Elder Bradley's Interview

Yesterday, interestingly, I watched two recent videos by Elders Sonny Pyles and Lasserre Bradley Jr., both who are up and age (as is my father also).  In this posting I want to say a few things about Bradley's interview with a radio station dj in celebration of forty five years on that station.  (SEE HERE)

Elder Bradley gave this interview sometime after his open heart surgery. He looked elderly but in good health (I have not seen a pic of him in many years).  His mind seemed to be sharp.  He appeared more fatherly and warm in his communication.  Perhaps, like the old Baptists of former days, we should call Lasserre "father Bradley" rather than simply "brother Bradley"?

Elder Bradley was talking about how he loved the Psalms and valued them for their help for the Christian in his struggles and he spoke of how the Psalmist prayed that God would not forsake him and then said with a gleam in his eye, "even though God had promised that he would never forsake the Psalmist, nevertheless he prayed for God not to forsake him."

I thought that was profound and revealing about where Bradley might be in his mind relative to common errors of the Hardshells with whom he yet remains identified.  Bradley's insight overthrows a leading Hardshell proposition (one they take to the Bible)  which affirms that whatever is predestined or absolutely certain, in regard to the salvation of the elect, cannot in any case be an object of either prayer or duty.  Bradley obviously sees the error in that and it is to be hoped that other Hardshells will agree with Bradley's insight from Scripture.

I think he also in this interview said that it is for the same reason why we may pray for the eternal salvation of others even though the salvation of others does not ultimately depend upon our praying.  We pray God to save and keep us  knowing in advance that he has unconditionally promised to do so.  These things are not contradictory except in the the minds of today's extreme and false Calvinists.