An epiphany is defined as "a comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization."
I have wondered why there has been such a dramatic, often emotional response to my efforts to articulate my Biblical opposition on a few issues confronting us in the Southern Baptist Convention including the decision to forbid the appointment of any missionaries who speak in tongues in their private prayers, the exclusion of missionaries who were baptized in a church that does not hold to eternal security, and the recent resolution requesting the refusal of appointment as trustee any Southern Baptist who does not hold to a personal abstinence conviction regarding the use of alcohol.
The continuing narrowing of the parameters of participation and cooperation in Southern Baptist work is a concern of mine, but what has startled me more than anything else is the often belittling, sometimes angry response of those who do not agree with me on these issues. It has been at best confusing, at worst, a little unsettling.
But yesterday I had an epiphany.
It happened as I was driving west on Owen K. Garriott, or Highway 412 for you outside of Enid, and I drove right by our church and the color video display screen on the church sign. The sign was functioning properly, and there were some great video announcements regarding the events upcoming at our church.
But the color was off.
The video screen was mostly yellow and green. The usual beautiful rainbow of vivid plasma colors that mark our sign was gone. We have had some problems with the sign since we were hit by lightening, and I picked up my cell phone to call Pastor Ted Kuschel, our Minister of Media, to let him know that we were having problems. I also wondered why Pastor Ted had not caught this, since he worked Friday and should have noticed the problem. I was just a little irritated.
Then, just as I was dialing his number --- I realized I had my golf sunglasses on. These fancy glasses filter out unwanted UV rays, but they also distort colors by dimishing any color but green and yellow, which makes things very crisp and clear on the golf course, but distorted in real life. Here I was upset with Ted for not getting the sign repaired in preparation for Sunday, but the problem was not the sign --- it was the filter on my eyes.
Had I not discovered my personal filter, and had Pastor Ted come down to the church at my beckoning he would have seen for himself a beautiful, multicolored display on our video sign. He would have told me there was nothing wrong with the sign and then he and I would have argued. I KNEW what I was seeing. He KNEW what he he was seeing. We were both looking at the same thing, but we were seeing it differently. I would have argued with him that color needed to be ADDED. He would have argued that adding any color would have distorted the already beautiful sign.
Here was my epiphany.
The gospel is a beautiful panalopy of brilliant color to me. It is Christ and Him crucified. As the Apostle Paul said, "I desire to know nothing else among you but Christ and Him crucified." Everything I say and write is an attempt to maintain the supernatural beauty of the gospel. When others seek to add to the gospel denominational regulations, performance oriented dictums, cultural prohibitions, and other man-made duties, I see the gospel being compromised, distorted, and ultimately marred. The beauty of the gospel is breathtaking to me, and anybody who seeks to add to it, destroys that beauty in my eyes.
But those who argue with me argue with all sincerity. To them, it is I who have "destroyed" the gospel. If I don't agree to their prohibitions and mandates, then my gospel is not truly the gospel of the Bible, and I am the one who is marring the gospel. I believe they look at the gospel through a filter. Maybe it is the filter of their upbringing, past personal disappointments or failures, or simply fear that a simple gospel, without certain prohibitions will lead to licentiousness.
Whatever the case, my personal epiphany has caused me to come to three conclusions:
(1). Never question the sincerity of my Christian brother who upbraids me for writing what I write. In his mind he is keeping the gospel "pure."
(2). Be patient with those who disagree. They may be unaware of any filter over their eyes, and only God can ultimately remove it.
(3). And for every person who will read this post and comment saying, "But Wade, YOU are the one with the filter over your eyes regarding the gospel!" I will simply respond --- "You may be right. That is why I am asking God to help me see the gospel in all its beauty without any of my preconceived biases. Pray for me that any filter I have over my eyes may be removed as well."
In His Grace,
Wade
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
God's Criminal in the Dock
William Cowper is one of my favorite 18th English poets. He wrote with a passion that could only proceed from a heart acquainted with personal brokenness and the grace of God. Upon the death of George Whitefield, Cowper penned the following poem. Whitefield, the great contemporary evangelist and friend of Cowper, was often maligned for his unfailing conviction of the sufficiency of Scripture, his steadfast determination to never compromise on the great doctrines of Scripture, and his willingness to reach the lost by preaching the gospel in places, and with methods, that the established church disdained. The poem is entitled "God's Criminal in the Dock" and should be of great comfort for any person who has suffered for staying true to Scripture and the gospel message.
Leuconomus (beneath well-sounding Greek
I slur a name a poet must not speak)
Stood pilloried on infamy's high stage,
And bore the pelting scorn of half an age;
The very butt of slander, and the blot
For ev'ry dart that malice ever shot.
