A Challenge to Modern Baptist Theology
“They
deem him their worst enemy who tells them the truth.”
Plato
Men
have searched for it since time began and yet don’t want to be confronted with
it directly. In today’s religious
world we are much more interested in making God and His word conform to us than
in what is true. Many have chosen to completely do away with truth, saying,
“What is true for you, may not be true for me.” We live in a world of moral
relativism and there seem to be no absolutes. How many times have we heard, “That was true for them during
that time, but we live in the 21st century.” Or “We live in the ‘real
world’.” I propose that one absolute truth stands, a standard by which we judge
all things. It does not change with the passing of time or for people or
cultures. It applies to all people, everywhere, for all time. I am speaking of
the Bible, God’s Holy Word. As Christians we believe that God’s Word is truth,
and that it will endure forever; or do we?
Preachers and teachers in today’s churches ask the ever
pertinent question, “What does this verse mean to you?” or “How does this speak
to you?” In fact, God’s word is true whether it means anything to us or not. If
it speaks to us or doesn’t speak to us, it always has been and always will be
TRUE.
Ten
years as missionaries in Romania taught us to question everything. The people
there would spend hours asking questions about the Bible and what we were
teaching from God’s word. They believed that the Bible is God’s word and
completely inerrant. They were hungry for the truth, but were quick to pick up
on anything that was just our American tradition or culture. If we wanted them
to believe something, we had to be able to back it up with scripture.
Soon
we realized that many of the things that we had been taught all our lives were
in fact American culture and did not hold up under the light of scripture. Our
return to the U.S. six years ago
brought many challenges. The main challenge we faced was finding a place to
worship. Ten years had brought many changes to our churches here in the United States,
but mostly we were the ones who had changed.
Many churches we attended seemed little more than a 3
ring circus with the Pastor playing the part of the clown, given the job of
entertaining everyone for 15 minutes each Sunday morning. He was monitored for
uplifting content and given bonus points for “cutting it short.” Some had even set
their “worship hour” to end ½ an hour early so they could get to their favorite
restaurant ahead of the crowd. The music was the worst. While modern day worship music replaced
traditional hymns in the worship service, in Children’s Church they were
singing Jesus songs to hip hop and rap tunes, and the teens were “rocking out”.
I won’t argue music, because I think it’s already become such an issue in the
church. Really just another sign of it being all about “ME”.
After reading Norman Geisler’s systematic theology
book on God and Creation I realized that the problem is with our view of God.
Who is He, exactly? I had been
raised up in a Southern Baptist Church and married in a Missionary Baptist
Church. My husband and I went to a Baptist seminary and planted Baptist
Churches as overseas missionaries. I realize that you can’t put “Baptists” in a
box. Baptists are split into over 70 different sub-denominations in the United
States alone. Within those sub-denominations, each individual church has its
own set of beliefs and doctrines that it holds to. I was, am, and always will
be a Baptist. But, almost 40 years in Baptist Churches had not quite given me
an adequate picture of who God is. Man has slowly but surely created God in our
own image and have in fact a” form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.”
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, Without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the TRUTH.”
II Timothy 3: 1-7
Are we concerned with the TRUTH or do we DARE to
manipulate God and his word to fit us? After all, everything has to be relevant
to us, right? We have surrounded ourselves with things and people that we can
identify with. Even our version of
the Bible that we read and the church we attend say something about “us”.
Whether it is the cowboy church, the biker church, the rave and rap church, or
even the drive thru church, we order up God like we do a quarter pounder. (our
way) Hold the harsh reality please and just give me a side of uplifting
dribble.
Wasn’t this the sin of Cain? He wanted to worship God
(his way). I always felt a little sorry for Cain. He worked hard, and he gave
God his best, right? His brother tended the sheep and brought a lamb, Cain was
a tiller of the ground, so he brought the best of what he had. He did his job,
and then he brought an offering unto the Lord. Why was it not good enough? Cain
knew very well that God expected a blood sacrifice. Cain should have begged,
borrowed or traded to do whatever was necessary to please God. I’m sure he
traded vegetables for other things he needed to live. Cain wanted to serve God
his way. He knew that God would “understand” and accept his offering just the
way it was. Right? God had a standard. He required a blood offering. Cain knew
what God expected and decided God would have to accept him on his terms.
We are no different today. We come into what is
supposed to be God’s house and set our own terms. “I will come to church, but
only if I can dress the way I want, hear the music that makes me feel good, not
hear anything that makes me feel guilty, and be out before I get hungry.” And
I’m here to tell you that God will NOT accept you on those terms. God does not
change, He still has a standard. The Lord told Cain in Genisis 4:7, “If thou
doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth
at the door.” I believe many of our churches today have opened the door
welcoming sin with open arms, and put God outside shutting the door behind Him.
Disclaimer: Of course I know that there are good churches out there and that there are many who seek God. I'm speaking of our American Churches in general. If you have a good church and a pastor who preaches the truth, Thank God!
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