Why I Am a Southern Baptist

I believe the Bible to be literally true and that Truth is my world view. Folks who do not hold to this literal truth do not like it and are not interested in it. These have forsaken God’s Truth and the time will come when they will not be able to endure it.

________________________________________

B.H. Carroll, Founder of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote, “"What is the object of inspiration? It is to put accurately in human words ideas from God. If the words are not inspired, how am I to know how much to reject and how to find out whether anything is from God? When you hear the silly talk that the Bible contains the Word of God, it is not the Word of God. You hear a fools talk.”

W. A. Criswell had some enticing words for this topic, too. “Frequently we hear discussions centering on whether the Bible is the Word of God or only contains the Word of God. If, by the former, it is meant that God spoke every word in the Bible, the answer is, of course, no, but if it is meant that God caused every word in the Bible, true or false, to be recorded, the answer is yes. In the Bible, there are words of Satan. In the Bible, there are words of false profits, there are words of the enemies of Christ, yet, they are as inspired as being in the Bible. Not in the sense God uttered them, in a sense God calls them to be recorded infallible, inherently and for our profit. In this sense, the Bible does not merely contain the Word of God; it is the Word of God." "Why Preach the Bible as Literally True", B&H Publishing Group, 1999.

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:12-17.

I find it interesting that those who do not receive the Word of God as literally true seem to think that we who do so are ‘twisted in our way of viewing things’. But allow me to remind them that Paul writes, “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” v. 13.

Standing with Paul is much better company than those who are deceiving and who are being deceived.

Another reason for being a Southern Baptist is the understanding of who Jesus Christ is. And this thought is one that is founded in the Literal Truth of God’s Word,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5.

Salvation that comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ outside the walls of Jerusalem 2 millennia past is yet another factor for my being Southern Baptist.

Observe for a moment what Peter writes in 1Peter 1:18. Peter expresses that it is the blood of the Christ that redeems lost mankind.

"…Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life that you inherited from you forefathers, but with precious blood as of the Lamb unblemished spotless the blood of Christ for He was foreknown before the foundations of the World, but has appeared in these last times, for the sake of you.

The Author of Hebrews continues this thought in chapter 9, verse 22 with these words, "without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:22-28.

And then, there is the irrefutable truth concerning the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Doctor Luke confirms the words of the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:21-25,

"For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad." But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.”

There are many more statements about why I am a Southern Baptist, and they range from Believers Baptism to the Passion for Evangelism that moves God’s people to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in a dark world.

Jesus is Lord
BW