The man that mention'd him at once dismiss'd
All mercy from his lips, and sneer'd and hiss'd;
His crimes were such as Sodom never knew,
And perjury stood up to swear all true;
His aim was mischief, and his zeal presence,
His speech rebellion against common sense;
A knave, when tried on honesty's plain rule,
And, when by that of reason, a mere fool;
The world's best comfort was, his doom was pass'd
Die when he might, he must be damn'd at last.
Now, truth, perform thine office;waft aside
The curtain drawn by prejudice and pride,
Reveal (the man is dead) to wond'ring eyes
This more than monster in his proper guise.
He lov'd the world that hated him the tear
That dropp'd upon his Bible was sincere:
Assailtd by scandal and the tongue of strife,
His only answer was, a blameless life;
And he that forg'd, and he that threw, the dart,
Had each a brother's int'rest in his heart!
Paul's love of Christ, and steadiness unbrib'd,
Were copied close in him, and well transcrib'd.
He follow 'd Paul-his zeal a kindred flame,
His apostolic charity the same.
Like him, cross'd cheerfully tempestuous seas,
Forsaking country, kindred, friends, and ease;
Like him he labour'd, and, like him, content
To bear it, suffer'd shame where'er he went.
Blush, calumny! and write upon his tomb,
If honest eulogy can spare thee room,
Thy deep repentance of thy thousand lies,
Which, aim'd at him, have pierc'd th' offended skies;
And say, Blot out my sin, confess'd, deplor'd,
Against thine image in thy saint, oh Lord!
No blinder bigot, I maintain it still,
Than he who must have pleasure, come what will:
He laughs, whatever weapon truth may draw,
And deems her sharp artillery mere straw.
Scripture, indeed, is plain; but God and he,
On Scripture-ground, are sure to disagree;
Some wiser rule must teach him how to live,
Than this his Maker has seen fit to give;
Supple and flexible as Indian cane,
To take the bend his appetites ordain;
Contriv'd to suit frail nature's crazy case,
And reconcile his lusts with saving grace.
By this, with nice precision of design,
He draws upon life's map a zig-zag line,
That shows how far 'tis safe to follow sin,
And where his danger and God's wrath begin.
By this he forms, as pleas'd he sports along,
His well-pois'd estimate of right and wrong;
And finds the modish manners of the day,
Though loose, as harmless as an infant's play.
Build by whatever plan caprice decrees,
With what materials, on what ground, you please;
Your hope shall stand unblam'd, perhaps admir'd,
If not that hope the Scripture has requir'd.
The strange conceits, vain projects, and wild dreams,
With which hypocrisy for ever teems,
(Though other follies strike the public eye,
And raise a laugh) pass unmolested by;
But if, unblameable in word and thought,
A man arise-a man whom God has taught,
With all Elijah's dignity of tone,
And all the love of the beloved John-
To storm the citadels they build in air,
And smite th' untemper'd wall, 'tis death to spare;
To sweep away all refuges of lies,
And place, instead of quirks themselves devise,
Lama sabacthani before their eyes;
To prove that without Christ all gain is loss,
All hope despair, that stands not on his cross;
Except the few his God may have impress'd,
A tenfold frenzy seizes all the rest.
May God give us more such criminals.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Leuconomus (beneath well-sounding Greek
I slur a name a poet must not speak)
Stood pilloried on infamy's high stage,
And bore the pelting scorn of half an age;
The very butt of slander, and the blot
For ev'ry dart that malice ever shot.
The man that mention'd him at once dismiss'd
All mercy from his lips, and sneer'd and hiss'd;
His crimes were such as Sodom never knew,
And perjury stood up to swear all true;
His aim was mischief, and his zeal presence,
His speech rebellion against common sense;
A knave, when tried on honesty's plain rule,
And, when by that of reason, a mere fool;
The world's best comfort was, his doom was pass'd
Die when he might, he must be damn'd at last.
Now, truth, perform thine office;waft aside
The curtain drawn by prejudice and pride,
Reveal (the man is dead) to wond'ring eyes
This more than monster in his proper guise.
He lov'd the world that hated him the tear
That dropp'd upon his Bible was sincere:
Assailtd by scandal and the tongue of strife,
His only answer was, a blameless life;
And he that forg'd, and he that threw, the dart,
Had each a brother's int'rest in his heart!
Paul's love of Christ, and steadiness unbrib'd,
Were copied close in him, and well transcrib'd.
He follow 'd Paul-his zeal a kindred flame,
His apostolic charity the same.
Like him, cross'd cheerfully tempestuous seas,
Forsaking country, kindred, friends, and ease;
Like him he labour'd, and, like him, content
To bear it, suffer'd shame where'er he went.
Blush, calumny! and write upon his tomb,
If honest eulogy can spare thee room,
Thy deep repentance of thy thousand lies,
Which, aim'd at him, have pierc'd th' offended skies;
And say, Blot out my sin, confess'd, deplor'd,
Against thine image in thy saint, oh Lord!
