to finish the rest of it. I feel that this would be unfair to to my fellow students, my professor and myself. So i have to drop.

Additions to a New Theology

I love Christ and His Church, but Man’s doctrines and theology is another story. Mankind has a need to possess things and to categorize things. Man ties to do to our Lord. Man can whip a doctrine and call it Biblical in a moments notice. Then he will argue about it to his grave.

In 1828 Bro. Noah Webster defined Doctrine as

1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. The doctrines of Plato are the principles which he taught. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion. 2. The act of teaching. He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine. Mark 4. 3. Learning; knowledge. Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Isa 28. 4. The truths of the gospel in general. That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Titus 2. 5. Instruction and confirmation in the truths of the gospel. 2 Tim 3.

I define doctrine as a man’s set of codified beliefs. Calvinism is one of these. Calvinism is said to be a Biblical Doctrine because it is taken from Scripture. But This Doctrine does not take in the Full Council of God’s Word. It takes Calvin’s word as the Gospel, but takes the “good” out of the good news and just leaves one with the news. Now that this has been typed, Calvinist all around the web are getting ready to take aim on me as a horrible heretic. But I am not at Hermannite. Now the Calvinist are confused are Hermannite. Yes, that is Right. You know Jacob Hermann. Or maybe you know him as Arminius. Either way I am not a Hermannite or an Arminian. Nor a Calvinist. With all parties now bewildered I will share with you what I am. and stop the fantasies of a new theolgy I am a Baptist. To be factual about it I am a Missionary Baptist. I have found two sources of informYou coud say I hold a hybrid, blended, or didactic supreme doctrine. But I am not supreme and I can offer you help in understanding my view. First there is the writings of Dr. Phillip R. Bryan who is on staff at the Baptist Missionary Theological Seminary that I attend. He teaches as the Professor of Biblical and Theological-Historical Studies and serves as President Emeritus of the seminary. His paper entitled “A Proposed Solution to a Controversial Issue” can be found here - http://www.geocities.com/prbryan.geo/issue.htm

I have also found that Chuck Smith of the Calvary Chapels has a blended view but I have not studied out his views well enough to comment on them, but they can be found here - http://www.calvarychapel.com/?show=Resources.Ebooks.calvinismarminianismandth

I will leave you with this two rail system of Dr. C. C. Winters and Dr. Harry Ironside. These are two well loved and deeply trusted men that possess a great love for the Cross and great scholarship of Scripture.

New Theology

I love Christ and His Church, but I despise man's doctrines at times. In 1828 Bro. Noah Webster defined doctrine as -

1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. The doctrines of Plato are the principles which he taught. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion. 2. The act of teaching. He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine. Mark 4. 3. Learning; knowledge. Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Isa 28. 4. The truths of the gospel in general. That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Titus 2. 5. Instruction and confirmation in the truths of the gospel. 2 Tim 3.

I define doctrine as a man's codified set of beliefs. Calvin had his doctrine of T.U.L.I.P. The who profess Calvinism seem at times to have forgotten we should preach the Full Council of God's Word. Now by typing this some have already armed themselves and begun to get ready to tear into me because the feel I am a Hermannist. Now the Calvinist look confused. Jacob Hermann is also known by his Latin last name of Arminius. So not I am not a Hermannist or an Arminian. Both sides are sides are confused. If your not a Calvinist or an Arminian, then what are you? Well, I am a Baptist. Matter of fact I am a Missionary Baptist. The an a blend of both, or a hybrid, a didactic supreme if your will. No, I am not supreme. But honestly I don;t hold all of Calvin's points nor do I that of Aminius.

I must scare some because to them I either posses a new theology or I challenge theirs because they do not know what to do with me. I have found two web pages that deal with this.