Where Are The PB Debaters?

It is an historical phenomenon that needs to be accounted for in regards to the history of "Primitive Baptists." I speak concerning their debate history. In the decades that followed the 1832 division, the one that produced the "Primitive" or "Old School" denomination (or sect), there were in the first 75-100 years of their existence far more debates with other denominations than there were after that time period. In fact, we can say that, for the most part, when C.H. Cayce and J.R. Daily died (early 20th century), debating died. Why is this? In this day and time there is none. The only debating that the PBs did in the latter end of the 20th century were done mostly by my father and his mostly with Campbellites. The only one of recent years that I know of is one between Elder Danny Parker (not the original Daniel Parker lol) and a church of Christ minister. It can be seen on youtube (Parker got eaten alive). As a side note, I first met Parker in the 70s and saw him in meetings more than once. He is a little older than I. 

I will opine on the reason for this lack of debating today. It was easier for their forefathers to debate because they were not defending indefensible propositions that affirmed that the gospel was not a means in salvation, that faith and repentance were not required for entrance into heaven, and that one did not have to persevere in faith and holiness to be finally saved. It is because they had not yet embraced those false propositions. So, when in debate in those first decades of their existence, they spent their time objecting to methods, to Arminianism, to Pelagianism, to innovations. 

It was not till the end of the 19th century that 2nd generation Hardshells began to have debates where they denied gospel means, denied absolute predestination, denied perseverance, denied calling upon the lost to repent and be saved, etc. The champions in this new paradigm were Lemuel Potter, S.F. Cayce, C.H. Cayce, and John R. Daily. 

When these men died, very few took their places. I believe it is because their new paradigm was showing itself not to be defensible and certainly not in keeping with their historical beliefs. I believe it is apparent that my opinion is correct by looking at how few have ventured to come here and have Christian debate and dialogue. 

If Cayce, Potter, Daily, etc., were alive today, would they not at least try to engage us in discussion? I think so. And, this being true, we may well ask "where are the Cayce's, the Daily's, etc."" 

What think ye?

Primitive Baptist Song Services

When I was pastoring Haws Run and Grassy Primitive Baptist churches (1979-1983) in eastern NC (Jacksonville area) I used to stay with various members on the weekends (we at first only met once a month at either church until I was going every weekend). It was a four hour drive from Monroe, NC. One of the members was brother Cecil Davis (he had two brothers who were members and I stayed with one of them also several times). He was a talented mandolin player and high tenor singer. He used to play for me when I stayed with him. When Elder Cecil Darity was with me one time (we invited him to come) we both had supper at his house. He played for Elder Darity (both their names were "Cecil"). Elder Darity thought he was so good that he wanted to get him to let him recommend him to bluegrass Hardshell musicians he knew. Brother Davis did not want it. He was in his fifties back then. I think it was Ralph Stanley who is a Hardshell Baptist and Darity knew him. 

Oftentimes when I was there on a weekend there would be "fish fries" (outdoor cooking fish, clams, etc. in oil on an open fire). Many times brother Davis would play his mandolin and others, some members of the above churches, and some not, would also be present and play songs, many of which were gospel. There was the banjos, large bass, guitars, fiddles, etc. I really had a good time. Looking back on this I have often thought of how blessed the "Primitive Baptist" churches would be if they allowed their talented musicians and singers to perform. I love congregational singing. I like both acapella and musical instruments accompanying. But, I would love to see churches with such talent to use it. This was done in the old testament in worship and praise. I like it when either a piano or guitar accompanies congregational singing.

What is wrong with PB churches allowing their members to sing as Trios and Quartets? What is wrong with small groups singing in lead of the congregation? 

One of the best quartets that I ever heard composed only of Primitive Baptists was one in which Elders Lasserre Bradley Jr., Paul Trautner, Cincinnati deacon Paul Prather (and another man I don't recall his name)  sang together. I wrote about this three years ago (See here). One of the songs "We'll understand it better by and by" can still be heard (here) I think Bradley is singing bass. Trautner (who I knew quite well when a PB) is a very good singer. I think brother Prather is singing Tenor. Now, let me ask this question, what would have been wrong for these men to sing for the church in a church service? Nothing. In fact, I am sure that it would have been blessed.  

Debate On Apostasy

Garrett- Reeves Debate on Apostasy (here)

I have debated this topic with Campbellites several times. This was my last and probably my best (practice makes perfect). I tried to stay in First John throughout the four nights of the debate. The debate was held in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Listen to it and let me know what you think (if you have time and a mind to do so). I have been listening to it some today and I could only praise God that he gave me this opportunity to teach and to witness for him. I have had probably about ten debates with Campbellites.

I certainly did defend the perseverance of believers.

P.S. If you want to see what I look like (even though it has been more than a decade ago), go to the link and see the video.

P.SS. I had my notes, but I preached mostly extempore, from memory, and I tried to keep my eyes on the audience.

On Fear As A Motive

The following well written article (See here) on the motivating force of fear for good expresses my sentiments exactly. Too many today think that God, if he is loved and trusted, ought not to be feared. After all, does not John say that "perfect love casts out fear"? Yes, but the interpretation and inferences that many draw from John's words are not correct, as the following apology (apologia) demonstrates.

Preaching hell and damnation for all unbelievers and impenitents should produce fear. That is the purpose of it, as the following article shows. Is fear alone sufficient for salvation? No, but it is often blessed by God to lead the soul to true repentance. Sinners must first go to Mt. Sinai, become frightened in conviction, in hearing the law and its condemnation, before they can go to Mt. Zion and become safe and secure, and free from fear of condemnation. But, fear of God and his judgments remain as a positive motivating force in the lives of believers.

What the Bible says about Fear as a Motivator
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Psalm 2:10-11 A hundred other verses say essentially the same thing: We must have the fear of God in us. Nevertheless, many persist in believing that, in Christianity, the fear of God has been replaced by love for God. There is no doubt that God wants us to fear Him. Notice that Psalm 34:11 says that the fear of God is a quality that we must learn, indicating that we do not have this characteristic in us by nature. The fear of God, then, is different from the fears we normally have in life. Thus, it must be learned. Fear is a powerful motivator. Our normal understanding of fear spans from being a mild apprehension or awareness of anxiety all the way to outright, bowel-moving terror. As an extreme, it creates the "fight or flight" response. Why, then, does a loving God want us to fear Him? Would He not rather want us to snuggle up to Him with no thought of fear? Many people have that conception, but it is a mistaken one. We must not forget that God is not a man; He is God. He reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-9 that He does not think like a man. Yes, He wants us to love Him, but even in that love the sense of fear should always be present. Recall that Psalm 2:11 commands, "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling." To a Christian, fearing and rejoicing seem to be an odd couple. Paul writes in Philippians 2:12 to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Ordinarily, we associate "trembling" with fear, of being frightened. What is there to fear and tremble about in taking salvation to its conclusion? Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says, "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Within a Christian setting, we are much more comfortable with this command to love, yet notice verses 1-2: Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the LORD your God to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Immediately preceding and following His command in verse 5 to love Him, He also affirms that we are to fear Him (see verses 2, 13). The sense of verses 1-2 is that this fear is produced as we keep His commandments, not before! Clearly, fear of Him and love for Him cannot be separated from our relationship with Him. Isaiah 8:13 adds another interesting aspect. "The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread." Surely, we might think that someone as close to God as Isaiah did not need to fear Him, but here God commands Isaiah to fear him. Why? Because the fear gained within the relationship with Him always motivates movement in the right, godly direction, regardless of the intensity of life's circumstances. What about I John 4:17-18? Does it not contradict the assertion that our relationship with God should contain godly fear? Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. This passage does not contradict in the least, once we understand the kind of fear the apostle John is writing about. The clue to this fear appears in verse 17 in the term "boldness." John is referring to being bold in spite of the circumstances we face from life in this world once we are converted. The love of God works in us to dispel the fear of disease, oppressions, persecution, and death, but it does not drive out the fear of God. If it did, John would be contradicting what the Bible says elsewhere about the necessity of continuing to fear God. Christianity has not replaced the fear of God with the love of God, as many wrongly believe. Instead, the two work hand in hand. John W. Ritenbaugh Sin, Christians, and the Fear of God

What think ye?