No blinder bigot, I maintain it still,
Than he who must have pleasure, come what will:
He laughs, whatever weapon truth may draw,
And deems her sharp artillery mere straw.
Scripture, indeed, is plain; but God and he,
On Scripture-ground, are sure to disagree;
Some wiser rule must teach him how to live,
Than this his Maker has seen fit to give;
Supple and flexible as Indian cane,
To take the bend his appetites ordain;
Contriv'd to suit frail nature's crazy case,
And reconcile his lusts with saving grace.
By this, with nice precision of design,
He draws upon life's map a zig-zag line,
That shows how far 'tis safe to follow sin,
And where his danger and God's wrath begin.
By this he forms, as pleas'd he sports along,
His well-pois'd estimate of right and wrong;
And finds the modish manners of the day,
Though loose, as harmless as an infant's play.
Build by whatever plan caprice decrees,
With what materials, on what ground, you please;
Your hope shall stand unblam'd, perhaps admir'd,
If not that hope the Scripture has requir'd.
The strange conceits, vain projects, and wild dreams,
With which hypocrisy for ever teems,
(Though other follies strike the public eye,
And raise a laugh) pass unmolested by;
But if, unblameable in word and thought,
A man arise-a man whom God has taught,
With all Elijah's dignity of tone,
And all the love of the beloved John-
To storm the citadels they build in air,
And smite th' untemper'd wall, 'tis death to spare;
To sweep away all refuges of lies,
And place, instead of quirks themselves devise,
Lama sabacthani before their eyes;
To prove that without Christ all gain is loss,
All hope despair, that stands not on his cross;
Except the few his God may have impress'd,
A tenfold frenzy seizes all the rest.
May God give us more such criminals.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Daemonolgia Sacra
I have often wondered this past year if we in the Southern Baptist Convention have forgotten who our real enemy is. With the tendency to divide into "us" versus "them," and the way we focus our energy on pointing out the sin in others, I wonder whether our real enemy has been ignored as he attacks us.
Richard Gilpin, M.D. (1625 - 1700) was a non-conformist physician and theologian who wrote a classic work entitled "Daemonolgia Sacra or A Treatise of Satan's Temptations." In introducing his treatise Dr. Gilpin writes (emphasis mine),
"Among those things that religion offers to our study, God and our own hearts are the chief. God is the first and last and whole of our happiness; the beginning, progress, and completement of it is from him and in him --- for in that centre do all the lines meet; but our heart is the stage upon which this felicity, as to the application of it, is transacted: upon this little spot of earth doth God and Satan draw up their several armies; here doth each of them shew their power and wisdom; this is treated by both; each of them challenge an interest in it; it is attacked on the one side adn defended on the other. So that here are skirmishes, battles, and strategems managed. That man, then, that will not concern himself in his inquiries, how the matter goes in his own heart, what ground is got or lost, what forts are taken or defended, what mines are sprung, what ambusheses laid, or how the battle proceeds, must needs lie under a just imputation of the greatest folly; neither can he be excused in his neglect by the most pressing solicitations of other things that seem to require his attendance upon the highest imaginable pretences of necessity: 'For what is he profited , that gains the whole world, but loses his soul?'"(Mark 8:36).
In light of Dr. Gilpin's insight, I would like to ask a question for your thoughts and written reflections:
What tactic does Satan use most successfully in causing you to lose your focus, and as a result, your inner sense of contentment that comes from Christ?
I am not looking particularly for scholarly answers, but personal, even painful testimonies of the devices used by our common enemy.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Richard Gilpin, M.D. (1625 - 1700) was a non-conformist physician and theologian who wrote a classic work entitled "Daemonolgia Sacra or A Treatise of Satan's Temptations." In introducing his treatise Dr. Gilpin writes (emphasis mine),
"Among those things that religion offers to our study, God and our own hearts are the chief. God is the first and last and whole of our happiness; the beginning, progress, and completement of it is from him and in him --- for in that centre do all the lines meet; but our heart is the stage upon which this felicity, as to the application of it, is transacted: upon this little spot of earth doth God and Satan draw up their several armies; here doth each of them shew their power and wisdom; this is treated by both; each of them challenge an interest in it; it is attacked on the one side adn defended on the other. So that here are skirmishes, battles, and strategems managed. That man, then, that will not concern himself in his inquiries, how the matter goes in his own heart, what ground is got or lost, what forts are taken or defended, what mines are sprung, what ambusheses laid, or how the battle proceeds, must needs lie under a just imputation of the greatest folly; neither can he be excused in his neglect by the most pressing solicitations of other things that seem to require his attendance upon the highest imaginable pretences of necessity: 'For what is he profited , that gains the whole world, but loses his soul?'"(Mark 8:36).
In light of Dr. Gilpin's insight, I would like to ask a question for your thoughts and written reflections:
What tactic does Satan use most successfully in causing you to lose your focus, and as a result, your inner sense of contentment that comes from Christ?
