These are old heresies to be sure, but Fundamentalists must be able to articulate the truth of Scripture on these issues. We can no longer consign them to the thinking of the Modernists. Many Fundamentalists have New Evangelical friends and relatives who are being exposed to these teachings. The Fundamental pastor and leader of today will have to be informed and able to teach the Word of God correctly on these subjects. Mere dogmatism and a string of illustrations will lose the day.These are wise words. I immediately pondered where a pastor might go for biblical insight on these issues. I only spent about five minutes looking, but I found everything but bio-ethical issues here. In fact just a couple days ago these folks were talking about the eternality of hell here (text). If there really is nothing on bio-ethical issues there, I know you can find it here.
The battle of ideas is a gigantic struggle that demands a thorough biblical education and training. After that there is continuous and arduous study of the Scriptures. These matters are doctrinal issues in the last analysis, and must be met with clear theological and biblical thinking. No amount of hillbilly evangelism or flurry of church activity will make them go away if we Fundamentalists want to be God's messengers to modern man in the 1990s and beyond.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Thinking Biblically
I read with interest Part 2 of Dr. Rolland McCune's article published on SharperIron today. Both portions are worth reading, but I thought the latter contained some particularly worthy advice. In it, he enumerates several issues that will demand biblical thinking and teaching from pastors in the closing years of the 20th century (he was writing in 1989): the importance of thinking theologically, feminism, divorce and remarriage, abortion, civil disobedience, homosexuality, various bio-ethical issues, and immortality and eternal punishment. McCune's advice:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Great work Ben. Our minds nearly work as one. If you would put away your non elder rule ecclesiology, you would be more sanctified.
Anyway, when I was reading McCune's thoughts, I was thinking the exact same thing.
When I clicked on the first 'here', I figured it was MacArthur, but that Mohler had stuff on bio-ethics.
How great is that.
Special props to Mr. McCune for encouraging us to consider the thoughts of fellow fundies, like Dr. MacArthur and Dr. Mohler.
T&J,
I do not know which is more disturbing to me:
(1) That we think this much alike.
(2) That I've become this predictable.
Having known each other for some time, we've been through this before, but for the record, I would believe in elder rule except for the fact that I occasionally read the New Testament. For that reason, I believe in multiple elder/pastor/overseer-led congregational rule. If you were to read the NT, you would see congregational authority in church discipline, selection of deacons, examination of theological controversy, and likely the selection of elders as well.
Regardless, I'm sure it does not escape you that the reports of the demise of elders as an issue were premature.
Post a Comment