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Are the New Hampshire Confession & BFM Calvinistic?

Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by Humble Disciple, Jun 30, 2021.

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  1. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    A Monergistic but not Calvinistic statement of faith (note article 7):

    "The articles of faith held by the Lexington Primitive Baptist Church

    1. We believe in one true and living God: Father, Son and Holy Ghost; these three are one. (1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19)

    2. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired word of God and the only rule of faith and practice, particularly the New Testament, for saints under this dispensation. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Romans 15:4)

    3. We believe in the fall of Adam and his posterity into condemnation by his transgression of God’s law, in total depravity of the human race and the impossibility of any of them to recover themselves or gain the favor of God by their own works or an act of their own ‘free will’. (Romans 5:12; Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1; John 6:44)

    4. We believe God unconditionally elected a definite number of the human family in Jesus Christ and ordained them to eternal life and glory before the foundation of the world. (Romans 8:29; Romans 9:11-13; Ephesians 1:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Acts 13:48)

    5. We believe Jesus Christ suffered and died in the room and stead of His elect, and only His elect are justified in the sight of God by the imputed righteousness of Christ. (Acts 20:28; John 10:11; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 5:8-10)

    6. We believe that the Holy Spirit effectually calls, regenerates and sanctifies all the elect of God. (John 6:37; 2 Timothy 1:9; Jude 1)

    7. We believe all the elect shall be preserved in grace by the power of God and never finally fall away. (John 10:27; Romans 8:30; Philippians 1:6)

    8. We believe that good works, obedience to the commands of God, are well pleasing in His sight and should be maintained; but, they are to be considered as evidence of a gracious state and not a condition of eternal salvation. (Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 13:16; James 2:17-18; Galatians 5:22-23)

    9. We believe that baptism and the Lord’s supper are the ordinances of the church established by Jesus Christ and that true believers are the only fit subjects for baptism, immersion being the only proper mode. (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)

    10. We believe that as our Lord and Savior washed His disciples’ feet, we ought to wash one another’s feet. (John 13:4-17; 1 Timothy 5:10)

    11. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust, and a general judgment, and that the happiness of the righteous and the suffering of the wicked will be everlasting. (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:12-15)"

    Belief – Lexington Primitive Baptist Church (lexpbc.org)
     
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  2. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    Where does the Bible say that one can apostatize from the faith without losing one's salvation? From a Biblical perspective, how can one have preservation without perseverance?

    Also, where do the New Hampshire Confession, the BFM, and other historic Baptist confessions say that one can apostatize from the faith without forfeiting one's salvation?

    If you are among God's elect, you might apostatize for a period of time, until God intervenes in your life to restore you to faith. If you die an unbeliever, then you were never genuinely saved in the first place.

    Here are some words from Martin Luther:

     
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  3. Reynolds

    Reynolds Well-Known Member
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    My point is that when you separate "Eternal Security" from unconditional election and irresistible grace, you poke holes in it. The three stand together. Intertwining Arminian type free will with eternal security creates a huge logical problem. It gives you arguments that become at best, inconsistent.
     
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  4. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    "Apostatize' can be subjective. I stated, "Saints can and do make shipwreck of the faith but God is faithful. He may take them out of this world but their eternal destiny is secure." You can discern everything the saints are capable of doing by everything they're told NOT to do in The Book.

    Concerning apostasy, your thoughts on Solomon?

    From a Biblical perspective:

    1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Jude

    23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thess 5

    18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Tim 4

    ...and yet Paul had this to say of himself:

    27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Cor 9

    You think Paul meant that he could yet been eternally damned if he didn't 'persevere'? Or is there another connotation to 'castaway'?

    God deals with His disobedient children but I refuse to believe their chastisement is eternal.

    Well, that's kinda what I stated, they get 'turned over to Satan', but it's still up to God whither He'll grant them repentance of not:

    24 And the Lord`s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,
    25 in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,
    26 and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his (God's) will. 2 Tim 2

    19 holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith:
    20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Tim 1

    5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor 5

    Question for you: Ananias and Sapphira, heaven or hell? Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11
     
    #24 kyredneck, Jul 1, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2021
  5. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Haven't read either one. I'm not a Calvinist or a Southern Baptist, the scriptures are what I search, not the 'confessions'.
     