I am not looking particularly for scholarly answers, but personal, even painful testimonies of the devices used by our common enemy.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
August 22, 2006 Will Not Be The End of the World
The secular blogs are ablaze with predictions that Iran will launch a nuclear strike against Israel on August 22, 2006 ushering in the Apocalypse.
August 22 is Rajab 28 in the Islamic calendar. This is a special date for Muslims. Rajab 28 is the date the mighty Muslim leader Saladin entered and conquered Jerusalem (in A.D. 1187), putting the city under Islamic rule, a hallowed event in Islamic history.
The government of Iran has publicly stated that it will "formally respond to a Western package of incentives aimed at persuading it to suspend its uranium enrichment program this month." A li Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that "August 22 has been set for declaring (our) views."
Why August 22? Well, in addition to the anniversary date of Saladin's conquering of Jerusalem, the Persian Journal explains,:
"According to Shi'ite Muslim teaching, Abul-Qassem Mohammad, the 12th leader whom Shi'ites consider descended from the Prophet Mohammed, disappeared in 941 but will return at the end of time to lead an era of Islamic justice.
"Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi," Iranian President Ahmadinejad said in the speech to Friday Prayers leaders from across the country.
The President believes that the Arab Messiah will turn Iran into a powerful, developed and model Islamic society.
Ahmadinejad refers to the return of the 12th Imam, also known as the Mahdi, in almost all his major speeches since he took office in August.
Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran is a Shiite fundamentalist who believes his actions will pave the way for the Arab Messiah to return. He is a fundamentalist fanatic, but there are three reasons why Iran will not launch a nuclear strike against Israel.
(1). Israel would destroy Iran with a nuclear counter attack if there were a nuclear strike in Israel.
Israel has repeatedly made this known to its Islamic neighbors. Iran's nuclear capability is shallow compared to the Israelis. At the most, a dirty bomb could be exploded within Israel (or launched toward Israel), but the forceful response of Israel to such a strike is the biggest deterrence.
(2). The Shiite leadership is out of touch with the common people of Iran.
Iran has one of the most progressive people in the Islamic world, but one of the most strident, fundamentalist governments of all Islamic nations. The disconnect between government and people will not last long. Dozens of coups have been planned over the last since the Ayotollah took power in Iran in 1979, and if the Iranian President were to plunge the nation into an unwinnable war, the people would rise up and over throw their President --- and he knows it.
(3). Islamic fundamentalists only understand, and are ultimately only defeated, by one thing --- a greater power than themselves.
You don't negotiate with fundamentalists, you defeat them. The United States and Israel are too close in both ideology and proximity (tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq) for Iran to attempt a strike against Israel on August 22.
If you live in Israel or the United States and are Jewish or Christian, atheist or irreligious, it is time for you to support the military of your respective countries.
As a believer in Jesus Christ I believe that the gospel changes the wicked hearts of men.
But as an American, I believe our military keeps the actions of wicked men at bay.
The Lord reigns over both.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
August 22 is Rajab 28 in the Islamic calendar. This is a special date for Muslims. Rajab 28 is the date the mighty Muslim leader Saladin entered and conquered Jerusalem (in A.D. 1187), putting the city under Islamic rule, a hallowed event in Islamic history.
The government of Iran has publicly stated that it will "formally respond to a Western package of incentives aimed at persuading it to suspend its uranium enrichment program this month." A li Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that "August 22 has been set for declaring (our) views."
Why August 22? Well, in addition to the anniversary date of Saladin's conquering of Jerusalem, the Persian Journal explains,:
"According to Shi'ite Muslim teaching, Abul-Qassem Mohammad, the 12th leader whom Shi'ites consider descended from the Prophet Mohammed, disappeared in 941 but will return at the end of time to lead an era of Islamic justice.
"Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi," Iranian President Ahmadinejad said in the speech to Friday Prayers leaders from across the country.
The President believes that the Arab Messiah will turn Iran into a powerful, developed and model Islamic society.
Ahmadinejad refers to the return of the 12th Imam, also known as the Mahdi, in almost all his major speeches since he took office in August.
Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran is a Shiite fundamentalist who believes his actions will pave the way for the Arab Messiah to return. He is a fundamentalist fanatic, but there are three reasons why Iran will not launch a nuclear strike against Israel.
(1). Israel would destroy Iran with a nuclear counter attack if there were a nuclear strike in Israel.
Israel has repeatedly made this known to its Islamic neighbors. Iran's nuclear capability is shallow compared to the Israelis. At the most, a dirty bomb could be exploded within Israel (or launched toward Israel), but the forceful response of Israel to such a strike is the biggest deterrence.
(2). The Shiite leadership is out of touch with the common people of Iran.
