HOW A BAPTIST BRIDER EVADES THE ISSUE #2

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#2
By Ken Blue

The following is the first response to my blog about what the means of salvation was in other dispensations. I have purposely omitted the name and web page of the correspondent because I have no interest in smearing his name or hurting his personal ministry. There will be inserted into this response notes showing how the briders avoid the questions and attack me and all who disagree with them. Those inserts will be in blue. Read the previous blog for content.

“I too am a dispensationalist because both the word and the principle are taught in the scriptures but I am not a hyper dispensationalist. I believe that God was working in different ways thru different people at different times (example: OT and the Jews/NT and the church). BUT SALVATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. You said, “it is important to your readers that you respond and explain from Scripture what was required in each dispensation for salvation.” The word “required” lends to the idea that salvation is by works. Do you believe that some have been or that some will be saved by works? (Notice that the word “required” is twisted to turn against me in order to deflect the argument away from the issue) Surely you don’t believe that rightly dividing the word of truth is limited to and solely focussed on dispensational theology! I believe that John preached the same salvation message that we preach as explained in John 3:36 where John said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” The disciples believed in the Lord Jesus Christ just like those in the OT believed in a coming Messiah. Did they understand everything about salvation? No, and I didn’t understand everything about salvation when I got saved either. Does the fact that John did not understand the entire depth and meaning of his baptismal ministry iligitimize his baptism? (Watch again, as the brider attempts to turn on me personally and suggest that I ask him the question because I did not LIKE his article. I have not said one word about when the church started and you will discover that I don’t care when it started) No! I don’t believe you liked my article because you probably believe the church started at or after Acts 2 and so therefore you have attempted to attack my position on dispensationalism. The problem with hyper dispensationalists is that you interpret EVERYTHING thru this theological view to the point that it gets in the way of what the Scripture teaches. We should rejected theology from eccumenicalists such as Darby, Crutchfield and Scofield. I know you asked for a “mature” response and I am but I can sense the sarcasim in your words and know that “maturity” is not your trademark because you named a book “Baptist Briders BOLONEY”. You have stated in a book summary that everyone that is saved is in the body of Christ but I believe that the Scripture teaches that the church is a local assembly and that the church is that body. The fact of the matter is, prior to the book of Acts there was a body of baptized believers that was started by Jesus who had local church ordinances. That may not fit in to your slicing and dicing of the Scriptures but it is plain as day. I’ve never met a Ruckmanite who called himself one but I have met several Ruckmanites who want to defend other Ruckmanites. I know you have written several books and have addressed this issue several times. I will make no bones about the fact that I strongly oppose hyper dispensationalism because I must earnestly contend for the faith. It is disturbing to me that there are brethren walking among us who believe and passionately yet deceptively promote this non-Baptist hyper dispensationalism so I am calling you out! When you respond I would like simple YES or NO answers to these: Do you believe that everyone has or will get saved the same we get saved today? YES or NO Do you believe that John’s baptism is the same baptism we practice today? YES or NO Do you believe the NT church existed prior to the events found in Acts? YES or NO Do you believe all the saved are in the body of Christ? YES or NO

(The reader will once again see how the “worm has turned.” My question was simple, it was, “Perhaps you could define the gospel message we preach today and then find where it was preached in Matthew through John’s gospel.” That question is not hard to understand, but it is impossible to answer. That is why the blog will be an attack to the end. He dare not answer the question by giving a clear description of our gospel and that of the John and the Twelve. That would blow his Baptist baptism right out of the water.

HOW A BAPTIST BRIDER EVADES THE ISSUE

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By Ken Blue

Some months ago I came across a Baptist Bride webpage. As I read some of the comments, I read the following. “Good point Brother, But even the hyper-dispensationalists reject that as support for Old Testament salvation by grace thru faith. Those Ruckmanites believe that people have been saved by different means in different dispensations. You have to have more than child like faith to believe that mess.”

Below is my response and question for the blogger. Dear Brother, I am not a Ruckmanite, but I am a dispensationalist. To be obedient to the Scriptures, one must rightly divide them. You stated, “Those Ruckmanites believe that people have been saved by different means in different dispensations. You have to have more than child like faith to believe that mess.”

I am confident that you also believe that people were saved in different dispensations by believing different truths. Perhaps you could define the gospel message we preach today and then find where it was preached in Matthew through John’s gospel.
No one expected Jesus to die, or be resurrected. How do you explain the following? “ Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” Luke 18:31-34. Surly you aren’t going to tell me they preached His death, burial, and resurrection and then got a brain freeze.