Spurgeon on "Turn or Burn"

The following excerpts are from Spurgeon's sermon "Turn or Burn" (See here), a sermon well worth reading and considering. Our Hardshell brothers decry "turn and burn" preaching, but Spurgeon did not. (See my previous article "Hardshells & Hell"). (Highlighting is mine)

Said Spurgeon:  

"If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow and made it ready."—Psalm 7:12

"If the sinner turn not, God will whet his sword." So, then, God has a sword, and he will punish man on account of his iniquity."

"Two hundred years ago the predominant strain of the pulpit was one of terror: it was like Mount Sinai, it thundered forth the dreadful wrath of God, and from the lips of a Baxter or a Bunyan, you heard most terrible sermons, full to the brim with warnings of judgment to come. Perhaps some of the Puritanic fathers may have gone too far, and have given too great a prominence to the terrors of the Lord in their ministry: but the age in which we live has sought to forget those terrors altogether, and if we dare to tell men that God will punish them for their sins, it is charged upon us that want to bully them into religion, and if we faithfully and honestly tell our hearers that sin must bring after it certain destruction, it is said that we are attempting to frighten them into goodness. Now we care not what men mockingly impute to us; we feel it our duty, when men sin, to tell them they shall be punished, and so long as the world will not give up its sin we feel we must not cease our warnings. But the cry of the age is, that God is merciful, that God is love. Ay; who said he was not? But remember, it is equally true, God is just, severely and inflexibly just. He were not God, if he were not just; he could not be merciful if he were not just, for punishment of the wicked is demanded by the highest mercy to the rest of mankind. Rest assured, however, that he is just, and that the words I am about to read you from God's Word are true—"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God;' "God is angry with the wicked every day;" "If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors."

"How few there are who will solemnly tell us of the judgment to come. They preach of God's love and mercy as they ought to do, and as God has commanded them; but of what avail is it to preach mercy unless they preach also the doom of the wicked? And how shall we hope to effect the purpose of preaching unless we warn men that if they "turn not, he will whet his sword?" I fear that in too many places the doctrine of future punishment is rejected and laughed as a fancy and a chimera; but the day will come when it shall be known to be a reality."

"Come fair or foul, when I die I shall, God helping me, be able to say, "I am clear of the blood of all men." So far as I know God's truth I will endeavour to speak it; and though on my head opprobrium and scandal be poured to a ten-fold greater extent than ever, I'll hail it and welcome it, if I may but be faithful to this unstable generation, faithful to God, and faithful to my own conscience. Let me, then, endeavour—and by God's help I will do it as solemnly and as tenderly as I can—to address such of you as have not yet repented, most affectionately reminding you of your future doom, if you should die impenitent. "If he turn not, he will whet his sword.""

"Ah! my hearer, it is not thy promise of repentance that can save thee; it is not thy vow, it is not thy solemn declaration, it is not the tear that is dried more easily than the dew-drop by the sun, it is not the transient emotion of the heart which constitutes a real turning to God. There must be a true and actual abandonment of sin, and a turning unto righteousness in real act and deed in every-day life. Do you say you are sorry, and repent, and yet go on from day to day, just as you always went? Will your now bow your heads, and say, "Lord, I repent," and in a little while commit the same deeds again? If ye do, your repentance is worse than nothing, and shall but make your destruction yet more sure; for he that voweth to his Maker, and doth not pay, hath committed another sin, in that he hath attempted to deceive the Almighty, and lie against the God that made him. Repentance to be true, to be evangelical, must be a repentance which really affects our outward conduct."

"It is very hard to distinguish between legal repentance and evangelical repentance; however, there are certain marks whereby they may be distinguished, and at the risk of tiring you, we will just notice one or two of them; and may God grant that you may find them in your own souls! Legal repentance is a fear of damning: evangelical repentance is a fear of sinning. Legal repentance makes us fear the wrath of God; evangelical repentance makes us fear the cause of that wrath, even sin. When a man repents with that grace of repentance which God the Spirits works in him, he repents not of the punishment which is to follow the deed, but of the deed itself; and he feels that if there were not pit digged for the wicked, if there were no ever-gnawing worm, and no fire unquenchable, he would still hate sin. It is such repentance as this which every one of you must have, or else you will be lost. It must be a hatred of sin. Do not suppose, that because when you come to die you will be afraid of eternal torment, therefore that will be repentance. Every thief is afraid of the prison; but he will steal to-morrow if you set him free. Most men who have committed murder tremble at the sight of the gallows-tree, but they would do the deed again could they live. It is not the hatred of the punishment that is repentance; it is the hatred of the deed itself. Do you feel that you have such a repentance as that? If not, these thundering words must be preached to you again, —"If he turn not, he will whet his sword.""

"We must sometimes use the knife, where we feel that mortification would ensue without it. We must frequently make sharp gashes into men's consciences, in the hope that the Holy Spirit will bring them to life. We assert, then, that there is a NECESSITY that God should whet his sword and punish men, if they will not turn. Earnest Baxter used to say, "Sinner! turn or burn; it is thine only alternative: TURN OR BURN!" And it is so. We think we can show you why men must turn, or else they must burn."

"Conscience makes cowards of us all, and makes us believe, even when we say we do not, that God must punish sin."

"We believe there is enough conscience in every man to convince him that God must punish him for his sin; therefore we think that our text will wake an echo in every heart—"If he turn not, he will whet his sword.""

"Now briefly what are the MEANS of repentance? Most seriously I say, I do not believe any man can repent with evangelical repentance of himself. You ask me then to what purpose is the sermon I have endeavoured to preach, proving the necessity of repentance? Allow me to make the sermon of some purpose, under God, by its conclusion. Sinner! thou art so desperately set on sin, that I have no hope thou wilt ever turn from it of thyself. But listen! He who died on Calvary is exalted on high "to give repentance and remission of sin." Dost thou this morning feel that thou art a sinner? If so, ask of Christ to give thee repentance, for he can work repentance in thine heart by his Spirit, though thou canst not work it there thyself. Is thy heart like iron? He can put it into the furnace of his love and make it melt. Is thy soul like the nether millstone? His grace is able to dissolve it like the ice is melted before the sun. He can make thee repent, though thou canst not make thyself repent. If thou feelest thy need of repentance, I will not now say to thee "repent," for I believe there are certain acts that must precede a sense of repentance. I should advise you to go to your houses, and if you feel that you have sinned, and yet cannot sufficiently repent of your transgressions, bow your knees before God and confess your sins: tell him you cannot repent as you would; tell him your heart is hard; tell him it is as cold as ice. You can do that if God has made you feel your need of a Saviour. Then if it should be laid to your heart to endeavour to seek after repentance, I will tell you the best way to find it. Spend an hour first in endeavouring to remember thy sins; and when conviction has gotten a firm hold on thee, then spend another hour—where? At Calvary, my hearer. Sit down and read that chapter which contains the history and mystery of the God that loved and died; sit down and think thou seest that glorious Man, with blood dropping from his hands, and his feet gushing rivers of gore; and if that does not make thee repent, with the help of God's Spirit, then I know of nothing that can."

