Quote:
Originally Posted by houseparent  Rich, wouldn't baptists feel the same way?
That's great! Seriously, it is, but that forum has confused me more than I've ever been confused about anything in my entire life. The spirit of anger, arrogance, and pride so rule that forum that I get angry just visiting it for a few moments.
Again, wouldn't baptists feel this way as well?
I don't think he intended to say that either, but that's the problem. Everyone enters the baptism forum believing what they do is the gospel truth they are called to stand on, defend, preach, etc. This leads to all the problems. How many members have we lost, how many former friends now no longer speak to each other because of that forum? I really don't see the blessings of it out weighing the curses. I really don't, and that has nothing to do with deciding what the bible says "on your own", if anything the problem is the opposite of that! |
Adam,
It's not a matter of how we "feel", it's what we confess. This is the problem.
I've already acknowledged in the Repent! forum that a Baptist has the right, per the rules, to Confess according to his beliefs. I believe he is standing on His Confession when he does so. I believe He thinks he's standing on the Word of God.
But the moment I believe that our views are the same or that the differences are immaterial is the moment that the Universe explodes because Truth has ceased to have any meaning. That's not the Word of God, that's post-modernism.
Thus, as I emphasized in my post, we can be charitable and patient with others. This we expect. But, I would rather lose charity in a discussion than Truth itself.
I've encouraged folks before that if they don't like the conflict in the Baptism forum that they don't have to participate. Covenant theology is so intertwined through the whole of Reformed orthodoxy that it's impossible for those views to remain suppressed. The fact that we have Baptist Churches is proof that it's not some insignificant bit of adiafora.
Yes, some people have left the board over them but they've also left over Arminianism, Clarkiansim, Theonomy, Politics, Hermaneutics, etc. Baptism may be the think that most irks you - for others in the Christian realm it is another issue.
I think that if folks can "make peace" with the fact that the Confessions speak strongly about the issue then it's not such a personal thing. In that last thread, I thanked Bill for a gift he sent to my son for his birthday. Some of my best friends are Baptists. My pastor is a Baptist.