I Can't Wait for This Conference

I cannot wait for this year's Ligonier National Conference in Orlando. The line-up of speakers is amazing. Alice and I are also looking forward to taking our daughter, Caroline, with us. It should be a wonderful time of worship, learning, and family. To learn more about this conference, click here.

Voddie Baucham on the SBC and Calvinism

Voddie Baucham, one of my few living heroes within the SBC, has written an interesting blog post about his experience within the Southern Baptist Convention. Here's a hint: now that people know he is a Calvinist, he is no longer favored among the SBC's elite.

Appointed to Eternal Life

Many American Evangelical Christians shy away from the doctrines of election and predestination as if they are some sort of evil. I have heard numerous Christians actually say that it wouldn't be fair for God to elect some people to salvation but not others. Having been raised in an Arminian denomination, I cannot even begin to tell how many times I've heard the doctrine of election described as God's looking into the future to see who would choose Him, and then He elected them.

I do not understand why Christians, at least in this country, generally struggle with accepting the fact that it is God who sovereignly selects who will be saved and who will not. I believe that a fair reading of the scriptures shows this to be true.

For example, in Acts 13:48 we read in the ESV, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed" (emphasis mine).

The NASB, NKJV, NIV, and HCSB also use the word "appointed" in this verse. The KJV and Wycliffe New Testament use "ordained."

The context of this passage has Paul and Barnabas in Antioch in Pisidia on the first missionary journey. On a Sabbath, a group of Jews was contradicting Paul. In response to this, Paul and Barnabas said that since they rejected the gospel message, Paul and Barnabas would turn to the Gentiles. That is the conclusion of 13:47. Immediately after this, we read 13:48.

In the original Greek language, the meaning is the same (to see it, click here). Luke clearly writes that some Gentiles were assigned, appointed, or designated to eternal life. Those who were thus appointed were those who then believed. The Greek verb form is a perfect passive participle. The key is that it is passive. This means that someone else appointed those who would believe. Who did the appointing? It is clear that God did.

I have read various people attempt to make Acts 13:48 say something other than it does. The reality, however, is that the language is clear and plain. It is not difficult to read or understand. In Acts 13:48, a certain number of Gentiles believed. They were the ones God appointed to believe.

God is sovereign over the election of who is saved and who is not. When we submit to this truth, it gives us a broader, deeper, and sweeter view of the glory of the cross.

I thank God for saving a wretch like me!

A Reformed Southern Baptist is...

The description of this blog refers to me as a "Reformed Southern Baptist." What in the world is that?

I have written previously (click here) about what I believe a Reformed Baptist is. I have also admitted that I have a bit of a Fundamentalist stream in my thinking (click here).

So what is a Reformed Southern Baptist? Quite simply, a Reformed Southern Baptist is a Reformed Baptist who wants to remain in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). This answer may seem painfully obvious to some people, but it should be noted that many Reformed Baptists have departed from SBC life.

How does this work? How does someone who holds to Reformed theology remain in the SBC? There are several different answers to this question. Some Reformed folks within the convention are determined to change the beliefs in the convention as a whole so that the SBC itself becomes Reformed. Quite frankly, I think this is very unwise. It will just lead to more fighting within the convention. We certainly do not need this.

Others who are Reformed have all but left the SBC. In other words, they are technically in the convention, but have little to do with the convention or other SBC churches. This seems isolationist to me and accomplishes little.

My position on the issue is that I will, when appropriate, talk about issues such as the Doctrines of Grace, God's complete sovereignty, Calvinism, etc. This may occur within or outside the church setting. I'm determined to be open about this. However, I'm also determined to do this in a kind, loving manner. I also have no agenda to change people's minds.

Since I have the wonderful opportunity to preach and teach during the week, issues of God's sovereignty will certainly arise. For example, right now I am preaching through Genesis 1-3 in order to prepare for a series through the entire book of Matthew beginning in December. Genesis 1-3 shows us a completely soveriegn God who is Creator and Owner of all that exists. I certainly hope that at the conclusion of Genesis 1-3 the people of Chevis Oaks Baptist Church see God as sovereign. Why? Because that is what the text shows us. My agenda is to be biblical, but not to force any sort of system.

Currently in the SBC, there is at least some concern and some confusion over issues such as Calvinism, Reformed Theology, etc. Reformed Baptists within the SBC can do ourselves a favor by loving God and loving others first, and discuss issues such as Reformed theology second. Reformed theology must not be what we are primarily known for.

A Reformed Baptist does have distinct beliefs (5 "solas" of the Reformation, believer's baptism, Doctrines of Grace, inerrancy of scripture, independence of the local church, separation of church and state, etc.). These beliefs, however, must not be what Reformed Southern Baptists are most known for. If it is, we will have little impact within the convention.