Iran has one of the most progressive people in the Islamic world, but one of the most strident, fundamentalist governments of all Islamic nations. The disconnect between government and people will not last long. Dozens of coups have been planned over the last since the Ayotollah took power in Iran in 1979, and if the Iranian President were to plunge the nation into an unwinnable war, the people would rise up and over throw their President --- and he knows it.
(3). Islamic fundamentalists only understand, and are ultimately only defeated, by one thing --- a greater power than themselves.
You don't negotiate with fundamentalists, you defeat them. The United States and Israel are too close in both ideology and proximity (tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq) for Iran to attempt a strike against Israel on August 22.
If you live in Israel or the United States and are Jewish or Christian, atheist or irreligious, it is time for you to support the military of your respective countries.
As a believer in Jesus Christ I believe that the gospel changes the wicked hearts of men.
But as an American, I believe our military keeps the actions of wicked men at bay.
The Lord reigns over both.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Monday, August 07, 2006
This Isn't Your Father's Convention
The former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Bobby Welch, was quoted in this month's Southern Baptist Life as saying his greatest surprise at the Southern Baptist Convention was "that several Southern Baptist pastors actually came to a microphone and publicly promoted the drinking of alcoholic beverages and wanted the SBC to do the same! Actually, I never thought I would see that take place, and it is not only a surprise but an outrage! My father was addicted to alcohol, which contributed to his early death. He advised me that if I would never take the first drink I would never end up like he did. I did not, and he was correct!"
Bobby must have been having a sidebar conversation with Parliamentarian Barry McCarty during the resolutions debate because I sat through all the microphone speeches by the pastors who were against the alcohol resolution and did not hear what Dr. Welch alleges was said. In addition, Bobby adds this . . .
"I understand one pastor's blog site indicates he believes his drinking assists him in soul-winning! What a pathetic joke! These blogging Baptist pastors just blew their collective cork!"
I can only assume Bobby is referring to my blog entry entitled Conversion to Christ Over a Glass of Wine. I can also only assume Dr. Welch has never read this post, because I find it hard to believe that he would have read it and intentionally misrepresented what was said.
The SBC LIFE article brings clearly into focus five things:
(1). Southern Baptists need to start talking to each other instead of at each other --- we would really move far along in our work and our ministry if we showed a better Christian spirit than what we seem to be willing to display.
(2). Southern Baptist leaders of the past need to realize that if the battle for the Bible was really as critical as they said it was, then everyone in the current SBC better get used to Southern Baptist pastors who actually believe and teach what the Bible says. In other words, you can't fight for the inerrancy of Scripture unless you are willing to hold to the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible is authoritative when it speaks to Christian faith and practice. Your traditions are fine, but if you can't support them from Scripture then you better not get angry with those in your convention who don't hold to your traditions --- you taught us to believe the Bible.
(3). The old fable "The Emperor's New Clothes" teaches the moral principle that the common man is afraid to say things contrary to established authority, and sometimes it takes someone, like a child, who is unimpressed with the power of the king in order to reveal the truth. There is a generation of men and women in the Southern Baptist Convention who are not necessarily children, but they are not impressed by denominational positions and authority. They are also not afraid to call a spade a spade. In the end our convention will be better when we realize that the blowing of horns, slogans and banners are no substitute for the Spirit, the Word and living life to its fullest in the power of Christ --- without pretense.
(4). The Southern Baptist Convention is changing. It is changing for the better. We are beginning to realize that the kingdom of God is much bigger than our denominational kingdom. Southern Baptists are becoming known for what we are for, more than what we are against. The Southern Baptist Convention is poised to become a true gospel denomination.
(5). We are going to have to learn to love each other when we possess different interpretations of the sacred text. I don't care if you agree with me on eschatology (premillenialism or amillenialism), ecclesiology (closed communion or open communion) or even soteriology (arminianism or calvinism), but when you tell me I must agree with you before I can serve with you then we are in big trouble as a convention. I think we are beginning to learn that lesson.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Bobby must have been having a sidebar conversation with Parliamentarian Barry McCarty during the resolutions debate because I sat through all the microphone speeches by the pastors who were against the alcohol resolution and did not hear what Dr. Welch alleges was said. In addition, Bobby adds this . . .
"I understand one pastor's blog site indicates he believes his drinking assists him in soul-winning! What a pathetic joke! These blogging Baptist pastors just blew their collective cork!"
I can only assume Bobby is referring to my blog entry entitled Conversion to Christ Over a Glass of Wine. I can also only assume Dr. Welch has never read this post, because I find it hard to believe that he would have read it and intentionally misrepresented what was said.
The SBC LIFE article brings clearly into focus five things:
(1). Southern Baptists need to start talking to each other instead of at each other --- we would really move far along in our work and our ministry if we showed a better Christian spirit than what we seem to be willing to display.