  6. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Hi Humble Disciple,

    The fact that you could not discern whether or not the NHBC, 1833, is compatible with Calvinism indicates it is. The use of vague and ambiguous words and phrases allows Calvinism to be read into the text.

    For example, consider this: "not by constraint, but choice;" indicating we are not constrained to sin, but make the choice to sin. However, if the only choices you can make are sinful choices as a result of "Total Depravity," the claim hides Calvinism in ambiguity.
     
    #26 Van, Jul 1, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2021
  7. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    While saints do persevere in faith, and by such means are preserved by God unto that day.

    Some have fallen for the false idea known as Eternal Security, or once saved always saved. {no matter what you do, or how you live] They pick out a few scriptures, ignore the others.
     
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  8. Reynolds

    Reynolds Well-Known Member
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    And their reply is "Well, he was never really saved in the first place.". Which is probably true, but a red herring.
     
  9. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    I didn't start this thread to create a brawl between Calvinists and Arminians, and I'm sorry if I've given that impression.

    It's okay for a confession of faith, for a broad-based Christian denomination, to be acceptable to both Calvinists and Arminians. What I'd like to know if there's anything in the New Hampshire Confession and BFM that specifically contradicts Calvinism.

    When it comes to the teachings that are essential for salvation, aren't Calvinists and Arminians in basic agreement?

    I happen to believe that four-point Calvinism is what the Bible teaches, but I'm not going to say that five-point Calvinists and Arminians are unsaved.
     
  10. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    What does one mean by "Primitive Baptist"?

    Is this a misrepresentation of what Primitive Baptists believe?
     
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  11. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    I'm sorry if I am misrepresenting your viewpoint. Are you saying that one can renounce the Christian faith, and never return to it, without forfeiting one's salvation? If so, can you please tell me where this is taught in the Bible?
     
  12. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    I disagree with Leighton Flowers on a lot of things, but this is his take on eternal security:

    Dr. Flowers teaches that those who apostatize from the faith were never truly born again in the first place. This is very different from the popular non-Calvinist understanding of "once saved, always saved," that you can renounce the faith without forfeiting one's salvation.

    My problem with Dr. Flowers' position is that, without God's irresistible grace, how can you be certain that you will never finally and irreversibly apostatize from the faith?

    If irresistible grace is true, then if a member of God's elect renounces their faith, God will, someday and somehow, intervene in their life to restore their faith.
     
    #32 Humble Disciple, Jul 1, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2021
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  13. Humble Disciple

    Humble Disciple Active Member

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    Confessions matter in the sense that they show us what Christians have historically believed. It seems to be a very recent interpretation of "once saved, always saved" that one can renounce the Christian faith without forfeiting one's salvation. For a teaching so recent, I want to see Biblical evidence in favor of it.
     
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  14. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    There is real eternal security in Christ, as sealed by the Holy Spirit, but not given license to now just sin!
     
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  15. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    A PB would hold to eternal justification, so can be saved even if never received Jesus as Lord in this life!
     
  16. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Paul in Romans 8 disagrees with his take on this issue, as God will complete that which He started!
     
  17. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Biblical examples are that one can stray for awhile off the reservation, but musty and will come back on eventually!
     
  18. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    I asked you this first:

    (not sure if there's a 'confession' that covers it, you might have to go straight to the scriptures)
     
    #38 kyredneck, Jul 2, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2021
  19. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...why'd you choose the C&A forum?
     
  20. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Is there something from the excerpt you posted you don't comprehend?

    Again, is there something from the excerpt you posted you don't comprehend?

    PBs hold staunchly (more so even than many Calvinists) to the 5 points, except the L becomes 'Particular Redemption' and the P becomes 'Preservation'. Both PBs and Calvinists are Monergists...:

    "What is Monergism? Monergism is a theological term in which the prefix "mono" means "one" and the suffix "ergism" (ergon) means "to work". Or together they mean, "the work of one", or salvation is of the Lord alone, not a cooperation of man and God. If anyone is to be saved Jesus must grant everything we need for salvation, including a new heart to believe. (Deut 29:4, 30:6: Ezek 36:26; John 6:63, 65, 37)..."
    About Us | Monergism

    ... but there are some significant differences between the two.
     
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