SINNER! TURN OR BURN!

Our Hardshell brothers need to know that this kind of preaching was the kind that characterized their forefathers and that such preaching produced thousands of converts, great revivals, and the enlargement of the church of Christ. Today most Hardshells actually decry "turn and burn" preaching. And, irony of ironies, they claim to be "primitive" or "original" Baptists! Their decrying such preaching has dwindled them down to a small cult. Thankfully there are some "Primitive Baptists" who are retracing their steps in this regard and are beginning to preach like the real "Old Baptists." 

What think ye?

Fearful Sights & Great Signs

"And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." (Luke 21: 11)

"Fearful sights" (φοβητρά - phobetron) is only used here in the NT. It is also rare in classical Greek. It is used in the Septuagint for Isaiah 19:17. It is said to be "not confined to sights, but fearful things. Rev., better, terrors. Used in medical language by Hippocrates, of fearful objects imagined by the sick." (Vincent's Word Studies) It means simply that which strikes terror, terrorism. 

I do believe that "fearful sights" and "great signs" are joined with "from heaven." Both are in the sky, or perhaps in space, or both. They are things that can be seen from earth by human eyes. 

We know that our world, being on the brink of the Apocalypse, is seeing "terrorism" widespread over the world. That is indeed a fearful sight. It portends the coming of the civil war under the rider on the red horseman of the Apocalypse (of which I have written extensively). But, the "fearful sights" no doubt include more than the terrorism of which we speak. 

Are today's UFOs part of this end time prophecy of "fearful sights"? 

We know that the days of the coming Apocalypse, the time of "the great tribulation," have lots of "fearful sights," such as stars (meteors, comets, etc.) falling from heaven, the heavens rolling together as a scroll, angels flying in the midst of heaven, etc. 

What think ye?

Another Old Hymn

"The Gospel Trumpet" (here) is an old song that is often sung by "Primitive Baptists." Their forefathers often sang it in "sacred harp." Here are the words to the hymn. Notice how the song affirms how faith is necessary for salvation.

Hark! How the gospel trumpet sounds! 

Through all the world the echo bounds; 

And Jesus by redeeming blood 

Is bringing sinners home to God 

And guides them safely by His word To endless day. 

Thy blood, dear Jesus, once was spilt 

To save our souls from sin and guilt,

 And sinners now may come to God 

And find salvation through Thy blood, 

And sail by faith upon that flood To endless day.

What think ye?

God's Elect or World's Elite? XXIII

"the power of an endless life" 

(Heb. 7: 16)

"the world passes away, and the lust thereof but 

he that does the will of God abides for ever"

(I John 2: 17)

In this chapter we will finish our look at power as an element of status, both for the present world and for the world to come. The believer's status in Christ is superior by comparison with the unbelieving elites of this world. The wealthy of this world are generally poor in the things of God, being unbelievers, and will certainly be bankrupt in Hell forever when this age ends. Believers, on the other hand, though generally of those "of low degree" and of "the poor of this world," are nevertheless "rich in faith," and in many other things of the spirit, and will be forever rich in the ages to come. 

Likewise, the educated elite of this world are generally more knowledgeable in the natural sciences, in general academics, than are God's elect. The world's wise men and philosophers, its "scientists" and "experts," are often superior to believers in knowledge of such things. As we have previously mentioned, Jesus said that "the children of this age are in their generation wiser than the children of light." However, the believer, being God's elect, is superior in wisdom and knowledge as compared with the unbelieving worldly elite, as we have shown. 

The world's powerful, "the mighty," though they almost universally reject God's revelation (as Paul affirms in his opening remarks to the Corinthians), yet they are the elite of this present evil age. But, they are not the truly strong but are rather themselves weak and impotent. Though their power gives them lots of control over things and people, yet they cannot control themselves, their lusts, or enticements to sin. It is the believer, through Christ and his word, who is strong in mind, soul, and spirit. His strength is seen in his resistance to sin and temptation. He has self control (increasingly as he lives the Christian life). This is because he is joined to Christ "the Power of God." Further, he is destined to even greater power. 

In the previous chapter we looked at what is involved in "the power of an endless life," about the powers associated with becoming immortal in life. In this chapter we will conclude our look at the superior power belonging to the saints as compared to the world's present elite, its elect or select. In conjunction with "immortality" is the concept of "eternal" or "everlasting life" and its association with power, what is called "the power of an endless life." 

Eternal Invisible Things

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Cor. 4: 17-18)

"Look" (skopeo) from skopos, meaning "distant mark looked at, goal or end one has in view; English "scope" as in microscope or telescope) means to "spy out", to look at, to observe, to contemplate, to mark (to fix or trace out the bounds or limits of). Contemplate, look into, examine, inspect, continue to regard closely, to notice carefully, pay attention to, keep one's attention on." It is because of this extended definition that Kenneth Wuest, Greek scholar, better translates the text in these words:

"while we are not contemplating the things that are seen but the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The knowledge that the world's wise, learned, and educated, those with the titles and degrees, contemplate and study, with microscopes and telescopes, are things that are visible, things made of matter, things of the physical world. They cannot study what is invisible, generally speaking. Some of them, the materialists, not believing in a spiritual realm, nor in spirits or other invisible beings, nor non material entities, do not attempt therefore to contemplate such things, things beyond their physical senses. They are like the Sadducees of whom we have the following record of their beliefs in this regard:

"The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things." (Acts 23: 8)

Other unbelievers among the educated class are like the Pharisees and believe in a non physical realm of existence. Among psychologists today there is this same division, some believing that the human being has a soul or spirit distinct from the physical body while others, the materialists, deny it, affirming that all human psychology can be explained through physical or chemical processes. 

Consider what we call the realm of thought and ideas. Is that to be viewed as a chemical process alone? Or, is it not rather a proof of the non physical realm, the world of the soul and spirit? Likewise, consider how "mind" is defined from these two perspectives. Is mind simply the physical brain? Or, does mind signify something spiritual as well? What is the labyrinth connecting soul (or spirit) with brain matter? 

But, whether unbelievers, among the world's educated elite, be Sadducee or Pharisee, be materialist or not, they each do not generally make unseen things an object of study, contemplation, or investigation. The unbelievers who do study those things, however, do not come to properly understand "invisible things." They are "ever learning but never able to come to the truth" (II Tim. 3: 7) on the study of them. Examples would be some psychologists, parapsychologists, philosophers, writers and authors, and certainly all those who attempt to communicate with the spirit world. These do "look at" things which are not seen, meaning they investigate things beyond the physical senses. 

There is no question about the fact that Paul, in the above words, sees study of invisible things superseding study of the visible things. This puts religious thought on a higher level than secular thought. Thoughts about God, who is himself invisible, and his works, which include the physical world, is the better way to spend one's thought time. Theology is the queen of the sciences. Knowledge of God takes precedence over all other knowledge.  

With these thoughts in mind, and with a desire to "look at" things that are "unseen," let us contemplate "eternal life" with the eyes of the soul, with the "mind's eye." It is an invisible thing, and being such, is "eternal" (unlike "visible things," which are "temporary").

