Made
To Differ
“For
who maketh thee to differ from another? ...” (I Corinthians
4:7)
All
too often, the Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist pastor hears negative criticism
of his ministry on the basis of belief that he is too occupied with the success
of his own church, at the expense of Christianity in general. He has been
charged with being uncharitable toward those of a different denomination,
and that he is unduly opposed to many of the valued and cherished traditions
of the invisible church. His critics say, “He is stuck in the quagmire of
outdated practices, such as closed communion, immersion, and restriction
of the pulpit to the male gender only.” It is readily admitted by the Sovereign Grace Landmark
Baptist preacher that he is not very innovative, and that he believes that
the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that any and everything not approved
by the Bible is of the flesh, and is detrimental to the well being of the
church. But to indict him on the ground that he is inhospitable toward Christians
of other denominations, and that he has “churchianity rather than Christianity”
is grossly unfair. It is not a lack of respect for his fellow Christians
that has made him to differ with them, but it is his love for the word of
God, for he knows nothing of value can be gained by compromising a single
jot or tittle of God’s precious word. The Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist preacher believes
that Christ loves His church, and that He purchased it with His own blood
(Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25). He also believes that there is
no ecclesiastical institution bigger that a local New Testament church, and
he believes that the Holy Spirit has called him to the pastoral ministry.
Therefore, he knows that his calling is to edify the church over which God
has made him the overseer, and he fearfully knows that any preaching short
of the whole counsel of God cannot magnify the Lord, nor edify His church.
Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist preachers love the
people of other persuasions, and this love has been undeniably manifested
throughout the two thousand year history of their churches. But owing to
the irreconcilable variances in what the respective parties believe the Bible
teaches on many subjects, including the cardinal doctrines of soteriology
and ecclesiology, leaves NO room for church level fellowship. Sovereign Grace Baptist churches are not different
from other churches just for the sake of being different, but their strictness
and separatism are the fruits of divinely guided study, and they joyfully
suffer any stigma resulting from the difference God has put between them
and those of a contrary judgment. (The
Baptist Herald September, 1994) |