Texas Baptist Forum
Wake-up call
___The presidential election should be a wake-up call for Christians.
___Our governing officials are not responsible to give us the Christian nation we want. America is not a Christian nation; it is a nation run by elected officials. If America was intended to be a Christian nation, we would see it clearly written into our Constitution.

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

___Through the years, we have had Christian leaders. However, Satan has a hold on our country, and I do not mean that as a metaphor for any politician.
___So, is all lost? Not yet. If we want America to come around to God's way of thinking, there are three simple things we have to do:
___Each individual must lose self-centeredness and become absolutely Christ-centered.
___Each one must let God's light shine through so others are drawn to Jesus.
___Each one must seize every opportunity to share the truth when the Spirit draws near.
___Within this generation, we likely must make a conscious decision to die for our faith.
___The question is not if we are willing to put our faith in Jesus and the work of the Spirit, but if we will. Will you?
___ Brent Weldon
___ Alvin

Lock arms
___Is it possible those at the extremes of Baptist life believe others who differ from them in Scripture interpretation are blasphemers, lack intelligence or are spokespeople for Satan?
___What is the big problem among Baptists? Is it simply huge egos or thirsts for power?
___Why don't we lock arms and accept genuine but different understandings of Scripture and do the main thing--help fellow humans find the faith in Jesus we profess? True salvation experiences occur within various church organizations. Many passages in God's word can be understood in multiple ways.
___Some members and prospects seek other denominations as they witness strife among our "leaders" and reduced attention to ministries. Can you blame them?
___Regrettably, some of our prospects will miss becoming a Christian.
___Let us all claim 2 Chronicles 7:14, and healing can happen.
___ Jess Olive
___ Texas City

Third way
___Each side in the moderate-conservative controversy is so busy expressing its own concerns and vilifying its opponent that it pays little attention to the concerns of the other. As a remedy, why doesn't each side concentrate on modifying the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message so that it will satisfy the concerns of its opponent, as well as its own concerns?
___I will begin the exercise:
___In Article I (1963), moderates want, "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ." The conservatives (2000) want, "All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is himself the focus of divine revelation."
___As an alternative, why not state, "All Scripture is profitable for our instruction, the Holy Spirit being our guide to its understanding, the teaching of Jesus Christ being definitive and exemplary in illuminating its meaning" (2 Timothy 3:16, John 16:13, Mark 12:24, Luke 24:27)?
___The alternative makes it clear we do not woodenly claim Christ's teaching organically touches every verse of Scripture. But where Christ has spoken, he gives the true meaning of Scripture, but he sent the Holy Spirit, because neither his teaching nor the record of his teaching has addressed every issue (John 16:12; 21:25).
___So, why not say the Holy Spirit is our guide, and Christ's teaching points the way?
___ Richard Grannemann
___ Benbrook

Dying hate
___We are using God's holy word as a dagger to stab other Christians in the back, or we are using it as a glove to slap other Christians in the face, or we are using it as a pin to prick other Christians when their backs are turned.
___What have we done with unconditional lovingkindness, which the Lord commanded (Matthew 22:37-39)?
___Perhaps we should outsmart the devil and disband the Southern Baptist Convention and turn everything over to the state conventions. Then our great-grandchildren can reorganize after the hate has died.
___ Marvin J. Ralston
___ Rogers

Christ as star
___Baptists sure let it all hang out. Maybe the solution would be to adjourn the conventions permanently. They don't seem to be united or productive.
___Of course, the best move would be to invite Christ to come and be the star, to enlighten the minds of all attending or waiting at home.
___This way, the disagreeing leaders of today would be demoted to united followers of a qualified Leader.
___ Erline Evans
___ Lubbock

Ungodly split
___Two letters in the Standard promote church and/or denominational splits as a godly thing (Nov. 20). That notion gives us an idea of just how far many Texas Baptists have fallen.
___The church is described by Paul as the body of Christ with one head, Jesus. So, can the Holy Spirit possibly lead someone to say that Christ's divided body is the will of God?
___Do we not yet understand how it looks to the world when we who call ourselves the children of God can't get along? We are on the verge of reaping the harvest of anger and division. Yet we go merrily along, asking and even encouraging churches and conventions to split. All the while, the lost world is shaking its collective head at us while we try to tell them of God's love.
___God's love? When we can't get along? How hypocritical are we? Is a split a godly thing? Never!
___The answer is not for two groups who both claim to hold the truth to split, but to repent! Can God use a split to advance his kingdom? Of course. God works all things to his good. But to say that God would condone a split is an idea borne out of humanism. That's why we are where we are today: We use tradition and human reasoning to guide us rather than what both the 1963 and the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message says we use--the Bible.
___God help us.
___ Billy Edwards
___ Hewitt

