peterlumpkins.com

Baptism & The Lord's Supper: The Role of Ordinances in Baptist Life

Though a tired, old cliché pertaining to Baptist life, there nevertheless remains some truth: "Ask two Baptists the same question and you'll get three opinions." I suppose that stems, at least in part, from our historic commitment to the reformational idea of the priesthood of all believers...>>> One phenomenon, however, that seems to be virtually universal is Baptists' understanding of church ordinances, specifically Baptism and The Lord's Supper. At the outset, it must be admitted that in Baptist history in general, these two have not been the only ordinances Baptists... Read more →

Song of Salvation: A Poem about Incarnation

The following poem I penned December 24, 1991 as I was contemplating our Lord's descent. I share it with you. It's entitled, "Song of Salvation." I've got a song in my heart for Christmas It's all about Bethlehem The manger scene in the city Eternal God born man My heart bursts with joy and wonder At that magnificus event When our Father, with sinners in mind Decreed His Son be sent Yet with no reluctance whatever The Word said "Father, I'll go; To become a man a humbling thing, But... Read more →

Incarnation: The Bottom Line of Christian Belief

The Inspired Prophet foretold of Messiah's birth some three quarter's millennium before He arrived. There recorded are these fantastic words: "Behold a Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and you will call His name Immanuel, meaning 'God with us'" (Isaiah 7.14). The coming of Messiah...The virgin birth of Christ...God with us, God becoming human. C.S. Lewis writes in Miracles, a modern day classic, these words pertaining to the Incarnation: The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every... Read more →

2 Days' Journey

“Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” (Romans 1.5) Grace is perhaps the most beautiful word in Scripture. No word captures for the believer better the act of God toward us. We received grace. Thank God for it! Grace is that blessing from God we receive which we could not possibly deserve. Grace is unmerited favor. That is, though justly deserving Hell’s tomb, God gives us Heaven’s throne. Through Him…we... Read more →

Are Baptists Calvinists? by Peter Lumpkins

Many of our Calvinist brothers often assume that Southern Baptists possess really only one "official" heritage--Calvinism. Inevitably quoting as evidence The 1689 London Confession, The 1742 Philadelphia Confession or, as Dr. Timothy George asserts in our former post, that Southern Baptists' "earliest confession" is The Abstract of Principles, composed specifically for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1859, Calvinists assure us the truth of their claim stands beyond question >>> Hence, Calvinists, in my view, appear to wash the sink of any historic trace of significant non-Calvinism in Southern Baptists' earlier... Read more →

Calvinism: Herschel Hobbs & Timothy George, Part Two

Today, I post part two of a two part series entitled "Calvinism: Herschel Hobbs & Timothy George." I thank The Alabama Baptist once again for permitting me to post this essay written by Dr. Timothy George originally published by them July 13, 1995 entitled "Amazing Love, Amazing Grace." Dr. George presently is Dean, Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama. He is a longtime Southern Baptist and an outspoken advocate of Calvinism's return in the SBC. Being a prolific writer, his works include "Baptist Theologians" as well as "Theology of the Reformers."... Read more →

2 Days' Journey

“Restore us, O God; Make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80.3) The prayer concern of the worshipper is restoration. Restore us, O God. Restore us to what? Had the worshipper fallen into sin? Had his love grown cold? Was he failing to love neither his God nor his neighbor as himself? Was his marriage in trouble? Restore us, O God. Actually, it could have been either or all of the above. Make Your face shine upon us. The worshipper saw clearly his only hope... Read more →

Divine Permission: Sproul vs. Calvin

Surely, one of the most popular Reformed authors today is R.C. Sproul. I first began to read Sproul in the early 80s when I saw him on a John Ankerberg television show. I have devoured his taped lectures on Philosophy, Ethics, Theology and Biblical themes. Having read most of his books--many more than once--I cannot underestimate the impact he has had on me, especially in the turbulent years when, as a young theological student, I was trying to wade through debates about the Bible, Inerrancy and Authority, Neo-orthodoxy and Conservativism...>>>... Read more →

Calvinism: Herschel Hobbs & Timothy George

Today is posted the first of two essays originally published in The Alabama Baptist in 1995. We thank that paper for their generosity in giving permission to post these essays here. I am following the order in which the essays first appeared in the original publication >>> This week's essay belongs to the pen of the late Dr. Herschel Hobbs. Next week, Dr. Timothy George. Their assigned subject was Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. I trust the reader will be enriched by both of these great Baptist scholars. The... Read more →

2 Days' Journey

"I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images” (Isaiah 42.8) Most of us go through a period in our life when we lose who we are. Ever searching, we attempt to chart a steady course through the turbulent waves of uncertainty. We experience, then, an identity crisis. God, however, never has nor ever will experience a loss of knowing Who He is—I am the LORD, that is My name. From all eternity, God has been... Read more →