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| High precision is so essential in so many instruments we use in daily life. Yet when it come to stating the gospel truth, it is hardly the case. Woolliness and equivocation to appear to be common! |
I was searching for a church in a city in North America, and was visiting various church web sites for information. I was drawn to one which is most promising among the lot. I read the brief statement of beliefs, and one little portion piqued my interest. So I wrote to inquire. The brief exchanges are found below. (The exchange is just to highlight an important point, with absolutely no intention of offense or disrespect to any brother or any church, or church group. So please don't take any. The only reason is that this may advance the cause of the gospel of Christ. )
Dear Pastor Bart,
I read this statement below from the article of faith section from your church web site.We believe that in order to be saved a sinner must be born again through personal faith in Jesus Christ; that the new birth is a new creation; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life as the gift of God; that such is kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation and shall never perish; that the new birth is brought about in a miraculous manner above man’s comprehension wholly and solely by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth; that its proper evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. [The statement above is exactly the same as Article VIII of the Statement of Faith of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches Pacific. Fellowship , http://www.bcfellowship.ca/purpose-vision-values/what-we-believe/ The church, it seems, is a member church of the Fellowship]
I'm a little puzzle by just one point in this statement. It stirs up several questions in my mind...
"In order to be saved a sinner must be born again through personal faith in Jesus Christ."
- Is the statement saying that the new birth of a man in conditioned upon (i.e. through) his personal faith in Jesus Christ?
- If it is, doesn't the statement presuppose that a sinner who is not yet born again, and therefore still dead in trespasses and sins, is capable of personal faith in Jesus Christ, in order to be born again, i.e regenerated and made partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life?
- The Lord Jesus Christ is most emphatic that the new birth must precede any spiritual activity that a man can perform. John 3.
- If the new birth of a man is conditioned upon or through his personal faith in Jesus Chris, then how can it AT THE SAME TIME be said that "the new birth is brought about in a miraculous manner above man’s comprehension wholly and solely by the grace of God"?
- If the new birth of a man is conditioned upon his personal faith in Jesus Chris, then how can faith be seen as an evidence of the new birth? Faith as an evidence of the new birth cannot possible be at the same time be the instrument to bring about the new birth.
- An effect [faith] of a cause [new birth] can't possibly be the instrument to bring about the cause.
I'm sorry for asking. I just want to understand.
I agree with the other points of belief.
sing
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On Jul 3, 2013, at 2:13 AM
Sing - thanks for contacting us at xxBC and for your specific question re: our article of faith statement. It is encouraging to see people actually reading, as well as interacting with this statement, as it does help frame the way we operate theologically as a church. Your question that was forwarded to my desk.
It's a great question and i'm happy to help flesh out what is meant there.
When it states, "We believe that in order to be saved a sinner must be born again through personal faith in Jesus Christ." this is not referring to the ordo salutis (order of salvation) but simply stating that one is not saved by someone else's faith, i.e. that one is not saved by the faith of their parents or by attending church, etc. The helpful phrase often used is that, "God has many children but He doesn't have any grandchildren." One must personally respond to the gospel themselves (Rom. 10:9-12).
Alongside that, we would affirm - along with what you've said in your response - that the natural man is dead in his sins and trespasses (Eph. 2:1-3) and is unable to respond to the gospel (Rom. 8:7,8) and that the faith to believe is God's gift to the elect (Eph. 2:8,9) that then enables their personal confession of faith/response to the gospel. This is why it is stated later, "the new birth is brought about in a miraculous manner above man’s comprehension wholly and solely by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth."
Hope that helps in clarifying what is meant. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions. I look forward to meeting your son at some future date and I am glad you have considered xxBC in supporting his spiritual life while here in Vancouver.
God's peace
Westerly
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July 3, 2013 10:03:16 AM GMT+08:00
Brother Westerly,
Thank you for your reply. Your explanation is helpful. I do see your point. I love the statement, "God has many children but He doesn't have any grandchildren." I use that with John 1:13 sometimes.
If the intent of the clause is simply stating that one is not saved by someone else's faith, then it is still misleading, and inconsistent with the rest of the paragraph. Also the phrase "... simply stating that one is not saved by someone else's faith" explicitly implies, "... simply stating that one is saved by his own faith!"
The rest of the statement correctly pointed out that faith is a fruit of salvation, freely and sovereignly bestowed to a sinner dead in trespasses and sins... "that its proper evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life."
A simple rephrasing of the statement would not only avoid it being misleading, it makes the statement consistent with the rest of the paragraph.
For example, "We believe that personal faith in Jesus Christ is an evidence of a sinner having been born again; that the new birth is a new creation..." (the manner of which is wholly and solely by the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit... as correctly stated later in the paragraph) will remove the misleading nature of the statement, as well as making it consistent and harmonious with the rest of the paragraph.
I believe it is important to state the gospel truthfully and consistently whether we are dealing with the ordo salutis or not.
Thank you, and may the Lord bless you richly.
a fellow student of God's word,
sing
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On Jul 3, 2013, at 11:23 AM:
Brother Sing,
Westerly
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Date: July 3, 2013 11:38:06 AM GMT+08:00
Brother Westerly,
Thank you for entertaining my inquiry.
I would love to, but it is very unlikely. It is a luxury I can ill afford.
I labour under very tight financial constraints!
I serve a little church. I teach English to supplement what the church is able to provide.
You may instead like to visit the far east to escape the winter there!
God's grace,
sing
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On Jul 6, 2013, at 12:58 AM
Dear Sing,
It is very good to hear from you, especially as you are a fellow pastor! My apologies for the delay in responding. I am actually on sabbatical and out of the country for the next two months.
Regarding your theological question, we do believe in a monergistic understanding of salvation. Thus we believe that a man must be born again before he can believe. Faith is the evidence of the Spirit's gift of new birth and is itself a gift from God. I hope that is helpful.
Your brother,
Bart
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On July 8, 2013 6:17:03 PM
Dear brother Bart,
Thank you for your reply.
May our Lord bless you with a refreshing and invigorating sabbatical.
Perhaps one day the Lord will direct your path to the far east!
Thank you for responding to my theological question, and for affirming the monergistic view of salvation. I think that statement in the Article of Faith needs to be rephrased to reflect the monergistic view correctly, as I indicated to Brother Westerly who kindly responded to my question too.
your brother,
sing