If Reformed Baptists are most known for lovingly living out the gospel in order to advance the Kingdom of God, then we may be able to influence the SBC in a positive light.

Let's let Reformed Theology be a positive in the SBC and avoid the fighting that has plagued the convention for so many years.

The Only Vote that Matters

With the presidential election fast approaching there will be lots of talk about voting over the next few months. By the time November roles around, we'll probably have heard way more about voting than we want to.

On a much more important scale than politics, there is really only one vote that matters. When talking about salvation, only one person has a vote. That person is God. God elects who is saved and who is not. Many people do not like this because they think it infringes on their free will, is not fair, kills evangelism, or just isn't biblical. However, election is a doctrine that the bible is very clear about. I'll list a few verses that specifically relate to this doctrine:

Matthew 24:31 “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”

Acts 13:48 “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Romans 9:10-13 “And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad- in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call - she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’”

Romans 11:7 “What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.”

Ephesians 1:4-5 “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”

Ephesians 2:1-10 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

I Thessalonians 1:4 “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.”

I Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Revelation 13:7-8 “Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain.”

The Ephesians 1:4-5 passage is extremely important because it is probably the clearest statement in the bible about God's sovereign election of whomever He choses. Paul tells us in those two verses that God literally elects. Paul uses the Greek verb "eklego," which even sounds like our word "elect." Paul then goes on to say that God predestines (very similar in meaning to elect) according to "the purpose of His will." Notice that God doesn't elect by looking into the future to see which people would choose Him. Although this is taught in many churches, it is simply unbiblical. God chooses completely based upon His own will and nothing more.

So what are we to do with this doctrine? We should rejoice in it! If God is all-powerful (which He is), and if He is all-good (which He is), then we can trust Him to do what is right. This extends even to election. The reality is that if God didn't elect anyone to salvation, then no one would get saved. Why is this the case? It's because our hearts are wicked and rebellious against God. If God doesn't elect and then regenerate a human heart, there is no way that person would ever turn to God.

We ought to rejoice, proclaim, teach, and exult in God's election of some sinners to salvation. This is our only hope.

Election should also give us great hope in sharing our faith. If we believe that God has elected some people to salvation, then all we have to do is share the gospel and some folks will get saved. If salvation is up to God, then the pressure is off the person evangelizing. He can simply proclaim the gospel and leave the results up to God.

I praise the Lord for His electing grace! I'm thankful that God has the only vote that matters.

I Wouldn't Have Chosen God

As I look back over my life, it becomes increasingly clear to me each day that I would not have chosen God.

The pull of the world, the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life and the power of sin are too strong for me to have rejected them by myself. If left to my own devices and desires, I would have had little interest in God.

At one point my heart was corrupt to the core and I wanted the things of the world. It is as simple as that. The things of God seemed like foolishness to me.

This all corresponds with what the bible teaches. Jeremiah 17:9 and Romans 3:9-18 describe perfectly the state of my heart before conversion. That was me, plain and simple.

Something happened to me to change my heart. Something occurred that made me interested in the things of God, in His Word, and in His glorious gospel. What was this that happened to me? I know that I am now saved. However, I know that I used to not care about God or His plan for my life. Something happened along the way.

Some people would say that God gave me, along with all other people, prevenient grace that moved me toward a decision for God. They would also say that I was then able to choose God according to my free will. They would say that ultimately it was my decision to turn to God.

However, that does not correspond to either my subjective experience or, more importantly, to scriptural teachings.

Ephesians 2:1-3 makes it clear that I was dead spiritually. I was not dying; I was a spiritual corpse. Because of this, someone else had to cause me to turn to God. It sure wasn't going to be dead me. This was what my life was like prior to conversion.

Ephesians 2:4-5 tells how I came to God. It was God who did it. He did not do some of it, but all of it. This corresponds exactly with my own experience.

This in no way contradicts the scriptural command to repent and believe. I repented and believed several years ago and have never been the same since. However, something happened to me prior to my repentance. Something brought me to the point of even being able to repent. This is what God did. Ephesians 2:4-5 makes this clear.

Why did God do this? Why did he regenerate my heart? Why did he save me? It sure wasn't because of anything good in me. It sure wasn't because I would turn to Him on my own. It sure wasn't because He looked into the future and saw that I would choose Him (some people teach this, but I've never heard a convincing biblical argument for it.)

Why did God do it? Ephesians 1:3-5 makes it perfectly clear. God elected and predestined me to salvation "according to the purpose of his will." We are not given access to God's decision making other than to know that it is according to His will. Since God is perfect, we know that His will is perfect. We cannot argue with it.

Any Christian has been saved according to the purpose of God's will. God elects and predestines those He chooses. He certainly has the right and privilege to do this with His creation.