How can things invisible be looked at? How can you look at what you cannot see? Is it not in our minds? In our contemplation of things beyond our physical sight? Christians testify that it is "through the eye of faith" that the things of spirit are discerned. It is also in what is called the "imagination," the place where things are seen in internal vision and images. Things that are invisible, says the apostle, are eternal things. First, let us consider how God himself, being spirit, and not composed of matter, is invisible.

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." (Heb. 11: 27)

Notice again the paradox. Seeing what cannot be seen, invisible things visible. Moses did see a "burning bush" wherein the great "I Am" manifested his glorious presence, the "Malak Yahweh," or "Angel of the Lord," the second person in the Trinity, the eternal Son of God, but he saw no physical form. But, believers see God in their mind's eye, in visualization through the "inner eye," through the eye of faith. Not only God in his person or being, but things about God, such as his works and attributes, his likes and dislikes, are also invisible things. Wrote Paul:

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Rom. 1: 20)

By "things of him" Paul refers to God's attributes, his essential characteristics, his "ways," his "thoughts," his likes and dislikes, to his "eternal (infinite) power" and "Godhead," or his divinity, his "divine nature." (See Isa. 55: 8-9; II Peter 1: 3-4) The invisible things of God include "life," especially the divine life. These are things man cannot see with his physical eye nor is it what the mind's eye of the sinner, blinded by sin, is able to see. Wrote Paul:

"But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (I Cor. 2: 9-12)

The eyes of the natural man apart from the Holy Spirit cannot "see" or discern the invisible things, eternal truth, "the things of God," yea, "the deep things of God," and "the things freely given" to believers by God. God cannot be known by a microscope nor by a study of chemistry. God is not discovered by "scientific investigation." God can only be known as he reveals himself and he does this by his Spirit and his Spirit operates through the word of God. This is why the scriptures connect enlightenment with coming to know God and spiritual things, things that are eternal and invisible. 

Eternal Life

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." (Titus 1: 2)

"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." (I John 2: 25)

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6: 51)

When the scriptures speak of "eternal life" it means more than simple unending existence (as also was the case with "immortality"). It includes the idea of quality of life as much as it does the quantity of it. What kind of eternal life is it when mere existence is nothing but misery? For instance, to be forever in a state of woe, though consciously alive and existing, cannot be called "eternal life" even though there is eternal conscious existence. If "eternal life" refers to mere conscious existence, then the occupants of the eternally burning lake have eternal life also. But, they do not have eternal life. That is given only to those to whom it is promised, to God's elect, to believers in Jesus. "Eternal life" is therefore not mere unending existence (quantity), but is eternal zest for living, eternal youth and vigor, power and strength (quality). It will include unlimited happiness and enthusiasm (which means "God within"). Eternal life will exuberant, that is, it will be full of energy, excitement, cheerfulness, and luxuriance. Life will be full of gusto.

Notice how "eternal life" in the above passage in Titus is viewed as not yet in possession, but is rather something hoped for, or expected, in the future. In the scriptures we have eternal life declared to be a present possession of all those who have been raised from spiritual death to spiritual life, or of all believers. For instance, the apostle John wrote: 

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5: 11-12)

Believers possess Christ now and they have life even now. But if so, then why is it then an object of hope? Notice that the following text also puts obtaining eternal life in the future, being given following the judgment of the nations.

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matt. 25: 46)

The going away into eternal life means entering the eternal state in immortal life in body and soul. It refers to entering a world where there is no death. Believers have eternal life now in their souls and spirits, but they do not yet have it in their bodies. They also do not now enjoy eternal life in its fullness, nor "eternal life" as a place and state of perfection, as a utopia. 

The Tree Of Life

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev. 22: 14)

The tree of life is that tree whose fruit, when eaten, gives eternal life. It is both a symbol and a reality. As a symbol it represents immortality and eternal life, health and well being. Said Solomon: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life." (Prov. 13: 12) Eternal life is truly "desire fulfilled." Experiencing the benefits of the tree of life is set in contrast to unrealized hope which sickens and diminishes life and living. This will be the case with those suffering eternal death in the lake of fire. Believers will have their utmost desires realized forever in the eternal state, in the eternal kingdom, in the new heavens and new earth, while the unbelievers will have all hope extinguished forever.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God." (Rev. 2: 7)

In both these passages from the Apocalypse we see again how coming into eternal life is viewed as yet future. This assumes of course that there is some close connection between eternal life and the tree of life. 

In the Garden of Eden Lord God, via guardian angels in the form of flaming swords, Adam and Eve were kept from eating of the tree of life after they had been condemned and banished because of transgression. Because they ate of the forbidden tree, "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," they were kept from eating of the "tree of life" which was in the midst of the garden. This was an act of mercy on the part of God, both as respects Adam and Eve personally and the human race in general. Had they eaten of the tree of life immediately after being condemned and altered in nature by their transgression they would have forever been fixed in that state, at least as respects their bodies. 

Thankfully, we have every reason to believe, Adam and Eve did in their souls, hearts, minds, and spirits eat of the promised Messiah, who is the true "tree of life," who was revealed to them in the "protoevangelium," or in the first promise of a Redeemer and Savior who would particularly be "the seed of the woman." They did this by embracing that promise; And, this act of faith in the promise gave them eternal life in their spirits. The same is true today with new testament believers. They eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, and in so partaking of Christ they are already partaking of the tree of life. However, as we have before observed, there is yet the full enjoyment of it for the soul when it enters into eternity, and especially as respects the human body which in no sense partakes of the tree of life while in this life.

We have now finished our extensive look at power (including authority, rights, and privileges) as an element of lofty status and have shown how God's elect, believers, are superior. They are not so in every respect now "in this age," but they will be even more so in "the age to come." 

We have shown that the believer has a superior status in Christ in respect not only to power, but also to riches, wisdom, and knowledge. These are the areas where the believer is "enriched" by his Lord. In the next chapter we will look at how the believer is, as Paul says, "enriched in all utterance."  

God's Elect or World's Elite? XXII

"the power of an endless life" 

(Heb. 7: 16)

 

In this chapter we will continue our look at how the believer is the one who is the truly mighty, powerful, and strong. We will focus upon what the Hebrews writer called "the power (dunamis) of an endless life." 

 

In checking the commentaries I could not find many who explained in detail what is involved in "the power of an endless life." Again we have another Genitive. Does the text mean "the power which is endless life"? Or, "the power that comes from an endless life"? Or, "the power unto endless life"? The scriptures speak of "the power of death" (Heb. 2: 14), of the grave, of mortality, of decay and corruption. But, if death be a power then so too is life. The text above speaks of the power of life, yea of immortality and eternal life. There is power in life and immense power in "endless life," being the energy or "life force" of indissoluble life. In contrast to "the power of an endless and indestructible life" there is "the impotence of mortal life."

Power (dunamis) refers especially to intrinsic power or inherent ability, the power or ability to carry out some function, the potential for functioning in some way. Thus, "the power of an endless life" involves inherent powers that belong to immortals. We can well join together the idea of "power of an endless life" with "powers of the age to come." (Heb. 6: 5) The power of immortality involves having "powers" and abilities that one would expect immortals to have. It involves being free of the limits of mortality.