If I am in error on this subject, I am willing to be corrected with Scripture. I believe it is important to your readers that you respond and explain from Scripture what was required in each dispensation for salvation. What were they required to believe? What did the Twelve Disciples believe, if they were saved?

Thank you for your time. I look forward to you “mature” answer.
Ken Blue

The reader should notice how straight forward and clear my requests were. My next blog will reveal that briders are ignorant of their Bible, or they are purposefully evasive when pressed for a clear answer. If the reader would like to answer the question, please feel free to do so,

A CONSERVATIVE CHURCH IN A LIBERAL WORLD

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HOW TO HAVE A CONSERVATIVE CHURCH TODAY

churchBy Ken Blue

Societies and cultures are not static. Some countries continue to live in the Stone Age; others are still living in the culture of the Old Testament, while much of the world continues to move into the space age of satellite technology. Is progress really good? If it is bad or good, how do we choose between the two?

It is relatively easy to find a Bible verse to defend, or defy any position we take concerning the church. Each person believes his views are biblically based, and yet each may be light years from each other. For example, there are pastors who use Old Testament Scripture to prove that women should only wear dresses. “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy 22:5. To them, all women who wear pants are an abomination to God!

A good friend of mine teaches that women must keep silent in the church, thus no testimonies or special music by women. Women are not allowed to cut their hair. Pre-recorded background music is not permitted.

Some churches believe Sunday has replaced the Sabbath. It is the Lord’s Day and must be kept holy. They honor Sunday by not washing their car on Sunday, playing sports, or watching television. I have also met Christians who believe it is a sin to serve meals in the church anytime.

Some pastors will not allow guest speakers to sell their books after a service, while others allow t-shirts, CD’s, and jelly beans to be sold.

I know a godly pastor who is opposed to cowboy boots, wire-rimmed glasses, and jewelry. I know an evangelist who rails on PowerPoint but continues to use the overhead projector. (?)

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]We are under grace, and we should never allow others to bring us under their bondage.[/perfectpullquote]

Some pastors are petrified of the brethren. It is their fear that controls them. They will only use musical instruments they believe their cronies will approve. Everyone pretends that everything else is too progressive. They do not realize the absurdity of their view.

It is not the form or formality believers should be fighting over. These differ and change. No one should be rejected because his or her service differs from yours. It is biblical truth for this dispensation we should be conserving and defending. There’s not one church in a thousand that adheres to the conservative views held a hundred years ago. Paul never made an issue over days, diets, dress, facial hair, or sideburns. We are under grace, and we should never allow others to bring us under their bondage. Grace is not a license to sin. However, it is not a sin for others to differ from you. Neither is it wise to carry money through a neighborhood of thieves just because you have traveled that path for years.

We must adjust our convictions to those of the dispensation of grace as taught by Paul, the Apostle to the church. If we fail to adjust to this dispensation, we can make the Bible teach anything we choose. You can have a conservative church in a liberal world if you know what to conserve, and what to change.

CAN YOU FIND ISRAEL ON THIS MAP?

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When we consider the millions surrounding the little nation of Israel, we realize that they do not have the chance of a snowball in h____ to defeat their enemies. They must have the intervention of Almighty God to bring about their own conversion, the destruction of their enemies and a message to the whole world that the God of creation is the God of the Bible.

Read the verses below and understand what is happening in the world. Will the United States stand with Israel? For their own sake, I pray they do.

“Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.” Jeremiah 31:10.
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” Joel 3:2.

“Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” Zephaniah 3:8.

“12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet .For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 16:12-16.

AUSTRALIA’S OPEN DOOR BAPTIST CHURCH

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By Ken Blue

 

Brother Ryan Connellan grew up in Open Door Baptist Church, Lynnwood, WA. He moved with his family to Australia several years ago, and is now pastoring a new church there. He sent me the following information.

“Our church website is www.odbc.com.au. We actually just posted it the other week so it is still quite basic. I’ve attached a photo of my family. My wife’s name is Janelle and my daughter is Savannah. Our church is located in the suburb of Menai which is about 35 minutes south of the CBD of Sydney.”

We praise the Lord for the young men and women whose lives have been touched by the Lord through the ministry of Open Door. God bless you Ryan.