How Far Has The Southern Baptist Gone
In 1914 the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention published a book entitled “ The Baptist
Spirit”, and in that book they state what they believe
concerning the Bible. Read the following and you will see just
how far they have moved from where they once stood for the Word
of God.
The Bible a Revelation from God to Man, Divinely Inspired and
Inerrant; the Only and All-Sufficient Rule of Faith and Practice
for Man in All Matters of Religion, and the Law by Which Man Is
to Be Judged.
God having a people and a will concerning his people would
naturally make known that will to his
people; and this God has done in the Bible.
The Audacity of the Critics
One of the special objects of attack by all skeptics and infidels
is “The Bible, the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of
God.” Of course, if they could succeed in overthrowing the
authority and accuracy of the Bible they would have easy sailing
in any other attacks that they might make against the Christian
religion.
In fact, the authority and accuracy of the Bible being
overthrown, there would be no occasion for any other attack, the
Christian religion being already destroyed. The man who arrogates
to himself the right and ability to criticize and improve on
God’s Word assumes that he is wiser than the Author of the
Book. While he cannot believe in the inspiration and
infallibility of the Bible, he has no trouble in believing in his
own inspiration and infallibility. It would be difficult to find
a class with more AUDACITY than that class of critics who are
attempting to overthrow the Bible.
The Logic of the Critics
These critics are divided into several schools, but “when we
pierce below the surface, differences in
current representations, we find a singular unity in the kernel
of the matter.”
The self-styled “Modern Scientific Critics” a few years
ago were loud in their claims that Moses could not have written
the code of laws ascribed to him, because the art of composition
was not sufficiently developed in that early day to enable one to
write a code of laws so profound and elaborate. It happens,
however, since the publication of Hammurabi’s code, which
the critics tell us was written nearly one thousand years before
Moses, a code far more elaborate with laws, more numerous (though
not so perfect), that these same “Modern Scientific
Critics” are making favorable comments on this ancient code,
and claiming that Moses copied from Hammurabi’s code.
Certainly, according to their theory of evolution, if the art of
composition was sufficiently developed in the days of Hammurabi
to bring forth the elaborate code ascribed to him, in the days of
Moses, nearly a thousand years later, it ought to have been
sufficiently developed to make the production of Moses’ laws
an easy task. “But wisdom is justified of her
children.” The deductions of these
critics show clearly that they are seeking not the truth, but the
overthrow of the Bible. These destructive critics not only call
in question the authenticity of the laws of Moses, the prophecies
of Isaiah and other Old Testament writings, but they deny almost
every claim made by Christ and his apostles. They challenge their
power and stamp Christ as a base impostor.
There is scarcely any part of the Bible that some critic has not
cast out as false. If what these “Modern Scholars” say
of the Bible were true, it would be absolutely worthless, a sham
and a fraud. But God’s Word is eternal, infallible and
unchangeable. Infidelity has dug for the Bible many a grave,
skepticism has lighted for it many a faggot, society has set for
it many a snare; many a Judas has betrayed it with a kiss; many a
Peter has denied it with an oath; many a Demas has forsaken it,
having loved this present world. These have all returned to their
original dust, but the Bible goes on forever.
Dr. A. H. Sayce, one of the most eminent of the archaeologists,
when asked what is the tendency of archaeological discovery,
replied: “Since the discovery of the El-Amarna tablets until
now great things have been brought out by archaeology, and every
one of them has been in harmony with the Bible, while nearly
every one of them has been dead against the assertions of the
destructive critics.” Commenting on this, a contemporary
says: “The critics make a loud noise, and impress the world
with their outcry, but the rank and file of the church, whom no
man can easily number, make no noise, but they think, and they
believe, and they wait for the final vindication of that Word
which abideth forever.”
The Bible’s Claim To Inspiration
The Bible surpasses all other books in wisdom and greatness just
in proportion as its Author is wiser and greater than all other
authors. More than all other books combined, the Bible, for some
two thousand years, has absorbed attention, enlightened the mind,
solaced the heart and formed character.
We are persuaded that it would be wholesome for this generation
to read more Bible even at the expense of reading a little less
about the Bible.
But does the Bible really claim to be the very Word of God,
spoken by men divinely inspired, or guided by the Holy Spirit?
That is a pertinent question and deserves an answer. Let the
Bible speak for itself. In 2 Tim. (3:16, 17) we read: “All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.”
Again 2 Peter (1:20, 21) it says: “Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
Also Acts (1:16) reads: “Men and brethren, this Scripture
must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth
of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them
that took Jesus.”
These Scriptures are sufficient to show what the Bible claims for
itself. Paul says: “All Scripture is given by
inspiration.” Peter says: “Holy men of God spake as
they were moved by Holy Spirit.” Luke says: “The Holy
Ghost by the mouth of David spake,” and he says David spake
“this Scripture.”
