IN THIS ISSUE:
November 98

Page #1: Peace? Real or deceptive, founded on truth or based on error?

Page #2: Padding Rolls, losing souls?

Page #3: Home on the bayou... For fifteen years
Why it is necessary to confront ECT endorsers.

Page #4: Trinity Foundation Reformation Day Statement

PEACE? Real or deceptive...
Founded on truth or based on error?

I keep hearing a lot of talk about "peace." Maybe I am a bit skeptical, but personally, I wonder about this. The Bible points us to peace in Christ as a spiritual reality. As I have observed it, the people in a conflict who are constantly harping about peace are often the ones who are losing and are looking for a way to avoid defeat.

According to Scripture, the proclamation of a false peace and security will be the mantra of the world in the end times... "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, PEACE and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1Thessalonians 5:2-3) The world's kind of "peace" is never what it's purported to be. It is merely a dangerous deception, a cease-fire which in effect only gives the enemy time to reload or gain an advantage.

Of course, the Bible has a lot to say about "peace." Most of it is positive and comforting, but what about Matthew 10:34... "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword...."? Jesus not a peace-maker? Surely, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, but what sort of peace is He talking about? It is certain that God does not contradict Himself in His Word or anywhere else!

From reading the Bible we understand that while on the earth Jesus was often surrounded by a LACK of peace! The truth is that he brought this lack of peace wherever He went. His very presence created this lack of peace in the lives of others. Biblically, this is understood as "conviction because of unrighteousness" or "conviction because of the guilt of sin." And this is supposed to be there, not some dreamed-up deception of peacefulness. Any true believer who is testifying for Christ in the power of the Spirit will encounter this same problem. People are automatically offended (a distinct lack of peace) because of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

But of course we are only talking about a situation, a conviction and conflict outside of the Lord's Church, right? No, not really, not always. You see, regarding this lack of physical peace, Jesus promised that, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each

other...." (Matthew 24:9-10) and, "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:35-36) So really, what is all this talk about peace, as if peace in this world is to be our ultimate goal?

Paul warned about leaders from within the Church who would fall away and influence others to abandon the Truth (see Acts 20:29-30) The picture he painted is one of ravenous wolves among the flock of God. Paul told Titus to "refute those who oppose sound doctrine," to "rebuke with all authority," and to warn those who were divisive. Is this then a picture of peace? Biblically, do such situations call for "peace"? No, of course not; can anyone justify a peace treaty with those who distort the Gospel? This conflict is evidence of the war that we are involved in, a war with an enemy who brazenly enters into the Lord's Church right through the front door, pretending to be one with us... THIS IS THE SINISTER GENIUS OF THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT!

In the New Testament the local churches of Corinth, Pergamum, and Thyatira were all upbraided for tolerating wickedness and false teachers. The church at Ephesus was praised by the Lord Jesus because they would not tolerate wicked men nor false teachers. This does not sound like modern calls for "peace" and tolerance! But this does sound more honest concerning the truth that there is a war going on and the Church is in the middle of it... or rather that THE WAR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHURCH!

With all the platitudes today about "peace," you would think that peace in this world is the biblical mandate for the Lord's Church. Certainly we are to work for that which is true peace, but never at the expense of the Truth. A peace that is accomplished through a compromise of the Truth is no real peace at all... this is simply surrendering to the enemy that which is not ours to surrender.

It would seem that a lot of people love their own personal peace more than they love the Truth. We must be careful to contend with each other according to the instruction and example of the Word. But we must know this... there can be no peace with the offenders when the truth of the Gospel continues to be compromised among God's people. For the sake of those yet unsaved, for our children and grandchildren, we must contend for the Faith, for the Truth, for the Gospel.

But who wants to contend for the Truth within the Lord's Church, and thus, to be thought of by many as an enemy of peace? Personally, I would rather retreat to the marsh and let the world just go on by. But then, this would be quite selfish and cowardly, wouldn't it?