Immortality

"Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life." (Rom. 2: 6-7)

Believers are they who "by patient (enduring) continuance in well doing" seek "for glory and honor," and they seek it not from men or from the world and its elite, but seek rather for that recognition and approval that comes from God alone. The seeker after God is he who shall be given "immortality" and "eternal life." They will certainly find God who seek him with the whole heart, and this because of the promise of Christ who said, "seek and you shall find." (Matt. 7: 7-8) Of the believer it may be said: "He asked life of you, and you gave it him, even length of days for ever and ever." (Psa. 21: 4) 

Men who live without hope and promise of immortality attempt to find other ways of obtaining some semblance of it. Wrote the Psalmist:

"They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. For he sees that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abides not: he is like the beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah." (Psa. 49: 6-15)

Notice how the people who are the subject of this text are they who "trust in their wealth" and who brag about their riches, power, yea, of their elite elevated status in the world. They know that they will one day die, just as the poor fool, even though they try to put death and mortality out of their minds as a way to deal with the cognitive dissonance that the thought produces, purposely deceiving themselves into "thinking that their houses" and their "dwelling places" will "continue forever," lasting "to all generations," and such thinking manifests itself in careless and dangerous living.

They know that they cannot take their wealth with them to the afterlife (if they believe in any). They know that they will also soon be forgotten. Generations will pass and few, if any, will know of the power and greatness of the rich man. This troubles the high minded rich elite. They don't want to be forgotten. They want their names at least to be immortal even if they themselves never will be. This is why they name lands, buildings, streets, monuments, etc. after themselves. It is a way for them to have a kind of immortality, or to become "immortalized." They build "memorials" to their memories, to their greatness. They think that in this way they will live forever, at least in history. 

Not all "immortalizing" is of such a nature, however. Think of all the people mentioned in the bible and the stories about them. By their being in the Bible they have been immortalized. So we read of Abel:

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks." (Heb. 11: 4)

The bloody sacrifice of the lamb by Abel is remembered to this day because of its inclusion in the holy scriptures. Though dead he speaks! A kind of life after death, a kind of immortality.

Notice how the Psalmist says that "the upright," those who are righteous in Christ, will "have dominion over them in the morning," meaning in the morning of the age to come, in the morning of the resurrection, in the morning of the new day. Though the infidel elite had tyrannical dominion over the poor, including believers, in their lives, yet in the coming day all will be reversed and the poor powerless believer will have dominion over the unbelievers.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (II Tim. 1: 10)

If one wants to know the answer to the problem of death, to know about eternal life and immortality, then there is no other place to obtain that knowledge except through the gospel revelation, the light of knowledge of Christ. The gospel reveals the cure for mortality. Christ's conquering of death by his resurrection is the remedy. The gospel informs of his victory over sin and death. It also points men to the way in which they can themselves be saved from death and mortality, as we have already spoken. The gospel not only informs of the definition of life and immortality but illuminates the way to obtain it. "The wages of sin is death," says the apostle, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6: 23) 

Immortality of the Soul?

"That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." (I Tim. 6: 14-16)

Who has immortality? How came they to be immortal? There is a sense in which God alone has both life and immortality. On the words "who only has immortality" Gill wrote:

"Angels are immortal, and so are the souls of men, and so will be the bodies of men after the resurrection; but then neither of these have immortality of themselves, they have it from God; who only has it, of himself, originally, essentially, and inderivatively." (Commentary) 

Further, the text above may be interpreted not as saying "God alone has immortality" but as saying "God alone has immortality in the unapproachable light," his immortality being unique to him as God and Creator.  

There has long been a division among bible believers about what is called "the immortality of the soul," the idea that all human beings have an immortal soul, or an eternal existence. Many affirm that immortality is not, in any sense, possessed by any other than they to whom God will give it, either in conversion, or in the resurrection, or in both. Why do believers seek immortality and eternal life if they already have it? That is the question pointedly asked by those believing in "conditional immortality." All immortality, for both body and soul (or spirit), is a gift for believers only, say the advocates of this view. Though I do not want to address that point in much detail in this series, as it is somewhat outside the scope of our study (on "status" in Corinthians), yet I will offer a few observations.

Death, like destruction and perishing, in the bible, never denotes annihilation. The bible record pictures dead people as still consciously alive in soul or spirit after the death of the body. Death in the bible is defined as the spirit's exiting the body (James 2: 26), the body becoming dead when the spirit departs the body. The adverse is not a fact, that is, the body does not leave the spirit so that the spirit becomes dead. The spirit does not die as the body dies. Further, in neither case, with body or with spirit, does death denote non existence or annihilation of being. Notice the description of Hell's occupants in this passage:

"Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirs up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" (Isa. 14: 9-10)

These are they whom Peter called "spirits in prison." (I Peter 3: 19) Notice that "the dead" in "Hell" are able to think and "speak." This description of the inhabitants of Hell shows conscious existence. They are "alive" in that sense and that sense only. In all other respects they are dead. Wrote Thomas Boston in his well known work "Human Nature in its Fourfold State" (here):

"Destroyed indeed they shall be– but their destruction will be an everlasting destruction (2 Thess 1:9); a destruction of their well-being, but not of their being. What is destroyed is not therefore annihilated– 'Are you come to destroy us?' said the devil unto Jesus Christ (Luke 4:34). The devils are afraid of torment, not of annihilation (Matt 8:29), 'Are you come here to torment us before the time?' 

 

The state of the damned is indeed a state of death; but such a death it is as is opposite only to a happy life, as is clear from other notions of their state, which necessarily include eternal existence. As they who are dead in sin are dead to God and holiness, yet alive to sin– so dying in hell they live, but separated from God and His favor, in which is life (Psalm 30:5). They shall ever be under the pangs of death; ever dying, but never dead, or absolutely void of life. 

 

How desirable would such a death be to them! But it will flee from them forever. Could they kill one another there, or could they, with their own hands, tear themselves into lifeless pieces, their misery would quickly be at an end. But there they must live, whom chose death and refused life; for there death lives, and the end ever begins."

To "live" means more than to "exist." To exist is not to be equated with to live. Yet, in everyday talk we use "live" in the sense of "exist." This is evident even in the above words of Boston. He speaks of souls "living" forever in Hell and by this he means "existing in Hell" because he speaks (rightly) of "ever dying but never dead" in the sense of never being "absolutely void of life." But, those in Hell are in its truest sense not "living" at all (a point Boston also makes). They are a very real case of "the living dead." Death in the bible does not denote non existence but separation. 

To be separated from God in Hell is to be separated from all that is good, from all that makes life worth living. In the sense of "living" we may mean either 1) remaining consciously and biologically "alive," or 2) "barely living," with nothing much more than mere existence. Hell's occupants will be "alive" in the former sense but certainly not in the latter. They will rather be eternally dying rather than eternally living. Jesus spoke of these two aspects of "life" when he spoke of not only giving "life," the essence of life, but "life more abundant." (John 10: 10) When we speak of "the immortality of the soul" as it relates to those who go to Hell forever we should be careful to explain that we mean not so much the "immortality" of the soul or body but of the unending "existence" of each. Hell is the absence of all good and therefore existence alone is not itself good. 

As God is good, to be separated from him (in every way possible - God is omnipresent) is to be separated from every good. There is no pleasure at all in Hell. Every sensation and every thought is painful. There is no relief for any of the sufferings and torments of Hell. Eternally suffering in a place where all good is absent in not "immortality" in its widest and loftiest sense, but is rather an eternal mortality, an eternal dying.

 

Though the believer has immortality in soul as unbelievers, yet his immortality is superior. Believers not only have the bare minimum of "life," or mere vitality and conscious existence, but they have the most abundant life possible for human beings. They are not just barely alive, but living in the fullest sense of the word. Even the immortality of the soul of the believer is immortal in a much wider and greater sense than is the immortality of the soul of the unbeliever. His conversion and his future glorification each greatly expands his soul's immortality, so that his spiritual life, like his soul's immortality, is vivified, made most abundant. 