(2). Southern Baptist leaders of the past need to realize that if the battle for the Bible was really as critical as they said it was, then everyone in the current SBC better get used to Southern Baptist pastors who actually believe and teach what the Bible says. In other words, you can't fight for the inerrancy of Scripture unless you are willing to hold to the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible is authoritative when it speaks to Christian faith and practice. Your traditions are fine, but if you can't support them from Scripture then you better not get angry with those in your convention who don't hold to your traditions --- you taught us to believe the Bible.
(3). The old fable "The Emperor's New Clothes" teaches the moral principle that the common man is afraid to say things contrary to established authority, and sometimes it takes someone, like a child, who is unimpressed with the power of the king in order to reveal the truth. There is a generation of men and women in the Southern Baptist Convention who are not necessarily children, but they are not impressed by denominational positions and authority. They are also not afraid to call a spade a spade. In the end our convention will be better when we realize that the blowing of horns, slogans and banners are no substitute for the Spirit, the Word and living life to its fullest in the power of Christ --- without pretense.
(4). The Southern Baptist Convention is changing. It is changing for the better. We are beginning to realize that the kingdom of God is much bigger than our denominational kingdom. Southern Baptists are becoming known for what we are for, more than what we are against. The Southern Baptist Convention is poised to become a true gospel denomination.
(5). We are going to have to learn to love each other when we possess different interpretations of the sacred text. I don't care if you agree with me on eschatology (premillenialism or amillenialism), ecclesiology (closed communion or open communion) or even soteriology (arminianism or calvinism), but when you tell me I must agree with you before I can serve with you then we are in big trouble as a convention. I think we are beginning to learn that lesson.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Dispensational Theology and the Destruction of Iran
John Hagee is the pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, and a prominent televangelist and supporter of the nation of Israel. Katyusha rockets recently hit Cornerstone Church's Absorption Center in Kiryat Yam, Israel. John Hagee ministries is a strong advocate of the state of Israel, and his most recent book on the Middle East conflict, Jerusalem Countdown, reached number two in Publisher Weekly's monthly sales list and is approaching one million copies sold.
John Hagee is a dispensationalist. In his book he states that the real enemy is Iran, and that the Arab nations, including Iran, will align themselves together to destroy Israel, and that a peace agreement will be brokered by the U.N. --- led by the Anti-Christ --- and Israel will be saved from destruction, but for just a short period. According to Hagee, the peace will be broken when Russia, China and the Arab nations will come together again in an alliance against Israel, and will seek to destroy her after just a little over three years of peace. It is then, according to Hagee's book, that Jesus Christ return to set up His kingdom on earth.
I am not a dispensationalist, but I marvel at how many Christians believe it to be the orthodox understanding of the end times. There are many very real problems with dispensationalism, not the least of which is the teaching of the Bible that the Old Covenant with Israel has been abolished. But rather than go into great detail on eshcatology, I am simply pointing out a couple of concerns I have of regarding the end product of dispensationalism.
(1). Dispensationalism does not allow for the possibility that Iran will be defeated by Israel and/or the United States militarily, and that the people of Iran will be allowed to establish a pro-democracy government where they can worship and live in freedom.
(2). Dispensationalism does not allow for the possiblity that the world might endure a veritable World War III and come out the other side with greater peace, greater freedom, and greater productivity than ever before.
(3). Dispensationalism sees only one end to any world wide conflict, and that is the personal, visible, physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
(4). Dispensationalism runs the risk of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ into disrepute, for if fifty years from now Islamic fanaticism is defeated, and all Islamic states moderate in their view of the world and Israel, then the question will be asked, again, what about the return of Christ?
(5). The gospel contains within it a personal eschatalogy for every human being. Jesus Christ will come for every person on the day of his death, just as He has since the beginning of time, and every person apart from faith in Christ will give an account to Him for how he has lived his life. This is the coming that really counts and it could happen any day for any of us.
My grandfather, Fred Cherry, was good friends with Arthur W. Pink. On the wall in my office I have a letter from my grandfather to Mr. Pink requesting a copy of his book "The Redeemer's Return." The letter is dated April, 1947, one year before Israel even became a state. Mr. Pink responds to my granfather's request a month later by saying his book, "The Redeemer's Return" is now out of print, and he closes the letter by saying this:
"My 'Redeemer's Return' was written 30 year ago, in the days of my spiritual infancy, when I received without question the teaching of older men. For 40 years I have studied prophecy and today it is my firm conviction that most of what has been written is guesswork!
I fully agree with the spiritually minded C.H. Spurgeon, who said: 'I scarcely consider myself qualified to explain any part of the Book of Revelation, and none of the expositions I have ever seen entice me to attempt this task, for they are mostly occupied with a refutation of all the interpretations that have gone before, and each one seems to be very successful indeed in proving that all the rest knows nothing at all about the matter.'
If you ask then, 'why then did God give us the Revelation?' I answer, 'to stain the pride of man, to expose our ignorance until such time as the whole of it is fulfilled.