So, what is the conclusion to all this? For the sake of the lost, we must present the Gospel with integrity, boldness, respect, and humility. For the sake of the saved we must confront error and uphold the Truth. For the sake of the Gospel we must contend for the Faith and preserve its purity. All this must be done with a pure motive of love, seeking repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Along with this tough love for others, we must maintain an attitude of honest humility, for we are subject to our own human failings. After all, there is only One who is perfect, and we must answer to Him for our actions or for our lack of action, as well as for the motives of our hearts.

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3)

GUEST OPINION:

Home on the Bayou... for fifteen years!

God has certainly blessed us! And He keeps on blessing and blessing. One of my life's ambitions is to be preaching the Word and contending for the Faith when the trumpet sounds (or when I die, whichever comes first). Something sorely lacking among many Christian brethren today is gratitude. I think this is because we sometimes begin to take our salvation for granted. But, if we would just contemplate the grace and mercy of God expressed to us individually in our salvation... then we need go no further to find gratitude enough to last for eternity!

Our Christian family here is doing well for the most part. God has given our people such a wonderful faithfulness and determination to continue with the Lord's work, regardless of the difficulties that have come. Although some people have been turned away from our witness, others have become curious because of our situation. We try to take advantage of every opportunity to share the Lord and His Word.

Joshua (24) is working in Venezuela and seems to be doing fine. Jeremy (22) is getting more settled into the work of the ministry around Monterey, Mexico. He recently visited the village where he and Joshua had helped with a church construction project a few months ago. There was a baptism service, and everyone enjoyed a warm reunion. Joseph (17) is doing great. God has blessed Joseph with a very loving, helpful attitude. He is always doing what he can to help everyone. With a little help on some things, he can do almost anything - from working on computer problems to building a livestock fence. He doesn't let his physical difficulties stop him. He does schoolwork at home and attends class in town once a week.

Cindy will be in the hospital soon for a bunch of tests. Also, they are going to try to surgically implant a mechanism that will allow her to constantly have pain medication directly to where the majority of her pain problem is.

I've been doing fine, traveling a lot lately, meeting with brethren concerning both our situation here on Bayou DuLarge and also about the problems of ecumenism in the Lord's Church. Since June I have traveled throughout Louisiana, twice to Nashville, TN, and once to Atlanta, GA. There are those in leadership who do appreciate our difficult and controversial ministry of contending for the Faith. Several have said that our church has helped them to become more aware of the problem of ecumenism and its negative affects upon mission work. Considering this unusual ministry, here is what one former SBC agency trustee wrote...

> Jerry... Ponder the word "trouble-maker." This could also be termed "change agent" or "path hinderer" or "prophet." If people are asked to change their ways and divert from their normal paths because of you, you might be termed a "stumbling block" or a "rock of offense." But, is there not a cause? Are there not plenty of things wrong that need changing badly? Who will speak out for truth? In this context, what is the opposite of "trouble-maker"? Here are seven opposites:

I would rather be known as a trouble-maker... in the long run there is nothing in the middle of the road but a yellow stripe and dead possums.<

WHY CONFRONT THOSE WHO ENDORSE THE ECT OR OTHER ECUMENICAL HERESIES...

"As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Paul, the apostle, letter to the Galatian churches)

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." (Paul, the apostle in his letter to the church at Rome, 16:17)

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine...." (Paul, the apostle, in his first letter to Timothy, 4:1-3)

"...this perverted doctrine of baptismal regeneration... where it is written into the text of the document in this fashion, it appears that those of us who have endorsed the document are lending credence to that heresy." (Dr. Larry Lewis, 1994, in response to criticism of his endorsement of the ECT document, even so Dr. Lewis continues to endorse the ECT.)

