Msg #1403 Contending For The Faith

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Christianity as a whole has very poorly heeded the stern warnings of Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James. Despite his warnings Roman paganism crept in unawares. Their penance, priests, and purgatories warred against the faith which was once delivered. America thinks salvation is in beads and baptisms and the world considers the pope not Roman Catholic, but Christian! Protestants fared no better in contending for the faith. Most contend that souls are pre-elect for salvation, or eternally chosen for hell; the rest think salvation is only for those who endure to the end. Both Tom Fooleries are yet creeping in unawares. Evangelicalism flounders around in the wake of this error, and further turns the grace of our God into book selling lasciviousness. An eight volume communique from Dallas Theological Seminary has 400 pages on the doctrine of salvation, but not a chapter on conversion, not a section on justification, not a paragraph on indwelling, and not a word on quickening! Inconceivable. They never mention being wholly immersed (baptized) into Christ, that's conceivable, they are catering to 70+ evangelical denominations! These five ingredients, however, dictate exactly what happens in So-Great-Salvation. All are immediate when one is Born-Again, and none are in the Evangelical's theology books. It is obvious that Christianity has been infiltrated, and So-Great-Salvation compromised. Jude contends that you should contend. Independent fundamental Baptists need to reevaluate just what they are contending for. Certain men have crept in unawares. But salvation is indeed ones Conversion-Justification-Quickening-Indwelling-Baptism into Christ. They all happen in a moment and once they happen (to whosoever believeth) they cannot be undone. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1John5:12)

An Essay for week #3 01/19/2014

In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch