"The gospel is sent to men as sinners, lying in the ruins of the first Adam, lost and condemned under the sentence of death; and proclaims and reveals the righteousness of Christ, as the justification of the ungodly..." (Triumph of Truth, chapter 8)
Though the Hardshells love to claim Elder Wilson Thompson as one of their leaders and founders, he did not go as far as today's Hardshells. I have already shown in other writings how Elder Thompson believed, as did Elder Gilbert Beebe and other founders of the "Primitive Baptist" denomination, that the new birth was experienced in being converted by the Gospel. He certainly did not believe that the Gospel was sent to only the elect or to those who were already born again.
2 comments:
the quote that you mentioned doesn't say anything different. the quote says that the gospel REVEALS/PROCLAIMS (not "gives") the righteousness of Christ as the justification of the ungodly.
Yes, and the gospel IS for sinners that are under the sentence of death (we all die because of sin) but only regenerate sinners will be able to understand the gospel in their hearts.
So how is Thompson's quote any different from the other Hardshell views on this subject?
Dear jawja:
The point was not that Thompson believed that a sinner must be "regenerated" in order to believe the Gospel. The point was that he believed the Gospel was sent to all sinners, even those who were not yet regenerated or born of God. Further, Thompson, like Beebe, did not believe that "regeneration" was the same as being born again, that being born again was by the Gospel. See my posting here
http://baptistgadfly.blogspot.com/2007/11/chapter-57-original-paradigm.html
Blessings,
Stephen
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