As far as the mortality of the body is concerned, both believer and unbeliever are alike, both being equally mortal. Also, both the body of the believer and unbeliever will be resurrected so that their bodies never cease to exist. But again, the immortality of each is not the same except in the sense that both exist forever. The immortality of the bodies of believers will be an eternal life without death of any kind. The immortality of the bodies of the wicked, after their resurrection, will be as we have said, an eternal dying. When there is no good in a person's life we say he has a "life not worth living." So too the life of the wicked in Hell. They will be forever "alive" but only in the meanest sense. People say "you call that living," meaning that life is so bad that it can barely be called life at all. So too the life of Hell's occupants.

Resurrection Power

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Phil. 3: 10-11)

The resurrection of Christ empowers believers. They participate in his resurrection power. The above prayer of the apostle Paul has him praying that he might "know him," that is, to know Christ. But, did he not already know him? Yes, but not fully. He wants to know Christ more in depth, more intimately. Paul also prays that he might "know the power of his resurrection." But, did he not likewise already know this in his spiritual resurrection experience, in his conversion to Christ? Yes, but again not fully. 

Clearly Paul is looking towards obtaining an immense future knowledge of Christ, of resurrection power, of participation in the sufferings of Christ, of being made "conformable unto his death," of "attaining unto" all that comes with his being a part of "the resurrection out from among the dead," of a special resurrection, "the first resurrection" (Rev. 20), the "resurrection of the just" (or the justified).  Paul uses the word "resurrection" twice in the above passage because it is the focal point of his remarks. 

Paul wants to know by experience "the power of the resurrection of Christ." He wants to know it both now and in the future. He wants to finally experience the power of Christ's resurrection in his own bodily resurrection to immortality. He was participating in the death of Christ by himself dying and being crucified, to self, sin, and the world, but he even more so wanted to participate in the resurrection of Christ by himself being raised to life and immortality in his body in the last day. Of that future bodily resurrection Paul wrote:

"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (I Cor. 15: 53-54)

The Greek word for "incorruption" is "aphtharsia" and is simply another word for "immortality" involving "perpetuity." The word is the negative (hence the alpha letter "a" before the word), meaning "without corruption and decay," or "no mortality." In the above passage "immortality" (incorruption) is set in contrast to that which is "mortal." The word mortal is from the Greek word "thnetos" and simply means to die, or to be subject to or liable to die, i.e., to be mortal. The Greek word for "immortality" in the above passage is "athanasia" and means deathlessness, not subject or liable to dying, the alpha letter meaning "without" or "no." Thus, it means "without death," or "no death." That is what it means to be immortal. Forever alive.

When Paul earnestly prays and labors to attain the resurrection of the justified he has in mind his "mortal" body "putting on" that glorious "immortality," along with the powers that come with his mighty, glorious, and spiritual body. It will be eternal youth and vigor, zest for living. Said the Psalmist: "Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalms 103:5; NKJV)

Hardshells & Hell

You rarely hear sermons on Hell and eternal punishment by the Hardshells. During the ten plus years I was a "Primitive Baptist" member and elder I heard a lot of sermons on all kinds of subjects, but preaching on Hell was rare. Father preached on it. Sonny Pyles would occasionally talk about it and defend the historic teaching of Baptists on it. But, they were the few exceptions. 

When I was a Hardshell I used to hear it said all the time "elder so and so is a no Heller." My reaction was always the same. I would say to myself - "I just don't see how anyone can deny it seeing it is so clearly taught in scripture." Of course, in time I began to see how this reluctance to preach on Hell was due to their quasi Universalism. 

They not only rarely preached on Hell and eternal punishment but they showed a disinterest in the subject, wanting to ignore it. They found it more desirable to believe that most people were elect and going to Heaven and that only a few, the worst of sinners, were going to Hell. 

They manifest "cognitive dissonance" in regard to this subject. It is similar to their attitude towards the question "where did the devil come from?" They have dissonance here also. Both examples of it are a result of the remnants of Two Seed ideology that have descended to them from their forefathers, a large number of whom were in sentiment "Two Seeders."

Preaching on Hell and eternal punishment has been used by God to "awaken" dead sinners to their precarious situation with God. Yet, Hyper Calvinists are so afraid of getting a non elect converted (or converted for the wrong reasons) that they denounce what they called "scaring people into making a profession of faith." Such preaching, they say, produces false converts, hypocrites, and fills the church with unregenerate members. They also say that frightening people about Hell is not the way to produce proper obedience to God but rather through comforting them with words of hope.

Of course, I see how all this is the deception of Satan and demons. ('doctrines of demons' I Tim. 4: 1) The Bible is filled with examples of teachers of the word warning the sinner about Hell and eternal punishment and in those warnings there is a call and exhortation to repent. You can call that evil and scaring people into Heaven if you want, but your cavil means nothing. The example of the prophets, Christ, and the apostles is worth more than such petty objections. 

I recall my blessed father detailing how he first became a believer. He was in a Missionary Baptist church and the preacher preached on Hell. He said it convicted him so much that he could "smell the fire and brimstone" as the preacher preached. He was awakened to his lost condition (as the Spirit was showing him he was lost) and he knew, as the preacher had counseled, that he needed to repent and convert. So he did. After that he went to seminary and spent fifty years or so with the Hardshells and more than sixty fives years as a preacher. That is a good example of being scared into faith! But, his example is not singular, for many of the saints were first awakened by sermons on Hell and this led them to faith in Christ and the gospel. They can decry what they call "turn and burn" preaching and messaging by preachers if they want, but this kind of preaching was done by the prophets, apostles, and by Christ himself. Spurgeon defended this type of preaching.

Hardshells who want to come and defend their views on these things are more than welcome to come to this blog and present their case. We will give opportunity for them to do so.

If more of them would become "fire and brimstone" preachers like their forefathers, and give heartbreaking appeals to the wicked, they would no doubt see more conversions. 

WHO REMOVED THE CANDLESTICK? "REFORMED BAPTIST vs PRIMITIVE BAPTIST"

 In Revelation 2:5, Jesus gives gives us a warning we had better heed. He says, “Repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick.”

  In my last few articles, I have concentrated on the errors I believe "Reformed Baptists" have embraced. I have also stated that I believe the errors of the hardshell faction of Primitive Baptists had their origins in Reformed theology. I realize those who call themselves "Reformed Baptists" will state that they are not in agreement with the hardshells, however, the hardshells themselves did not embrace what they now do in the beginning. Could it be that we are seeing circular reasoning before our eyes? Has a new "breed" come along that will one day espouse the very same views the hardshells now embrace? After all, before they adopted the name "Primitive Baptist" they styled themselves "Reformed Baptist". 

   These two groups have the same starting point theologically. They both claim the London Baptist Confession. They both claim to be the the continuing generation of past Particular Baptists, especially those from England. Is it possible that we can see into the future, and know what the "Reformed Baptists" will be 100 years from now?

