Text: Selected Texts

 One of the most difficult positions to nail down biblically is the correct position on ecclesiastical separation

 The early church did not face the myriad of issues we face because:

 Therefore, our position must come from applying certain texts that may not match our circumstances exactly. This application has led to various positions within fundamentalism on this issue.

 Other issues and contingencies

 As you can see, there are a lot of issues to sort out. Good men have taken different positions. In fact, the various factions within fundamentalism are often the result of differences of opinion on the issue of separation.

1. History of Fundamentalism

Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it

I know that history is boring to some, but it is necessary to get a grasp on this issue

1. Evangelical Forerunners (1860s – 1919)
1. Many denominational sub-groups that were conservative
2. Liberalism began invading the denominations
3. Most tried to maintain their denominational loyalties and machineries. They were committed to unity.
4. Five-fold result to conservatives because of the invasion of liberalism
1. Bible conferences sprang up defending the "fundamentals"
2. Bible Institutes started
3. Mass evangelism continued in spite of opposition from liberals. Thus, the masses were conservative while the educated elites began drifting toward liberalism
4. Preaching directed at liberalism
5. Literature began to be produced by conservatives supporting their position
2. Militant/Separatist Phase (1919 – 1940)
1. Fundamentalists continued to oppose theological liberalism and cultural decadence (roaring 20s)
2. Fundamentalism became a loose coalition of "aggressive conservatives¾ conservatives who feel that it is their duty to contend for the faith."
1. Note: I prefer the term "aggressive" as opposed to "militant" because of the connotations in the term.
2. However, most speak of the identifying mark of fundamentalism as being "militancy."
3. Coalition consists of Premillennialists, conservative Baptists, Presbyterians, and other scattered groups.
3. Fundamentalism became distinct from evangelicalism not by its doctrine (which was the same), but by its attitude toward liberalism.
4. Scopes Trial
1. Though won by conservatives, gave the impression that we were backwoods, uneducated, etc.
2. Placed a stigma upon fundamentalists
1. Seen as uneducated
2. Seen as culturally backward
3. Seen as anachronistic and behind the times
5. The fact that liberals took over the mainline denominations primarily through the educational institutions caused most (though not all) fundamentalists to be leery of higher education.
1. As a result, started practical schools, Bible colleges, etc.
2. We had few, if any, graduate schools
3. Many actually saw education as an evil or as the problem
1. Note: it was not education per se, but the wrong type of education that was evil
2. Danger of substituting education for obedience, higher learning for the power of God
1. Note: people marveled at the early apostles because they were "unlearned" or uneducated yet had such a powerful message
2. Fundamentalists still tend to be oriented to the practical and less concerned with the academic aspects
6. By the end of the period, fundamentalists came to be associated with separatists, not just conservatives
1. Most separatists were Baptists
2. This set up the next stage in which some who separated decided that separation was not necessarily the best policy
3. Rise of New Evangelicals/Evangelicals (1941 – 1960)
1. Group who did not like ecclesiastical separation as a test of faith
2. Certain men who wanted to regain the intellectual respect that was lost as a result of the Scopes trial
3. These became known as new-evangelicals
1. Fuller Seminary became their flagship school
2. Christianity Today their flagship publication
3. Billy Graham their number one spokesperson
4. Their position was infiltration, not separation
5. Key Description of Their position
1. Disdain for old fundamentalism
2. Softness toward non-conservative views of the Bible with a deterioration in def. of inspiration
3. Friendliness towards contemporary scientific views
4. Willingness to accept charismatic theology
5. Tolerance of various eschatological views
6. Reaction against dispensationalism
7. Willingness to cooperate and dialogue with religious liberals
8. Practice of ecumenical evangelism
9. Emphasis on social concern
10. Stress on scholarship and apologetics
4. Separate Camps (1960 – present)
1. Evangelicals
1. Broad coalition of those who at least hold to the "fundamentals" of the faith
2. Two ever-present dangers in their movement
1. Softening on their view of inspiration
2. Ecumenicism
2. Fundamentalists
1. Still "contending aggressively" for the faith
2. Distinguishing characteristic is ecclesiastical separation
3. Usually much more conservative culturally
1. Eschew movies, Hollywood, cultural immorality
2. Preach on personal standards and separation
4. Dangers
1. Fragmentation, separating over preferences & personalities
1. Factions or Camps within fundamentalism
2. Turmoil in FWB
3. Turmoil in BBFI
2. Academically obsolete
3. Isolationists instead of separationists
2. What Is Biblical Unity?
1. Causes of Disunity
1. Power struggles
2. Lack of biblical teaching
3. Complaining, griping
4. Sin
5. Personality preferences
6. Selfishness
2. Passages on Biblical Unity
1. John 17:17-21
1. This is the key verse alluded to by those who want an ecumenical fellowship and who do not like the denominational divisions present today
2. In v. 17 "truth" which is objective is the key
3. "that they may be one" is not referring to an outward, visible unity
1. Jesus does not pray prayers that do not get answered
2. Oneness based on our being in Christ and will be fulfilled in eternity
3. It includes the disciples and ALL who believe after them. Now, I cannot be one with Christians of other generations. Therefore, this must be referring to a oneness other than organizational oneness