My advise is, leave Prophecy alone, and concentrate on the practical portions of the Word!
You asked me which parts of my "Redeemer Returns" I no longer agree with? Answer, "The Signs of His Return,' particularly -- He has not come yet! and may not, for anything any man on earth knows, for thousands of years! May the Lord enable us to put first things first (Matthew 6:33) -- the Revelation is at the END of the Bible!"
Yours by Divine Mercy, A.W. Pink
Sage counsel indeed by a former dispensationalist who died with the more important matters on his mind.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
John Hagee is a dispensationalist. In his book he states that the real enemy is Iran, and that the Arab nations, including Iran, will align themselves together to destroy Israel, and that a peace agreement will be brokered by the U.N. --- led by the Anti-Christ --- and Israel will be saved from destruction, but for just a short period. According to Hagee, the peace will be broken when Russia, China and the Arab nations will come together again in an alliance against Israel, and will seek to destroy her after just a little over three years of peace. It is then, according to Hagee's book, that Jesus Christ return to set up His kingdom on earth.
I am not a dispensationalist, but I marvel at how many Christians believe it to be the orthodox understanding of the end times. There are many very real problems with dispensationalism, not the least of which is the teaching of the Bible that the Old Covenant with Israel has been abolished. But rather than go into great detail on eshcatology, I am simply pointing out a couple of concerns I have of regarding the end product of dispensationalism.
(1). Dispensationalism does not allow for the possibility that Iran will be defeated by Israel and/or the United States militarily, and that the people of Iran will be allowed to establish a pro-democracy government where they can worship and live in freedom.
(2). Dispensationalism does not allow for the possiblity that the world might endure a veritable World War III and come out the other side with greater peace, greater freedom, and greater productivity than ever before.
(3). Dispensationalism sees only one end to any world wide conflict, and that is the personal, visible, physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
(4). Dispensationalism runs the risk of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ into disrepute, for if fifty years from now Islamic fanaticism is defeated, and all Islamic states moderate in their view of the world and Israel, then the question will be asked, again, what about the return of Christ?
(5). The gospel contains within it a personal eschatalogy for every human being. Jesus Christ will come for every person on the day of his death, just as He has since the beginning of time, and every person apart from faith in Christ will give an account to Him for how he has lived his life. This is the coming that really counts and it could happen any day for any of us.
My grandfather, Fred Cherry, was good friends with Arthur W. Pink. On the wall in my office I have a letter from my grandfather to Mr. Pink requesting a copy of his book "The Redeemer's Return." The letter is dated April, 1947, one year before Israel even became a state. Mr. Pink responds to my granfather's request a month later by saying his book, "The Redeemer's Return" is now out of print, and he closes the letter by saying this:
"My 'Redeemer's Return' was written 30 year ago, in the days of my spiritual infancy, when I received without question the teaching of older men. For 40 years I have studied prophecy and today it is my firm conviction that most of what has been written is guesswork!
I fully agree with the spiritually minded C.H. Spurgeon, who said: 'I scarcely consider myself qualified to explain any part of the Book of Revelation, and none of the expositions I have ever seen entice me to attempt this task, for they are mostly occupied with a refutation of all the interpretations that have gone before, and each one seems to be very successful indeed in proving that all the rest knows nothing at all about the matter.'
If you ask then, 'why then did God give us the Revelation?' I answer, 'to stain the pride of man, to expose our ignorance until such time as the whole of it is fulfilled.
My advise is, leave Prophecy alone, and concentrate on the practical portions of the Word!
You asked me which parts of my "Redeemer Returns" I no longer agree with? Answer, "The Signs of His Return,' particularly -- He has not come yet! and may not, for anything any man on earth knows, for thousands of years! May the Lord enable us to put first things first (Matthew 6:33) -- the Revelation is at the END of the Bible!"
Yours by Divine Mercy, A.W. Pink
Sage counsel indeed by a former dispensationalist who died with the more important matters on his mind.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Thursday, August 03, 2006
World Trade Center --- The Movie
I really enjoy reading the columns of nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas. Cal spent a few days with us at Emmanuel and my wife and I had the privilege of visiting with him around the dinner table and really appreciated his humble, genuine faith in Jesus Christ. It was refreshing to hear someone so well known be unashamed about his personal relationship with Christ, and his very real desire to lead others to know Him as well.My family and church know that I am a big screen buff. If I weren't a preacher I would probably be a movie critic in the order of the late late Gene Siskel and his friend Roger Ebert. Good moving making is an art, and the best directors are some of our best modern and creative artists. I am also very interested in the evaluations and critiques of newly released movies from people I respect.
Cal Thomas, on occasions, weighs in on Hollywood. A recent Cal Thomas column entitled World Trade Center Is A World Class Movie, caught my interest. This Oliver Stone directed movie, aptly named World Trade Center, is due to be released next week (August 10th), and in Thomas' review of the movie he says, "It is one of the greatest pro-American, pro-family, pro-faith, pro-male, flag-waving, 'God Bless America' films you will ever see."