   It is true that  "Reformed Baptists" have no squabble with music, Sunday Schools or missions (yet) etc as the Primitives do, but what about salvation? Did the hardshell Primitives merely take Reformed theology to its logical conclusion? This conclusion would lead them to abandon any evangelistic preaching, any call to repentance and any call to believe the Gospel. Neither group gives an invitation to come to Christ, or an "altar call". Both groups have those that embrace the belief that  the elect were "saved" before they were even born. Both groups cannot know with full assurance, if they are among the elect. The hardshell Primitives however believe "95%" of people are elect, although most don't know it, contrasted with "Reformed" Baptists who say only "5%" are. (my estimation to prove a point) The hardshells take pride in "knowing" the "secrets" of the Gospel, and the "Reformed" in having a gospel of "secrets", only revealed by their particular expression. Both groups have doubts that one must hear the Gospel and believe in order to be among the elect, the Primitive hardshells embracing that doubt and the "Reformed" debating it.

  In a blog by "the ears to hear" who is a hardshell PB apologist, he says this "...because the Second London Confession is in no small measure directly copied from the WCF (Westminster Confession of Faith) which preceded it, those who believe it represents an authoritative standard for Old Baptist orthodoxy are admitting, at least in part, that Old Baptist heritage is a product of the reformation, rather than a product of the Anabaptists who long preceded and were persecuted by the reformers". Could  he be on to something here? "The ears to hear" is a hardshell that embraces their heresies, and defends them,he is wrong on just about everything that has to do with salvation, yet there is a nibble of truth in what he says here. If the starting point of your theology is the Reformation, then don't be surprised  when the road you travel ends with the candlestick being removed from your churches, and soon after the people will be removed, and soon after that the churches will dwindle and close.

  In closing please know that I am not here to attack the Second London Confession, nor those that now embrace it. It is just one among many Baptist confessions, some of which I subscribe to and some of which I do not. That is my (and your) liberty as Baptists. However, some so called Baptists are not convinced that something is true unless it is found in their respective confessions. Maybe sometimes we need to go to the beginning and re-read them. All Baptist confessions that I know of have at least one complete sentence with which I definitely agree, and it's usually contained in the beginning. And so it is with the Second London Baptist Confession, the beginning line with which I will ALWAYS agree.
“The Holy Scripture is the ONLY sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all SAVING KNOWLEDGE, faith, and obedience.” (Second London Confession of Faith, 1.1) A KNOWLEDGE THAT SAVES, must be a KNOWLEDGE THAT KNOWS.

                                                                SELAH, Ken Mann

 

God's Elect or World's Elite? XXI

"Righteousness exalts a nation" 

(Prov. 14: 34)

We saw in the previous chapter how believers, God's elect, chosen (as Paul says in his opening words to the Corinthians) almost universally from among the class of the poor, the abased, the weak and powerless, those generally who are of "low degree" as to earthly socioeconomic status, will in the end of the age be given great power and authority, the day when they are fully glorified. 

Very few of those who have a high status in this evil age will have a high status in the ages to come. "Not many," affirmed the apostle, of those who are "mighty" in this evil age, are effectually or successfully "called" to faith in Christ, and therefore they will not be "the mighty" in the age to come. That title will only belong to resurrected and glorified believers. 

In this chapter we will begin by looking at another future aspect of the believer's fully partaking of "the powers of the age to come," similar to their glorification, namely the believer's "exaltation."  

All through the bible the believer in the one true God and in his Messiah have been promised "exceeding great and precious promises" (II Peter 1: 4), and some of them are described in terms of being "exalted," raised, and lifted up. This increase in elevation respects a person's future eternal status as "the children of God," as "the elect of God." 

Though the believer often be "ignorant and unlearned" in this life as respects knowledge of academics and the various sciences, he will nevertheless be exalted in the age to come to a state of knowledge that far surpasses anything the worldly wise of this evil age possess. Though he be poor in this age, yet he will be rich in the next, yea, forever. Though he be weak, feeble, and among the powerless in this life, in this world, he will be strong, mighty, powerful, and full of authority in the world to come. 

Exaltation Of Believers

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."(Matt. 23: 12)

When will the humble be "exalted"? Likewise, when will the self exalting of this world "be abased"? We know that the exalting done by the proud is done in their lives. But, does the "abasing" of the proud occur in their lives on earth, or after death? In this life or in the final day of judgment? Likewise, when will the self humbling penitents before God "be exalted"? They humble themselves in this life, in conversion, but is the promised exaltation also limited to what is experienced in conversion, or in the life on earth? 

The abasing of the haughty and proud unbeliever awaits "the resurrection of the unrighteous (unjust)" for the most part. Likewise the humble believer awaits for his exaltation, for the most part, in "the resurrection of the righteous (or just)." 

"Exalted" in the above passage is from the Greek word "hypsos" and means, by way of metaphor, elevation in status, dignity, or rank. It means to elevate one's status, to be advanced or promoted, concerning which we have already spoken. Strong says it is often used as a metaphor and thus means "to raise to the very summit of opulence and prosperity to exalt, to raise to dignity, honour and happiness." It is an exaltation to dignity, honor, and elite status. 

Those who are the "exalted ones" of this age will be the "abased ones" in the coming new age under Christ and the saints, having been brought all the way down to Hades and Gehenna. Likewise, believers are not from among this evil world's "exalted ones," nor of those who refuse to humble themselves (before other men, before God, before Christ), nor of those who self exalt, self advance, and self promote, who "lift up their horns on high," as we have previously mentioned, and yet they are the ones destined to enormous power in the world to come. 

The end of this present age will see the abasement of the unbeliever, especially of the high ones of the infidel world, its power elite, all because they have further to fall. They occupy the highest seats of power in this age and so will fall from a higher place than unbelievers of the lower classes. Isaiah the prophet spoke of this great abasement of the wicked unbelieving, saying:

"Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." (Isa. 2: 10-12 kjv)

"People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled." (Isa. 5: 15 nkjv)

On the other hand, the believer, though not generally now of high status in this world, nor one of its elect or its choosing, its elite, and though esteemed as being one of "the base people of the world," of the class that are "despised" and looked down upon with disgust and hate, as "nobodies" ("people who are nothing"; I Cor. 1: 28), yet they are the ones who shall be greatly exalted on high in their powers, authority, status, and position. They will then be highly exalted, "raised to the very summit of opulence and prosperity," and "raised to dignity, honor and happiness." They will no longer then be the despised of the world, but its beloved. They will no longer be esteemed as persons among the "base things" of the planet, people "of low degree," but rather they will be of its highest rank. 

In the above prophecy of Isaiah we see both the future final abasement of the evil world's "high ones," of proud unbelievers (who refuse to humble themselves before the Lord and his Christ), and the future exaltation of the race's humble believers. 

Wrote James: 

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away." (James 1: 9-10)

This passage informs us that faith in Christ, being converted to his teachings, instantly exalts the believing sinner. He is "raised to life," having been previously "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2: 1-2). That is the believer's first great "stepping up," a drastic change in his status, both legally and internally in spirit. He is now elevated in his standing before God, the thing that matters most. While in unbelief and impenitence he stood condemned and possessed by a depraved mind and spirit. But now, through faith and repentance, he stands approved of God and possessed by God's own Spirit. He was God's enemy when in unbelief, but became his friend in belief of the truth. 

The believer is not only exalted in conversion, but in daily living the Christian life; And in growing up in Christ to full stature the believer goes higher. The Christian life is the "high life," though the world has a much different idea of what it is. The unbeliever often thinks of the believer as an ignorant "low life," one who does not know how to live the "high life." Who really lives the high life? The proud unbeliever or the humble believer? 

