peterlumpkins.com

Resolution on Sexual Abuse of Children by Peter Lumpkins

I've never proposed a resolution before. Truth is, I've not written one either. But if this issue is not a valid subject about which Southern Baptists should publicly express a strong voice, I'm not sure what qualifies as an issue we should address.

For all its flaws, I just submitted the following resolution to the Resolutions Committee for the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Houston, Texas. As with all resolutions, it has but a small hope it will make it out of committee deliberations. I fully understand this dynamic. Nonetheless, the resolution raises the question which Southern Baptists must sooner or later officially address.

C.J. Mahaney, The Victims, and Depths of Darkness

I got about two-thirds of the way through the Second Amended Class Action Complaint and Jury Demand filed by attorneys representing the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against young, restless, and reformed icon, C.J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM), two SGM churches, one SGM school, and ten other SGM leaders.¹ Truth is, I couldn't go on. It's most horrifying and even solicits the deepest anger and rage from a person's soul.

Contemporary Reformed authors on John 3:16: Joel Beeke

I've been posting some classic Calvinistic authors' renderings of KOSMOS in John 3:16. Thus far, we've considered:

John Gill vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

Thus far, we've compared three strict Calvinists--John Owen, Arthur W. Pink, and Francis Turretin--and presumably their understanding of John 3:16 (especially, the term translated "world") with the clear words of the Lord Jesus Himself. Let's offer another popular strict Calvinist theologian and author--John Gill (1697-1771). Below are Jesus' words followed by my inference of John Gill's rendition of Jesus' words.¹

Francis Turretin vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

Thus far, we've looked at John Owen and Arthur W. Pink's rendition of the word "world" in John 3:16. While some have logged on either denying it matters what the biblical text actually says (see here), others have falsely but desperately and incredibly claimed I'm putting words in the author's mouth (e.g see here, here). What no one has demonstrated thus far is, how either Owen or Pink's rendition of KOSMOS ("world" in John 3:16) as the world of "believers only" (or world of the "elect") is deduced from the biblical text itself and not inferred from preconceived theological notions imposed upon the biblical text.

Arthur W. Pink vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

Here's our Lord Jesus in John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (NASB)

Here's Arthur W. Pink, strict Calvinist¹ and famed Reformed Baptist author, in his rendition of John 3:16:

“For God so loved believers, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”²

 Do you think Pink has a point in substituting "believers" for "world" in John 3:16?

 

¹Note: some Calvinist scholars refer to Pink as more than a strict Calvinist; they refer to him as a Hyper-Calvinist (e.g. Dr. Curt Daniel)

²The term “believers” is substituted based on an inference from what Pink wrote pertaining to the term “world” in John 3:16. He explained: ‘“Kosmos” is used of believers only: John 1:29; 3:16, 17; 6:33; 12; 47; 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19. We leave our readers to turn to these passages, asking them to note, carefully, exactly what is said and predicated of “the world” in each place’ (Arthur Walkington Pink, The Arthur Pink Anthology, Chapter 44). 

See also

John Owen vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

Louisiana College and its critics: a textbook example where the cure may be worse than the disease

UPDATE: Joshua Breland has just posted what he calls his final piece on Louisiana College (LC). While he speaks of the remarkable blessings he received from LC, it cannot be he can end his series without asserting "Louisiana College needs to figuratively burn to the ground and start afresh before health and prosperity can return." The freshly graduated college senior adds that "The Louisiana Baptist Convention (LBC) is also in need of much correction" since the Executive State Director, David Hankins, remains "part and parcel of the deception and wickedness at Louisiana College." In fact, what's going on there is "pure evil" which Louisiana Baptists ought to rise up and destroy.

John Owen vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

Here's our Lord Jesus in John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV)

Here's John Owen, the theological darling of many contemporary Baptist Calvinists, in his rendition of what Jesus said in John 3:16:

"God so loved his elect throughout the world, that he gave his Son with this intention, that by him believers might be saved" (The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, p.214)

For some reason, there seems to be a lot of unnecessary theological baggage Owen drags onto the words of Jesus. What do you think?

See Also:

Arthur W. Pink vs. Jesus Christ on the World of John 3:16

 

Calvinists and the World of John 3:16: Take Two

I was looking for something else when I ran across this piece I first posted on September 12, 2006. After scanning it, I thought it'd be good to offer a Take Two. Enjoy...

A.C. Dixon on what results from prayer

I've been preaching a series on prayer over the last several weeks. One meaningful quote I employed to describe the results of prayer contrasted to something else is by A. C. Dixon (1854-1925). Dixon was a "southern" Baptist (graduate of Wake Forest College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, SC at the time) ministering in a northern cultural climate. He eventually became pastor of Moody Memorial Church. Professor Gerald Priest describes Dixon as,

A Tribute to "Mary" and "Lydia", frequent commenters at SBC Tomorrow

I do not know who the insult is aimed at. Given my dealings with aggressive Calvinist, J.D. Hall, it's probably intended to be a three-way tie. Whatever the case, I thought ending this very tiresome, weary, heart-wrenching week with a little humor would be healthy for us all.

Lawyers exonerate whistleblowers and LC trustees exonerate Aguillard, but who will exonerate the trustees?

Only recently did I watch a television special focusing on Brian Banks who spent five years in prison and five years on probation following a conviction of rape and kidnapping charges over a decade ago. The horrific part is, he was falsely accused.

Is Calvinism comparable to a caste social construct?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, a caste social structure is "any of the ranked, hereditary, endogamous social groups, often linked with occupation, that together constitute traditional societies in South Asia, particularly among Hindus in India" (//link).  The article goes on to suggest that "Although sometimes used to designate similar groups in other societies, the “caste system” is uniquely developed in Hindu societies."

Sovereign Grace Ministries and C.J. Mahaney want lawsuit to end

The Louisville-based Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) and, up until recently, head of the dwindling mini-denomination¹ of Charismatic-neo-Calvinist churches, C. J. Mahaney, are apparently claiming that constitutional rights of religious freedom shield them from an ever-expanding lawsuit mounting against the organization generally and certain individuals particularly (the plaintiffs' lawyers continue to amend the lawsuit adding more and more victims who allege wrong-doing against them). According to Louisville's Courier-Journal religion reporter, Peter Smith, the defendants contrarily allege that SGM's demands for unquestioning obedience led to the shielding of sexual predators.

First Baptist Church Woodstock Georgia presents "What Makes a Godly Woman?"