The Traditional Southern Baptists' Statement

[PappaBear]

Some Southern Baptists have organized.  This is a tremendous statement, displaying the dramatic difference between what the Reformers are claiming of Baptist History, and what actual Baptist History, especially within the SBC experience, has been.

http://sbctoday.com/2012/05/30/an-introduction-to-%E2%80%9Ca-statement-of-the-traditional-southern-baptist-understanding-of-god%E2%80%99s-plan-of-salvation%E2%80%9D/

Read the entire thing, but here are a few juicy good ones to tantalize your tastebuds...

Article Three: The Atonement of Christ​

We affirm that the penal substitution of Christ is the only available and effective sacrifice for the sins of every person.

We deny that this atonement results in salvation without a person’s free response of repentance and faith. We deny that God imposes or withholds this atonement without respect to an act of the person’s free will. We deny that Christ died only for the sins of those who will be saved.

Psalm 22:1-31; Isaiah 53:1-12; John 12:32, 14:6; Acts 10:39-43; Acts 16:30-32; Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-20; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 9:12-15, 24-28; 10:1-18; I John 1:7; 2:2

Article Five: The Regeneration of the Sinner​

We affirm that any person who responds to the Gospel with repentance and faith is born again through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is a new creation in Christ and enters, at the moment he believes, into eternal life.

We deny that any person is regenerated prior to or apart from hearing and responding to the Gospel.

Luke 15:24; John 3:3; 7:37-39; 10:10; 16:7-14; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 6:4-11; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; 6:15; Colossians 2:13; 1 Peter 3:18

Article Seven: The Sovereignty of God​

We affirm God’s eternal knowledge of and sovereignty over every person’s salvation or condemnation.

We deny that God’s sovereignty and knowledge require Him to cause a person’s acceptance or rejection of faith in Christ.

Genesis 1:1; 6:5-8; 18:16-33; 22; 2 Samuel 24:13-14; 1 Chronicles 29:10-20; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Joel 2:32; Psalm 23; 51:4; 139:1-6; Proverbs 15:3; John 6:44; Romans 11:3; Titus 3:3-7; James 1:13-15; Hebrews 11:6, 12:28; 1 Peter 1:17

Makes me wish I could sign it.  Have any of you noticed who all HAVE signed it?!?

Take a look, here: http://sbctoday.com/2012/06/01/list-of-signers-of-%E2%80%9Ca-statement-of-the-traditional-southern-baptist-understanding-of-god%E2%80%99s-plan-of-salvation/

Six, count them, SIX past presidents of the Convention, including Paige Patterson, Jerry Vines, and Bailey Smith.  Many of these were architects of the conservative take over and hold a lot of influence.

It looks like the "Reformed takeover" of the SBC may have a limited run.  Praise God!!

 

[T-Bone]

As a SBC pastor for over 30 years I can tell you that the matter of reform theology in the convention is a fairly recent debate, seems to coincide with Mohler and his ascent at Southern Theological Seminary.  Some are saying this will be the next battleground in the Convention churches... Personally, I was raised and taught not to jump in either camp...though I know those in the two camps would say by default I am in the other. 8)

 

[PappaBear]

Jerry Vines had some pretty biting things to say about the issue in his June 11 blog entitled, "It Is Time To Discuss ALL Of The Elephant In The Room."  It appears he has experience with Calvinists.  There, he had this statement to make,
[quote author=Jerry Vines]I gladly affirm the right of the New Calvinists to set forth their views, though I may not agree with them. Those who read Scripture differently should have the same right. When they do, it should not be suggested they might be semi-Pelagians or don’t have enough theological savvy to understand their own views. Personally, I am pretty tough skinned when it comes to some of the stronger comments directed toward me. I have been insulted by professionals! [/quote]

My experience on these boards, especially at the BB some time back, is that is their common method of operations.  Insult with names like "semi-Pelagian" and question their intelligence.  There has been a lot of it going on over at Les Puryear's blog to in recent months.  If you touch their Calvin-god, they can get quite mean.

The Lord bless you, T-Bone.  I am not an SBC, but an Independent.  However, the church where I was saved had been a Convention church until the pastor I was later saved under withdrew it over doctrinal issues and seminary professors.  Some have said that you can take the Church out of the Convention, but you can't take the Convention out of the Church.  In our case, it was true.  For the longest time we were "Independent" it seemed in name only.  It was the Broadman hymnal we sang out of and all our SS literature came from Broadman Press.  But know this, there are a lot of us outside the Convention who pray for y'all and hope for nothing but the best for our Baptist brothers and sisters.

 

[pastorryanhayden]

I agree with every bit of the statement except the part that limit's predestination to God's general desire to have a people for his name through repentance and faith.  I'm not saying I disagree with it, I just haven't solidly come to that conclusion yet. 
All said, I think it's a pretty good statement, and probably sums up the majority position for Southern Baptists.  I like the fact that the authors managed to not include many trite doctrinal cliche's.