IS IT PRIDE OR IS IT A CAUSE?
“And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”
Matthew 7:1-6 is a much misunderstood group of verses. Verses 1-5 expose the one who makes a mountain out of a mole hill. It is one who uses judgment to vilify and verify minuscule matters.
Then, enter verse 6 where judgment has to be made about major Biblical matters. A judgment must be made as to “dogs” and “swine.” The difference between a “mote” and a “pearl” is significant and must be judged. It is of necessity that judgment be in play when it comes to the “mote” the “pearl” the “dogs” and the “swine.”
The mocking and attacking of standards, holy living, naming sin, aggressive soul winning, pastor led churches, being independent Baptist, ecclesiastical separation, topical preaching, lack of verses used, King James Bible, our forefathers, etc., is not a trivial matter. These pearls of great price are to be protected.
Our heritage cannot be for sale or watered down by worldly compromisers like Rick Warren and his prodigies. They belittle our heroes and uplift a new way, which is nothing but church wrapped in worldly apparel.
They are the “anon” tweeter crowd who cowardly hide behind their anonymity in order to bravely tweet their critiques to push their hidden agendas.
Thus, be careful when you use verses to silence the ones who refuse to give the precious pearls of truth to those who will not only devour, but “…turn again and rend you.”
This homogenized fundamentalism which justifies opening the door for neo-fundamentalist authors from the camp of Rick Warren, who mock our fundamentalism, to be hailed as the ones with the truth is ridiculous.
If we had felt this way about the Nazis of WWII, as our government does about ISIS, we would all be speaking German today. It is naive and naivety at its worst when good men who know better allow the infiltration of the Emerging church moment into independent Baptist churches.
This spiritual unscriptural immigration brings with it colored lights for mood, worship teams, an invitation that ends up in room 120, Evangelical authors, Rick Warren authors, anti-Hyles, anti-Malone, anti-Roloff, anti-Hutson, etc., all from the Emerging church mode, model, and portfolio.
The local church is not a Broadway Play or platform to display the local church’s American Idol contestants. This house of God is for teaching, preaching, altar calls, baptizing converts, and fellowshipping around the Word of God.
These pseudos cry “grace” and yet give no grace to the fallen. Jesus was more upset with doctrinal failure than moral failure, but not so today. Their antiseptic white gloved fundamentalism is not the fundamentalism of your fathers. Your fathers fought for what God blessed. Those blessings did not come without losses.
I fear that some of you who have been handed ministries purchased with the blood of your parents and are squandering it all for the cry of “unity.” I hurt when I think of my ten grandchildren and my three great grandsons as to what type of fundamentalism they will wake up to find in their adult life in America.
There is nothing personal at play here. This is pure principle! “Is there not a cause?” If there is, then someone must stick their neck out and say so! If Jack Hyles, John Rice, Lee Roberson, or Curtis Hutson had pushed the envelope with this mixed doctrinal multitude of today I would still pen this article.
Why is it when it is one of our own we are like the Antarctic – frozen at the mouth. Yet, if it is someone outside of our so-called camp we scream it from the house tops? Strange bedfellows we have today?
There are those who will use success as a defense. Let me break success down into two categories. First, there is success in getting people saved. Secondly, there is success in preserving the right positions and the orchard. Billy Graham was successful in the first, but not in the second. He destroyed the orchard.
I rejoice in every soul saved under the ministry of Billy Graham. I grieve over the damage done by his ecumenical position. You who read these promoted books, with a disclaimer on the inside, are only two steps away from the ecumenicalism of Billy Graham when you follow those who follow Rick Warren.
Can we not decipher between the two and understand the importance of both collectively? I know men who hold to a great position, but who never see a soul saved. These are they who feel they are called to expose error more aggressively than to spread the Gospel.
If there is one thing I admire most about John R Rice it is that he was relentless in exposing error and relentless about winning the lost. I thank God for the souls saved directly or indirectly due to the influence of Billy Graham, or the Billy Graham wannabes of our day, BUT I refuse to let the compromise go unchallenged.
Now let me make it clear. When an independent Baptist preacher begins to promote the books of those who are a part of Rick Warren’s ministry, I, along with you, MUST sound the alarm.
This is the Rick Warren who recently praised the Pope and defended the Catholic faith. This is the Rick Warren who has compromised Biblical truth for the acceptance of Oprah. This is a man who has continued his movement from fundamental truth to ecumenical compromise. This is the one who has begun to endorse Islamic teachings.
I have disdain for this heretical association? There ought to be an outcry from all over this nation about anyone who claims to be an independent fundamental Baptist who is promoting books by men who are not the right influences and leading young ones to the ecumenical altar for the sake of growth.
Brethren, where are we headed? Just connect the dots and it will not take a spiritual giant to see the end of “their conversation.” (Hebrews 13:7) If this is my swan song then so be it!