James also mentions the coming abasement of the elite infidel, "the rich," the ones occupying the highest seats, saying that they will be "made low," so low that they "fade away." Earlier we mentioned the words of Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus, who said prophetically: "He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree." (Luke 1: 52) Those who are the unbelieving world's "exalted class" will become the lowest class forever in the prison of Hell. Though they were the "somebodies" and "men of importance" when upon earth, with their riches and power, yet they become "nobodies" forever in the lake of fire and brimstone. The believer, though esteemed as a "nobody" by the world will become truly "somebody" of importance in the age to come.

Exhorted the apostle Peter:

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." (I Peter 5: 6)

Here Peter speaks of a exaltation that follows conversion, one that is future for the believer, "in due time." It could refer to future deliverances in the life of the believer wherein he experiences lifting up in adversity. In fact to "lift up" is involved in the word "uphold" (hold up or lift up). In the life of the believer he will experience a continuous exaltation, a progressive "going higher." Like the hymn says, the believer says 

"I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day; Still praying as I onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith on Canaan’s tableland; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground." 

But, I think that Peter has in mind that great exaltation that will come to believers in the day of their glorification, when Christ comes and raises them to elevated heights of honor, glory, dignity, and prestige, empowering and equipping them for such lofty status. As they humbled and abased themselves in prayer before the Lord, in confessing their guilt and sins, and in receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, so the Lord has promised to exalt them to "heights of glory."  

Solomon wrote:

"Exalt her (wisdom), and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honor, when you embrace her." (Prov. 4: 8)

We have already spoken of the believer as possessing true wisdom, having seen and accepted Christ as "the Wisdom of God." Likewise, we are seeing in the present chapters how the believer possesses true power and authority, in part now, superlatively in the age to come, because he has seen and accepted Christ as "the Power of God." We are seeing how multifaceted is the power of the saints, to those sanctified and called, and how both glorification and exaltation imparts to them the greatest power(s) and authority ever given to human beings.  Notice how those heeding wisdom (the Gospel and Biblical revelation) are "promoted" (a word we have notice previously). This is another word for exaltation. The wicked, we may well say, will be "demoted" and reduced in the day of judgment while the righteous will be promoted and advanced.

Said the Psalmist about the end time exaltation of the children of God:

"For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil." (92: 9-10)

Notice how the "exalting" of the "horn" of the Psalmist is associated with an increase in power and might, the quality of elect or elite status (for both the world and for the world to come) that we are focusing upon in the present chapters. Again wrote the Psalmist:

"Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." (Psa. 37: 34-36)

Here again we have the abasement of the unbelievers (especially those of the worldly elite, those "in great power") expressed by their being "cut off," from their becoming a "nobody" ('he was not') after having been before a real "somebody," from their "passing away" so as not to be found. Those who believe and wait upon the LORD (God of the Bible) will, on the other hand, be exalted to inherit the land or earth. 

Guaranteed Exaltation

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2: 4-7)

Every believer, everyone of God's elect, died with Christ, was crucified with Christ, was buried in the grave with Christ, was resurrected with Christ, ascended with Christ, and is even now seated with Christ "in the heavenly places." This is because Christ represented his elect. The resurrection and ascension (exaltation) of Christ, "the head of the body," guaranteed the resurrection and exaltation of "the body," that is, of believers, of those in union with Christ, each of whom is a "bodily member."  Wrote Dr. Gill on the above passage:

"And hath raised us up together - chiefly because that when Christ rose from the dead, all his people rose in him, and with him, as their head and representative, he being the firstfruits of them that slept." 

Commented Albert Barnes in his Commentary:

"Together with Christ - In connection with him; or in virtue of his being raised up from the grave. The meaning is, that there was such a connection between Christ and those whom the Father hath given to him, that his resurrection from the grave involved their resurrection to spiritual life. It was like raising up the head and the members - the whole body together; compare the notes at Romans 6:5. Everywhere in the New Testament, the close connection of the believer with Christ is affirmed. We are crucified with him. We die with him. We rise with him. We live with him. We reign with him. We are joint heirs with him. We share his sufferings on earth 1 Peter 4:13, and we share his glory with him on his throne; Revelation 3:21." 

Believers are not yet personally and individually seated with Christ in the heavenly places, though they are seated representatively. That awaits their exaltation at the second coming of Christ. Christ identified himself with his chosen ones, with believers, and they identify themselves with him. Believers had a representative union with Christ when he experienced his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension but vital union begins when the sinner is united to Christ by "receiving" him into the soul.

QUESTIONS FOR "REFORMED THEOLOGY"

 In light of what I have learned about Reformed theology, there are some questions I wish they would (or could) answer. It is true that from the perspective of the natural mind, that there are a great many mysteries that we can not now understand, such as the trinity, or how could a being be self existent and uncreated as God is. Nevertheless, when we form theology based on a certain system or through a certain lens that we must look through, then it is possible that questions which can't be answered, may reveal flaws in that theological system. So let's ask.

1. If we assume that the Reformed position of  predestination is true, then why did the reformers require church attendance of the whole city or nation? Were they trying to "save" them? Didn't this mean that the vast majority of church members were unregenerated, or was every citizen of Geneva and Switzerland already among the elect? Forced church attendance makes sense if one is Roman Catholic, as no one has salvation yet, but merely trying to attain it through the "church. And of course since they "wanted" everyone to be saved, passing laws requiring infant baptism and church membership is the "compassionate" thing to do.

2. If the "church" has totally replaced Israel, and is now the "new covenant nation", which "church" is that new nation? Is the Roman Catholic Church the one founded by Christ and the apostles? And if it is, has God abandoned that church since the Reformed Churches are the "corrected" and "reformed" catholic church? Did the gates of hell prevail? Or will God at some point "restore" the Roman church which will then reunite with her daughter churches? 

3. Were the Reformers in error when they persecuted other believers just as their mother church did, or did they have the right to do so, since they were now "Israel" and just purging "error" from the land as King Saul did when he banished witches? And if they were right in doing so, how is it now that they will accept those who received baptism from other churches, without being rebaptised? Weren't the reformers in essence, setting themselves up as a type of pope which could not err in his authority? Explain from Scripture where we are told to forcefully impose "Christianity" on anyone.

4. Does God favor certain people groups over others? How is it, from the reformed position, that some nations have many Christians while others have none or very few? It seems there are only 2 possible answers. Either hearing the Gospel isn't necessary and there are many regenerated persons in places where Christianity is small or non existent who aren't aware of it, or for some reason God does favor certain nations or people groups.

5. Can someone please tell me, at what point someone is no longer considered "Reformed" when they abandon certain Reformed doctrines? Is it when they abandon calvinistic soteriology as the Cumberland Presbyterians did? Is it when they abandon infant baptism? Is it when they abandon a hierarchical church gov't?

In closing, let me quote from an old history book published by the Christian Reformed Church. Please also remember that I do not require belief in Landmarkism to establish a valid New Testament Church, as I've stated in my previous posts. I do think it's very interesting though, that this statement was made by the Reformed Church itself. In the "Generations" book, which was written to show the history of the "Christian Church" from Pentecost to the 1980's when the book was published, and clearly has a "catholicity" view of church history, it says something quite remarkable when it gets to the chapters on the Reformation when speaking of Baptists. It says "The Baptists have no one founder, as they came from many backgrounds, and it has been claimed that they have always existed in some form since the time of the apostles. Of all groups who claim antiquity, the Baptists have the most valid claim of any. Is it possible that some Christians never went along with the Roman Church's gradual departure from the truth, and remained separate from it? If so, the Baptists may have valid claims." 

May God lead us into all truth, humility when we find it, and boldness to proclaim it. Ken Mann