Here is a statement a blogger made that I really had a struggle with.
I really have no desire for ***** Baptist Church to be known as "Southern Baptist" or "Reformed." Rather, I would love for us to be known as "Christ-saturated."
While I agree with the importance of keeping the main thing the main thing, I still believe it is important to reflect our distinctives. And let me say that I don't think this gentleman is seeking to blurr his distinctives either, He just wants God's true glory and Love to be preeminent in his Church and life. But let me explain why I struggled with what he is saying.
I belonged to a Baptist Church for many years that had a Calvinistic Pastor who believed Unity was one of the most important issues. He wanted our church to be known because it was known by Jesus Christ. God's glory and doctrine were both important focal points. But as important as doctrine was considered, it was to take a back seat to brotherly love. After all Jesus said that that is how they would know we were his followers. And let me mind you that it wasn't cheap love that was promoted at our church. It was a very balanced view of love.
After a few years the church numbered in the thousands. When I started attending it was around 250. So it grew rather significantly.
Our Sunday School classes started looking like mini churches in a big church. The Sunday School teachers where mostly Elders or very competent men who could teach. Our Church staff was Calvinistic for the most part but our Eldership did not necessarily hold to these views. This was true even from the beginning of the Church.
After a while personalities became stronger in the Church structure and some of the Elders started teaching contrary to the Pulpit. In fact one of the Largest Sunday Schools took a topic that was rather disheartening. It's title was, "Why I am not a Calvinist."
This was tolerated in the name of seeking to love our Brothers and to show that even Calvinists and Arminians can get along in Christ. Attendees would go to Sunday School and hear this kind of anti-calvinsitic teaching and then go to a Service where God's grace and Soveriegn glorious love was proclaimed. It was confusing for some and divisive for others.
This Church was weakened in my estimation and it is a picture of what has happened to the Southern Baptist Convention. I am not pleading for a separation from working with our semi-pelagian brethren. In fact I take Romans 12:3 and on very serious. But I believe much unity is sacrificed in the name of unity when we don't hold forth our distinctions.
I believe we are losing sight of 1 Timothy 4:16 when we don't want to proclaim the truths of Scripture in Christ.
1 Timothy 4:16"Give attention to yourself and to the doctrine; continue in them, for doing this, you will both deliver yourself and those hearing you."
It can also be very confusing for members and others when we don't hold forth the truths we hold to. It can also cause the local assembly to be weakened and divided.
I hold no condemnation for semi-pleagians as some Calvinists do. In fact many of my best friends are very arminian. I just plea for our fellowship to be Christ centered and for our local assemblies to recognize each other. I also plea for more soundness and distinction to be made because sometimes the distinctions are very unifying and Christ exalting.
I am first a Christian. But so are many others. And there are yet others who name his name who are not of him. Secondly I am a Reformed Baptist because I see that the 1689 most clearly distinguishes the Person and Work of Christ and His local body as I see scripture proclaiming. And it is a good safe guard because it is based upon the Scriptures. It is a good unifying document which seeks to see God Glorified and therefore glorifying and exalting Jesus.
I am not accusing anyone of being ashamed of there doctrinal distinctives. But I think it is important that we understand why we are what we are doctrinally and not to hide it under the pretense of seeking a Higher Glory.
Just my honest opinion. And I aint always right.