I wouldn't have chosen God. If I was granted free will (which sinful beings can't have anyway), I certainly would not have chosen God. Only God, by His grace, could make me alive so that I could repent and believe.

I praise God for His election and predestination. I praise Him for His perfect will. I praise Him for his amazing grace.

Now what should my response be? That's simple. I must proclaim the gospel to all creation.

What is a Reformed Baptist?

What is a Reformed Baptist? Why am I one?

I fall into that small, unique group of American Protestants who are Reformed Baptists (I'm Southern Baptist, too). I refer to this occasionally on this blog, but haven't addressed the issue directly - until now.

If you asked various Reformed Baptists what makes them distinctive, you might get several different answers.

I believe there are six primary characteristics of Reformed Baptists. These are positions I hold, and I think the vast majority of Reformed Baptists do also. No one of the six characteristics is unique; rather it is the combination of the six that makes Reformed Baptists what they are. Additionally, Reformed Baptists believe much more than what follows. These six are mentioned, as I just said, in order to show what makes Reformed Baptists unique.

1. Reformed Baptists believe in the authority, infallibility, inerrancy, and sufficiency of scripture. The bible is how we primarily know God. His word guides our belief and practice.

2. Reformed Baptists hold to the "5 Solas of the Reformation." In English, these are faith alone, scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, and the glory of God alone.

3. Reformed Baptists think that believer's baptism is what the bible describes and commands. This is a huge issue that I am not going to tackle here. I'll just mention (again) that in the bible we always see people submitting by faith to the Lordship of Jesus Christ prior to the ordinance of water baptism.

4. Reformed Baptists hold to the Doctrines of Grace. These are commonly referred to as either "T.U.L.I.P." or "the Five Points of Calvinism." The primary issue in the Doctrines of Grace is the sovereignty of God. Reformed Baptists believe that the bible teaches that God is completely sovereign and completely within His rights to do whatever He desires with His creation.

5. Reformed Baptists believe that the local church should be independent of any authority other than Christ. The church should have an elder/pastor-led, congregationally ruled polity. In other words, it is the local church that makes its own decisions, which ought to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The congregation has authority over who its human leaders are. Those leaders (pastor/elders) guide the church by godly-example.

6. Reformed Baptists believe in a strong separation of church and state. The government should provide religious liberty to all its citizens. The church, then, will be free to believe and practice as it sees fit. The church should not become unduly involved in politics. However, Christians should try to influence society through the political process to live according to the laws of God.

The confession of faith that most Reformed Baptists hold to is the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. If you are wanting to know more about what Reformed Baptists believe, I encourage you to go to the 1689 Confession.


There are also a few important things that Reformed Baptists do not believe:

1. Reformed Baptists do not agree with all Reformation-era teachings. Just because we use the word "Reformed," this does not mean we agree with everything Martin Luther or John Calvin taught.

2. Reformed Baptists do not agree with the practice of infant baptism (it's not in the bible).

3. Reformed Baptists do not believe that there is any authority above the local church other than Jesus Christ, who is its head.

4. Reformed Baptists do not believe in a mixing of church and state.


I hope this helps explain and/or clear up what it means to be a Reformed Baptist. You'll see that Reformed Baptists have much in common with many other Baptists. The primary difference lies in the Doctrines of Grace. Most Baptists reject the "ULI" of "TULIP."

You also see some commonalities with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The two main differences between Reformed Baptists and the PCA are baptism and church polity.

To look at a great Reformed Baptist Church near Savannah, click here. To look at the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, click here.


So, why am I a Reformed Baptist? I am one because I believe Reformed Baptist doctrine is closer to biblical teaching than any other I have seen.

Why am I a Southern Baptist? That's an easy one. The answer is simple: international missions (I'll discuss this in an upcoming post).

I guess I'd refer to myself as a Reformed Southern Baptist.

The High Priestly Prayer and Particular Redemption

One passage of scripture that stuns me with its depth and beauty is Jesus' High Priestly Prayer from John chapter 17 (click here to read). This prayer is the pinnacle of the Farewell Discourse, the teachings of Christ to His disciples in John 13-17. Immediately after John 17, Jesus headed to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Two verses stand out from John 17 that help us understand the extent of Christ's atonement. In John 17:6, Jesus prays, "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word." A few verses later, in John 17:9, our Lord says, "I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours."

When we read these verses, several things stand out:
First, God the Father gave specific people to Jesus.
Second, Jesus made Himself known to those particular people.
Third, these people first belonged to God the Father.
Fourth, these people kept God's word.
Fifth, Jesus prays for these particular people.
Sixth, Jesus does not pray for the world.