Spare money
___After reading the letters of Jim Ballard and David Rauls (Nov. 13), I am troubled that too many Texans do not understand the funding decisions made at the convention.
___Ballard fears that "our" seminary students will suffer. Our students at three Texas seminaries already are suffering financially because they are supported only by Texas. The redistribution of funds will only partially equalize the support and relieve the hardship of Texas students. No change was made in recognition that the money is God's money and Texas folks are just as capable of discerning God's will in handling it as are SBC leaders.
___Rauls seems to think the vote was purely political in order to force change in the SBC. Not so. There is little hope that SBC leaders will ever change, but we traditional Baptists do not have to buy into the myth that they have authority over any churches or state or local organizations.
___Not one penny of Texas money was diverted from SBC missions, but Texas mission fields overwhelmingly need expanded support, and the money comes only from Texas churches. The SBC, by its own report, has an $18 million surplus. They can certainly spare $5 million from the millions that Texas still sends them.
___ Frankie R. Latham
___ Point Blank

3-Alarm baptism
___"And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, 'Look! A firetruck with lights, bells and spray confetti! What prevents me from being baptized?" (Nov. 20). And Philip said, "You may, if you are very visual, very up to date, very modern and with it!"
___Dear God, save us from ourselves.
___ Steve Martin
___ Slaton

Carter's integrity
___President Carter is an intelligent, spiritual person of considerable integrity. He did not try to master the art of political deception, nor would he place human lives in jeopardy for political gain.
___We need more people like Jimmy Carter in public life.
___ J.F. Folmar
___ Beaumon

Scripture is our infallible guide
___Recently, I examined the letter "Men make errors" (November 20).
___ The writer directed attention to 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The variance proposed? The boy's age. Was he 8 or 18? However, this is not theologically fallible. The text still says the boy was evil, no matter his age.
___ If we cannot look to Scripture as an infallible source, then how do we know whom we serve? Shall we rely on emotions and past experience? Not according to 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits, whether they are of God." How then do we? Again, do we put faith in a "burning in the bosom"? No, we examine Scripture alongside Scripture, as did believers in, Acts 17:10-11.
___ Again, I ask if we charge Scripture with error, then how do we know whom we serve? Who discerns between right and wrong, fact and fiction? What is the criterion? Some people say Jesus, others, Scripture; I tend to agree with the latter, for without Scripture we, just as the early followers of Christ, would not know the true King of Kings. Without the ability to believe that Scripture is infallible, theologically, how can we believe that Jesus actually said, "Love your neighbor as yourself"?
___ As for those fine Christians who were "fired," they held to another gospel, which is not the gospel.
___ Kelly B. David
___ Kansas City, Mo.

SBC going Presbyterian?
___ My, it looks like I am going to have to become Presbyterian to stay in the SBC.
___ First, I hear that churches are now electing boards of elders to take the place of congregational government; then I find that one seminary president is pushing Five Point Calvinism, and another says that is OK as long as he believes the right things about the Bible.
___ Now, the articles of faith are a document "of accountablility," which requires churches to be accountable to other churches rather than being autonomous; a new book on grace arrives from LifeWay that is a fine Presbyterian work, but not Baptist; our seminaries are being staffed with professors with no Baptist training; and our convention leaders may be embracing Dispensationalism, a Presbyterian heresy.
___ I suppose it is as the seminary president said, we can make room for what else a man believes as long as he believes the right things about the Bible. His doctrine of salvation can be off, his doctrine of church government can be off, his doctrine of denominational polity can be off, his doctrine of grace can be off, and he can believe some wild, non-biblical scheme about Bible history, but if he believes the right things about the Bible, he is OK.
___ God help us Baptists. We adopt a statement of faith to define all these things, then find that its OK for our leadership to believe otherwise as long as their doctrine of the Bible is right.
___ Lawsy to goodness!!
___ Jim Fitch
___ Gallatin, Tenn.

Don't have to trade truth for reconciliation
___ Across many years, I have appreciated Professor Jack MacGorman from a distance. As a recently retired SBC International Mission Board missionary who was a seminary teacher overseas for about 30 years, I find it difficult, however, to understand his emphasis in his recent letter (Oct. 30).
___ Reconciliation is what the gospel and we Baptists (and other believers) are about. Paul believed that reconciliation was top priority, and yet this did not stop him from speaking out against abuses of Christian living and sound doctrine. Seems like "Dr. Mac" was slightly narrowly focused in his interpretation of the New Testament this time.
___ God bless him, but "peace at any price" doesn't seem to be true to the New Testament.
___ Byron Harbin
___ Hattiesburg, Miss.

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