He further states that the movie is about five Port Authority Police officers who helped clear the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, where "three of them died and two, Will Jimeno (played persuasively by Michael Pena) and Sergeant John McLoughlin (played magnificently by Nicolas Cage), were buried in the rubble. These are real men who love their wives and children and are not afraid to say so. They are religious men who pray without shame or reserve. In fact, Jesus makes an appearance in Jimeno's hallucination, carrying a bottle of water to quench his thirst). Treating faith as genuine and with respect has only recently made a comeback among filmmakers."\
I predict three things about you and this movie if you choose to see it. (1). You will be moved to literal tears when watching the movie, (2). You will realize that true heroism comes from people with character, and (3). You will be reminded why the war against terrorism is necessary.
Watch the World Trade Center trailor here and enjoy the movie next week.
In His Grace,
wade
Comments Are Not From the Author of the Post
In the past seven months I have posted approximately 200 articles on this web site. Comments per post average from five to one hundred and twenty five, depending on the interest in the subject posted.
I have had a few people who have attempted to say that I am responsible for the comments. In other words, if I allow the comments to be posted, then I must agree with them. As a result, there have even been instances where comments on my blog have been read publicly and some, without success, tried to hold me responsible for them.
Let me reiterate that I do not always agree with the comments. There have been many comments that are critical of me and a few critical of other things --- comments that I would not agree with in substance. It is my desire, however, for people to be free to speak what they believe, regardless of my views.
A healthy organization and family will let people speak freely, but an unhealthy system will seek to clamp down on those who disagree. In addition, Southern Baptists need to get to the place where we stop acting like everything is wonderful publicly and rail against each other privately. If there is a problem, we need to be free to address it openely, offer solutions, and move forward.
As I have thought through my desires to let people speak freely on this blog, I found it a little inconsistent to enable comment moderation. I have only rejected a handful of comments out of the several thousand sent, and those were because of very personal and direct criticism toward individuals (other than me) that I felt were unwarranted. In one instance I refused to post comments from a blogger that was dominating the post by sending multiple, lengthy comments. I suggested he start his own blog and he was offended and never came back. Other than that, every comment has been placed on the board.
Therefore, I will no longer operate comment moderation. If someone wishes to post, it will go up immediately. There may be rare occasions where I will have to remove a comment, but I believe those occasions will be rare.
Remember, the comments do NOT originate from the author of the post.
In His Grace,
Wade
I have had a few people who have attempted to say that I am responsible for the comments. In other words, if I allow the comments to be posted, then I must agree with them. As a result, there have even been instances where comments on my blog have been read publicly and some, without success, tried to hold me responsible for them.
Let me reiterate that I do not always agree with the comments. There have been many comments that are critical of me and a few critical of other things --- comments that I would not agree with in substance. It is my desire, however, for people to be free to speak what they believe, regardless of my views.
A healthy organization and family will let people speak freely, but an unhealthy system will seek to clamp down on those who disagree. In addition, Southern Baptists need to get to the place where we stop acting like everything is wonderful publicly and rail against each other privately. If there is a problem, we need to be free to address it openely, offer solutions, and move forward.
As I have thought through my desires to let people speak freely on this blog, I found it a little inconsistent to enable comment moderation. I have only rejected a handful of comments out of the several thousand sent, and those were because of very personal and direct criticism toward individuals (other than me) that I felt were unwarranted. In one instance I refused to post comments from a blogger that was dominating the post by sending multiple, lengthy comments. I suggested he start his own blog and he was offended and never came back. Other than that, every comment has been placed on the board.
Therefore, I will no longer operate comment moderation. If someone wishes to post, it will go up immediately. There may be rare occasions where I will have to remove a comment, but I believe those occasions will be rare.
Remember, the comments do NOT originate from the author of the post.
In His Grace,
Wade
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
An Interesting Observation About Evangelical Conservatives and the Southern Baptist Convention
The article, entitled Evangelicals Broadening Their Reach was posted on the Dallas Morning News website early this morning. Do you agree with the editor's conclusions?
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The (Entire) Household of Faith
On Marty Duren's blog he asks "Anything Good?" going on in your church.
We teach and believe at Emmanuel that when the grace of God falls on the head of a household, it is the usual intention of God to save the entire house. Though I am not convinced, as is Hollywood, that "All Dogs Go to Heaven," I am delighted to say the grace of God is spreading through our entire households at Emmanuel --- including the cuddly canines of our children.
We teach and believe at Emmanuel that when the grace of God falls on the head of a household, it is the usual intention of God to save the entire house. Though I am not convinced, as is Hollywood, that "All Dogs Go to Heaven," I am delighted to say the grace of God is spreading through our entire households at Emmanuel --- including the cuddly canines of our children.
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