Sound The Trumpet : Theology While the World Goes to Hell

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“Theology While the World Goes to Hell”
by www.wayoflife.org, - David Cloud
July 16th, 2013

In his speech after being re-elected to the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention, Fred Luter, Jr., said the time for arguing theological differences among church members should be used instead to reach unbelievers with the gospel. “Time is running out. We do not have time for debate. We do not have time for arguing. The world needs to know that Jesus saves” (“SBC’s Fred Luter,” Christian Post, June 12, 2013). To prove his point, Luter quoted from 2 Timothy 3 but misinterpreted the passage by saying that “this is an accurate picture of our culture today.” In fact, in 2 Timothy 3-4 Paul is describing the apostasy of professing Christians. He refers to those who have a form of godliness and who turn their ears from the truth (2 Tim. 3:5; 4:3-4). That is not a description of the world of unbelievers. It is a description of those who profess Christ but who pursue the lusts of the flesh and tickle their ears with fables and heresies such as those found on the shelves of SBC bookstores and in the personal libraries of SBC pastors and deacons and SS teachers: The Shack, contemplative prayer, the emerging church, modern textual criticism, salvation apart from faith in Christ (e.g., C.S. Lewis and Max Lucado), and acceptance of “Christian” homosexuals (e.g., Philip Yancey), Barthian Neo-orthodoxy, to name a few. I agree with Luter that it is time to preach the gospel. That is why the Lord is waiting. He is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). That much is clear, and we are personally devoted to preaching the gospel to as many people as possible while we have the opportunity. But 2 Timothy 3-4 demands that we also pay attention to sound doctrine (2 Tim. 3:14-16), reproof of sin and error (2 Tim. 3:16; 4:2), discipleship in all good works (2 Tim. 3:17), separation from false teaching (2 Tim. 3:5), defense of the faith (2 Tim. 4:7), and other such things, even while we give attention to evangelism (2 Tim. 4:6). I find it fascinating that the head of the Southern Baptist Convention holds the same basic philosophy of ministry as many of the most prominent leaders among independent Baptists, which is that we should get along and focus on evangelism.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13