4. In the NT there was no outward organization of churches that made them one.
5. We are all in "one body."
6. This is a supernatural unity, not an earthly unity
7. Not praying that we "get along" (though he wants that). He is praying for what happened at Pentecost, that we all get the same Spirit.
8. 1 Co. 12:11f "by one Spirit we were all baptized…"
2. Ephesians 4:2-5
1. "unity" of the Spirit, not of organization
2. Based on "one faith"
3. In a practical vein, it is done in humility, preferring others before ourselves. Means getting along in the local church by not always demanding our way about things.
3. Ro 12:16 "Be of the same mind one toward another."
1. Dealing with humility again
2. Get along with others y agreeing with them
4. 1 Co 1:10 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
1. "Same mind" here deals with same thoughts
2. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
3. Only way to do this is to be on the same page as Scripture
1. Need sound Bible teaching as well as preaching
1. When people are all taught correctly, they have the same mind.
2. Why we need more than just exhortational, emotional appeals. I’ll never get everyone feeling the same way, but I can get them to think the same way if we are all thinking after the mind of Christ
3. Shallow teaching breeds disunity
2. Illus. 400 pianos would take forever to tune to each other. However, you can tune them all to one tuning fork and do the job quickly. If we are all tuned correctly to the tuning fork of Scripture then we can be of the "same mind."
3. Illus. Carpenter cut each board by the last they will continue to get shorter. However, if you use one board as the standard you can get identical results.
5. Php 4:2 "I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord."
1. Their divisions were the result of thinking differently
2. They needed to think the "same" "in the Lord."
6. 1 Pe 4:1 "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;"
1. We are to have the attitude of Christ
2. We are to have the mind of Christ
3. Biblical Unity expounded
1. Unity is actually the by-product of purity
1. Sin is impurity
2. Sin tears things apart, while purity keeps things together
2. Unity is achieved around OBJECTIVE FAITH, not SUBJECTIVE FAITH
1. Can’t create unity by getting together around a catch phrase like "Jesus" or "committed to Jesus."
2. Problem with ecumenism is that it endeavors to achieve a unity, not based on THE FAITH, but on personal faith
3. Objective faith is doctrinal: THE FAITH
4. Subjective faith is personal: I put my faith in Christ
3. Salvation comes from placing my personal (subjective) faith in the correct object of faith
4. Unity comes from having the correct object of faith and personal faith. You need both
5. Problem with PK, Billy Graham, ecumenical movement is that they are trying to achieve a unity based solely on subjective faith
1. Danger is that you begin to water down salvation
1. B. Graham and his baptizing each of his kids as infants
1. 1961 "I still have some personal problems in this matter of infant baptism, but all of my children, with the exception of the youngest, were baptized as infants…I do believe that something happens at the baptism of an infant."
2. From the Lutheran Standard
2. B. Graham allowing Catholics to participate
1. Began in 1957 NY Crusade and has continued
2. Messages are on target, his method is not
3. His opportunity to be a prophet and condemn Clinton but instead, he came to his defense.
3. ECT document
1. "The cause of Christ is the cause and mission of the church, which is, first of all, to proclaim the Good News…All other tasks and responsibilities of the church are derived from and directed toward the mission of the Gospel."
1. First object is to glorify God
2. First there must be agreement on what the Good News is. We and Catholics do not agree at this fundamental level.
2. J. I. Packer in defense of ECT: "Do we recognize that good evangelical Protestants and good Roman Catholics¾ good, I mean, in terms of their own church’s stated ideal of spiritual life¾ are Christians together? We ought to recognize this, for it is true… Good Protestants and Catholics are, and know themselves to be, united in the one body of Christ….God’s family here on earth should seek to look like one family by acting as one family….Where there is fellowship in faith, fellowship in service should follow….To be sure, ECT is only a beginning."
1. Makes salvation subjective, determined by various churches
2. Blurs the definition of "Christian"
3. Bill Bright in defense of ECT: "I am well aware of the sharp doctrinal differences with many points of Roman Catholic theology….the official catholic doctrine of salvation which includes the necessity for human works to be added to the finished work of Christ. While I strongly disagree with this doctrine, I do not believe such an erroneous view, in itself, disqualifies one from the salvation promised those who "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" as the Son of God." "Our discipleship should be demonstrated by that one overriding biblical test: our love….love without compromising our biblical convictions."
1. Makes "love," not doctrine the test of unity
2. What is love?
2. Danger is that experience, not Scripture, ultimately becomes the determining factor
1. Whose experience is valid?
2. How do we determine if personal faith is genuine?
3. There must be an objective ground for personal faith. If not, then we could never have assurance of salvation
3. Compromise doctrine for the sake of unity. Purity should come before unity, not vice versa
6. Unity is destroyed by false doctrine and wrong living
1. Two aspects of the Christian life are doctrine and duty, belief and behavior
2. False doctrine divides us.
1. The cure is sound biblical teaching and sound doctrine
2. Others want to throw out doctrine and get together around Jesus. Sounds good, but it’s the wrong prescription
3. Sinful living divides us
1. Tolerate sin it causes divisions
2. Sin always destroys
1. Creation
2. Man
3. Families
4. Societies