The Bible is, indeed, the Word of God, is divinely inspired and
is, therefore, authoritative and reliable. God’s revelation
as given to men is perfect, for Paul says: “All
Scripture–profitable–that the man of God may be
perfect.” If all Scriptures are profitable in perfecting men
then the Scriptures must be perfect, for an imperfect rule could
not produce perfect conduct. Yes, the Bible claims to be
inspired.
The Bible’s Claim To Inspiration Proven
It is one thing to make a claim and quite another thing to prove
it. It has been shown that the Bible claims to be inspired, but
is this claim verified? The best proof, I take it, that the Bible
is inspired is fulfilled prophecy. If some man should prophesy
that many generations from now a child should be born, Theodore
Brown by name, and that he would become Governor of Kentucky, and
that while in this office he would take all the prisoners from
the state prison and burn them at the stake, and if that thing
should be literally fulfilled hundreds of years from now,
don’t you suppose that the people then living, and knowing
of the prophecy, would say, “That man was inspired, for God
alone knows what is going to take place hundreds of years in the
future?” But does God’s Book give as plain a case of
fulfilled prophecy as that? it certainly does. The prophecy in 1
Kings (13:1, 2) which reads: “And, behold, there came a man
of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and
Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against
the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus
saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of
David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests
of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones
shall be burnt upon thee.”
The date of this prophecy is 975 B.C. notice the altar was at
Bethel and the child to be born was of the house of David and
named Josiah. The specific thing he was to do was to burn the
bones of the priests on the altar at Bethel.
Was this prophecy ever fulfilled? Turn to 2 Kings (23:15, 16),
which reads: “Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the
high place which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to
sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down,
and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and
burned the grove. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the
sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the
bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and
polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of
God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.”
This was 624 B.C., or 351 years after the prophecy was spoken.
Notice it is the same altar at Bethel, one Jeroboam made, and
Josiah of the house of David performing. Could prophecy be more
literally fulfilled?
There are others as striking as this. Take the case of Jesus
riding into Jerusalem on an ass (Matt. 21:5), and the prophecy
concerning this entry by the prophet (Zech. 9:9). Read the
fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, which reads like a history of the
crucifixion, and yet this was hundreds of years before Jesus was
born.
Yes, fulfilled prophecy is the strongest proof that the Bible is
the inspired and infallible Word of God.
The Bible the Rule By Which We Are To Live and By Which
We Are To Be Judged
It follows naturally that if the Bible is the revealed and
authoritative will of God to man that it is the Rule by which he
is to live and the Law by which he is to be judged. God says
“Judgment will I lay to the line and righteousness to the
plummet” (Isa. 28:17). We are told again of “the holy
Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). The
Scriptures are not only able to make us wise unto salvation, but
they are “profitable” in Christian development.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)
The divine injunction is “Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Our final
judgment will be according to the gospel, for Paul says,
“God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ
according to my gospel” (Rom. 2:16).
We will not be judged according to our tastes, nor pleasures, nor
consciences, but the gospel.
Since the Bible is the revealed will of God to men, it is
authoritative in all matters of religion. The Bible contains
everything God would have us believe, do or be, religiously, and
we have no right to add to or take from it. Baptists hold that
the Bible is a book for all the people, and that the right of
individual interpretation is an inalienable right.
The one and only sure road to agreement among all Christians is
the acceptance of, and obedience to, the Bible as the only and
all-sufficient rule of faith and practice in all matters of
religion. To seek unity on any other ground is in effect an
effort to overthrow and supplant the finality and authority of
the Bible. If the Bible is final and authoritative in religion,
why attempt plans of unity based on expediency or compromise of
vital Bible truths? Before there can ever be unity among
Christians there must be accepted one authoritative source of
religious truth and conduct–that source must be the Bible.
Dr. E.Y. Mullins well says: “For Baptists there is one
authoritative source of religious truth and
knowledge. To that source they look in all matters relating to
doctrine, to polity, to the ordinances, to worship, and to
Christian living. That source is the Bible.
“Baptists hold that there are at least three assertions
which must be made about the Bible in order to state its position
in our belief and life. The first is that the Bible is sufficient
for our religious needs. The second is that it is certain in its
deliverance. The third is that it is authoritative for belief and
conduct.”
An unknown author says of the Bible: “This book contains the
mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of
sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy,
its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its
decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be
safe, and practise it to be holy. It contains light to direct
you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the
traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s
compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s
character.
Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell
disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and
the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the
heart, and guide the feet. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of
glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be
opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever. It
involves the highest responsibilities, will reward the greatest
labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred
contents.” A fine statement is this.
The Bible is sufficient for all of our religious needs.
If people were only as anxious to know the things that are
revealed as they are to know the things that are not revealed
they would soon be perfectly familiar with the Bible.
Editor’s note: In just 82 years they have moved to the far left of what is written herein. Today we see compromise on every hand. The Word of God is no longer their final authority. On the contrary their organization has become their final authority. We who do stand must take heed lest we fall.