"Christianity is not a playground for sissies, it is a battleground for soldiers, and it's right to fight when you fight for right.... Southern Baptists, let us say as we begin to enter a new millennium, we're not going to give up one inch of the territory of truth found in this book [the Bible], we're not going to surrender one jot or one tittle, regardless of what it means for denominational peace, institutional loyalty, or ecumenical progress." (James Merritt, Chairman of SBC Executive Committee, from his convention sermon in Salt Lake City, June 1998)

"We should recognize that in the providence of God, heresy has sometimes served a useful purpose in calling forth a clearer definition of the true faith.... A church that cannot distinguish heresy from truth or, even worse, that no longer thinks this is worth doing is a church that has lost its right to bear witness to the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ." (Timothy George, 1994, New International Commentary, Broadman and Holman Publishers)

"Saving faith cannot be maintained apart from contending faith, the faith that vigorously upholds the integrity of the gospel against all efforts to embellish it with other gospels."
(D. Bloesch, 1992, as quoted in the New International Commentary)

"Pastors and elders and their churches ought to call into unequivocal accountability any ECT endorsers within their denomination. Local churches need to call all signers to repent, which if not done ought to lead to censure and expulsion. Individual believers need to challenge their churches on a Biblical response to ECT for to remain silent is to consent." (Richard Bennett, former Roman Catholic priest).

"They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all.." Jeremiah 6:14-15

The Reformation Day Statement

Unicoi, Tennessee, October 28, 1998 - The Trinity Foundation today released the following statement on the 481st anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation on October 31, 1517. The Statement was adopted at the Conference on Christianity and Roman Catholicism held in Erwin, Tennessee, October 8-10, 1998.

"We the undersigned, having gathered together for the purpose of exposing the fundamental errors of the Roman State-Church and her superstitious and deceptive doctrines, as well as to re-affirm the Biblical doctrines of grace which alone can counter the persistent heresies of Rome, do of one mind stand together after the example of Paul the Apostle to exhort all Christians to stand boldly against those today who are not being 'straightforward about the truth of the Gospel' (Galatians 2:14).

"Divisive persons have risen within the ranks of those professing the Christian Faith, persons who do not cherish or do not understand the distinctive doctrines of the Bible, but rather have trampled the Gospel and the unity of the Christian Church underfoot. They have twisted the clear Biblical doctrine of justification. The Biblical truth is that justification is strictly the act of God's grace alone in which the Lord declares legally righteous those who are His own, by the imputation to them of the perfect righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ alone, through faith alone. These persons have abandoned the Biblical phrase 'imputed righteousness' and taught that justification is a transformative rather than a purely forensic act. This alteration carries with it the old lie of Satan - of conveyed, imparted, or infused righteousness ('you shall be as God'). They have

proclaimed erroneous doctrines, such as baptismal regeneration, that annul the grace of justification, to be interrelated questions yet to be resolved. These men have persisted in their divisive behavior without the benefit of Church discipline commanded by Christ in Matthew 18:15-20, and modeled for us by Paul the Apostle.

"In light of the recent proliferation and popularity of such unbiblical concordats as Evangelicals and Catholics Together (March 1994) and The Gift of Salvation (November 1997), we see that it is once again time for the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up to stand on the Bible alone so that it may be said of us what was said to the Philadelphians: You 'have kept My Word, and have not denied My Name' (Revelation 3:8), for His Word alone is truth (John 17:17). It is therefore strongly urged by those present at this Conference that all who read this Statement join with us and sign it. In so doing we seek to obey the command of Christ 'in a spirit of gentleness' so that we may receive from Him either the restoration of our transgressing brethren (Galatians 6:1), or the clarity and courage of mind necessary to excuse them from our midst in order to preserve the unity of the Church for which Christ prayed in John 17, 'that they all may be one in Us.'

'To God alone be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.' "

  To sign the Statement please do so by writing to The Trinity Foundation, by writing to jrob1517@aol.com. Please state you name and address. If you serve in a church as an elder, pastor, or deacon please say so. If you are in ministry please give the name. You may also write to: John Robbins, The Trinity Foundation, P.O. Box 68, Unicoi, TN 37692 USA.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
Ephesians 6:10 NIV