So what is going on here? It is clear from this passage that God the Father chose specific people that He then gave to His Son, Jesus Christ. During His time on earth, Jesus made Himself known to those people who had been given to Him. These people were the ones who ended up keeping His word. In other words, they became followers of Christ. When Jesus prays, He prays for those specific people that had been given to Him. Christ makes a point of saying that He does not pray for the world.

How do these verses impact our understanding of the atonement? Specifically related to the extent of the atonement, do these verses support a particular redemption (limited atonement) or a general redemption (general atonement)?

John 17:6 and John 17:9 clearly show us that God has a particular people that have been given to Jesus. Christ causes Himself to be known to these people, who then follow and obey Him. Jesus prays for these people, but not for the entire world.

There can be no doubt that these verses support particular redemption. The entire theme of these verses is that God has a specific people. Christ prays for only these people. Therefore, Christ would have died for these specific people.

It would be outlandish to say that Christ died for the sins of those whom He was not given, who do not follow Him, and whom He does not even pray for.

God has a specific plan of redemption which began before the foundation of the world (see Eph. 1:3-5). This plan extends to the end of time and beyond (see Eph. 1:13-14). This plan is for the redemption of a specific people, whom God has chosen out. These people will all turn to Christ in repentance and belief.

In this specific plan, God the Son died for this specific people. All of the atoning work of the cross is effective. If, on the other hand, Jesus had died for the sins of all humanity, then most of the atoning work of the cross would have been wasted (since the vast majority of people are not saved). We know that God's work is not wasted.

When Jesus prays in John 17, He prays for God's specific, particular people. These are the same people for whom He died. Christ prays for His own children.

The Beauty of Particular Redemption

My favorite single verse in the bible is II Corinthians 5:21. In my opinion, it gives the best single verse description of the gospel in all of scripture. Here it is in several different translations:

ESV - "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

KJV - "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

NASB - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

NKJV - "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

YLT - "for him who did not know sin, in our behalf He did make sin, that we may become the righteousness of God in him" (Young's Literal Translation, 1862/1898; although it is quite wooden, I have included Young's translation because it provides us with the closest translation of the original Greek.)

When we read this beautiful verse, we clearly see the wonder of the "great exchange". We read of God the Father making God the Son to be sin on our behalf, so that we would become the very righteousness of God in Christ. The amount of profound information in this one verse is staggering.

One often overlooked aspect of this verse is its support of the doctrine of Particular Redemption, what is sometimes referred to as Limited Atonement. This doctrine states that when Christ died, He died for the sins of the elect (all Christians of all time) only. This is to be contrasted with the doctrine of General Atonement, which states that Christ died for the sins of all mankind.

Two little words in Greek in II Corinthians 5:21 support the doctrine of Particular Redemption. Those two words are translated "for our sake" (ESV), "for us" (KJV, NKJV), "on our behalf" (NASB), and "in our behalf" (YLT). A straightforward reading of the text makes it clear that God the Father caused God the Son to be sin for us. In other words, God did this on behalf of certain people - us.

Who, then, is the "us" in II Corinthians 5:21? We can easily find the answer to this in Paul's greeting at the beginning of the letter. In II Corinthians 1:1, Paul writes, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Timotheus the brother, to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia" (YLT).

Paul was writing not only to the church in the city of Corinth, but also to all the saints in the region of Achaia. When Paul writes the word "saints," he is referring to Christians. The key here is that Paul is only writing to Christian people.

Since Paul was only writing to Christians, the "us" in II Corinthians 5:21 must mean that Jesus was made to be sin for Christians. Therefore, He died for the sins of the elect. If Paul had wanted to say that Jesus had died for the sins of the entire human race, he could have written something like,"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for all individuals." However, Paul did not write that. The apostle makes it clear here that Jesus died for the sins of the elect only.

There is a significant beauty to the doctrine of Particular Redemption. Since Jesus died only for the sins of the elect, then His payment on the cross is an actual atonement. This is because it is effective in paying the price for the sins of the elect. None of the elect are failed to be saved. This ought to give us great peace.

If Jesus' death had been for the sins of all individuals, then His payment would not have been an actual atonement; it would only have been a potential atonement. This is because we all know that not all individuals are saved. In this doctrine (General Atonement) Christ's death must be accompanied by something else for salvation to be achieved. It depends on man's choice of God. Therefore, in this view man's choice of God logically has to be added to Christ's death in order for salvation to be achieved. In the end, this ends up being a "grace plus works" view of salvation.

The biblical view of salvation is "grace alone." Christ's death on the cross by itself is enough to save. Please do not misunderstand me. A person is only saved after he repents of sin and believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What I am stressing in this post is that all of the work of salvation is the work of God. The doctrine of Particular Atonement supports this.

In the end, the reason I hold to Particular Atonement is because it is biblical. I hold to all of the Doctrines of Grace because they are biblical.

Click here to read more.