Christian Feminism...

I support Blackaby's statements. Many self-proclaimed christians are more concerned about the correctness of having women serve the church or about the theology of Calvin than they are about loving their neighbor and following Jesus as Lord of their life. The church in America and in most other places is dying because of theological conservatives who focus on doctrinal correctness but live their lives as practicing atheists.

 

There is a false movement by liberals to equate conservatism with the pharisees of Jesus time. It is false in that there is no real connection. The pharisees were in fact wrong on many practical doctrines. Jesus spent much time correcting them on their incorrect stance on doctrine ( Matthew 5)

Another reason why such a comparison falls short is that the pharisees were lost, without God, on their way to hell. I do not doubt at all that there are the lost in or churches who faithfully fill pews. They come to church, want things done only their way, and go home only to worry about themselves. This is a result of the five minute gospel that immediately invites anyone claiming to be saved on to our membership roles with no evidence of a true conversion. We have not been good door keepers. And our churches are full of people who will never have a true conversion in part because they think they are alright in their pew and in their stoney heart.

But true conservatives are and have been reaching out to the lost, the hurting, and the weak. There is a balance to be maintained between standing against premarital sex, out of wedlock births, and ungodly dating habits with ministering to single mothers (those divorced and never wed). There is a balance to be maintained between standing against drug and alcohol abuse and ministering to the addicted. There is a balance to be maintained between standing against the homosexual lifestyle and ministering to those with aids as a result and are dying.

Lost people are like children and only care for themselves. Even those who fill the pews from Sunday to Sunday. For their day to day happiness and future hope are only tied up in what comes from within themselves. But those who rely on the salvation that comes only from God have an inner peace that gives them the freedom to serve others without any thought of self gratification.

We cannot minister to a lost and dying world if the holiness of God is set aside. What is being dubbed as doctrinal correctness is in fact a concern for the true nature of God. You cannot lead people toward salvation by means of scriptural proclamation if your articulation lacks any semblance of provocation. For the love of God shows you the state of your true condition. You have to get them lost before they can get saved.

Words like judgment and condemnation are battered around in defense of withholding the holiness of God. Are those who are quick to catapult such words merely fearful for the lost, or are they also fearful for their own lives? Why would a child of God avoid the conviction that brings them closer to the heavenly Father? It is my position that the conviction of God is a bitter sweet necessity that should be cherished and not disdained.

First it reminds us that we are the children of God. And for the lost it tells them that God has yet to give up on them. There is no sweeter news to the righteous nor to the lost in all of creation. Second it reminds us of our true state as created and imperfect beings in need of the grace of God to walk in the Spirit day by day.

The term "doctrinal correctness" is a pejorative of late describing the stance on the holiness of God. Such holiness should be ever before our face and should be placed before the faces of the lost and the dying. The woman that was a sinner ( Luke 7:38-39) understood all to well the holiness of God as she wept at Jesus feet. Sinners cannot come to Jesus joyfully with the only motive to simply "follow Him". Such nonsense bypasses the work of the cross and makes it of none effect. Those who understand the holiness of God have a love of God that drives them to the feet of God ( Luke 7:47 ).

May we, the church, always stand for the holiness of God ( doctrinal correctness ) so that the lost world may see Him as they should.

Isaiah 6:5-8
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me

 

Hi Revmitchell


This was a great response.

I especially liked your explanation of “hating the sin but loving the sinner”......

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And as I kept reading, and saw your reference to “doctrinal correctness”;
I intended to ask the others, the question; “What’s wrong with doctrinal correctness?”

But I kept reading, and you took care of that also.




Thank you for the thoughtful response.

 

Did I say anything about the Pharisees or about liberals versus conservatives? My post is about those who care more about infinitesimal doctrinal correctness than following Jesus or helping the poor as he commands. Of course there is a certain comparison with the Pharisees. Jesus didn't waste time arguing with them about doctrine. He hated them because they were puffed up with their own righteousness and were unwilling to stoop to help those who were hurting. If you see a comparison between the Pharisees and today's religious conservatives so be it. I certainly do.

 

So believing the scriptures and doctrinal correstness is called being a pharisee? Do you think God doesn't care about correct doctrine? I guess the JW's , Mormons and RCC are valid then if we no longer care about correct doctrines.
Garbage.

 

More specifically "Women Pastors" which is the new pet project of the BGCT and every other liberal in the convention.

 

I guess theres a choice to be made, God and scripture, or unbiblical opinions of men. I'll take correct biblical doctrine.

 

I don't understand why one would be so "upset" about who another church in another state would hire as their pastor. This isn't keeping you up at night, you aren't having to take Tums for a funny tummy are you.
Really, if you don't want to attend a church with a women pastor, don't! Why is it necessary to roast and toast those who think differently then you? Maybe you don't think churches should be independent, maybe priesthood of the believer should be changed to priesthood of the the believers. This obsession with someones gender is very strange indeed.

 

Because of scripture. Thats why. Becasue God said so, thats why. And if we can't take scripture seriously, then what?

 

Why do you say that? For the first time in 3 years this paycheck will get to totally be put in the bank. My kids are happy and healthy and yay my divorce is final. I am dating a great guy whom no I dont get to see alot but I do get to see once in awhile. God is opening doors like crazy and amen has kept my ex husband out of my life for the most part. I have grown closer to God now than I have been in the last 7 years during my marriage. So why do you say I am not having my bes life now...its me and the kids and no there is no husband or new house but we are okay we are in the Lord and we are loving where He has been taking us.

 

Oh, sorry I didn't realize you have an official "Believe Right" badge, my mistake
Your assumption that because someone who doesn't agree with your interpretation of a certain passage concerning the role of women DON"T take scripture is very revealing and frankly unfortunate. Not a real good reflection of historic Baptist distinctives; soul freedom, priesthood of the believer and church independence.

 

Oh, sorry I didn't realize you have an official "Believe Right" badge, my mistake
Your assumption that because someone who doesn't agree with your interpretation of a certain passage concerning the role of women DON"T take scripture is very revealing and frankly unfortunate. Not a real good reflection of historic Baptist distinctives; soul freedom, priesthood of the believer and church independence.


Huh?

 

If you are going to appeal to "historic Baptist distinctives" you lose on the role of women int he church.

 

Historically baptists do not acept women as pastors/preachers.
The bible is plain and clear, sorry you do not seem to understand that.
Priesthood of the believer in no way gives one the right to believe differently then scripture says.

 

What we have done: We have taken the great, sanctified Baptist doctrine of the priesthood of the believer, and made it to cover every damnable heresy that mind could imagine! It’s a tragedy--it's a tragedy.


W. A. Criswell

 

Then I agree with W.A. Criswell. Some think it gives them liberty to twist scripture, to make of it what they will.

 

hmmm, not to be a hater but the role of women in the Baptist church is not that clear cut. Women have had varying roles and ministries in the Baptist church since its inception.

For instance, one of the formative early Baptist works, the New Connection, utilized women in teaching, singing, deaconess, prophetess, and other ministerial roles. It is not actually in keeping with "historic Baptist distinctives" to suggest that women have not functioned (with the blessing of the Baptist churches) in unique and varying roles since Baptist began to formally meet.

There are plenty of scholars to back this up. BTW, just labeling them a bunch of "liberals" won't obsfucate the issue. Women have had varying roles historically in Baptist churches.

 

hmmm?


Anyway Baptists dont have prophetesses or prophets for that matter. Second using the word "varying" doesnt place women as pastors.

 

Perhaps your branch of Baptist life doesn't have those offices, or women filling those offices, but we can easily see that many other Baptists in history and throughout the world have these offices and positions.

Baptists are bigger and more historical than the myopic stance of many fundamentalists and ultra-conservative Baptists in the United States.

 

Good Luck with that.:thumbs: