Has Southern become closet Presbyterian?

I think if we continue to hammer away at this issue in Southern Baptist life, it is going to drive an unnecessary wedge between us all. Allow me to preface my remaining statements by saying that I am a "bookend Calvinist" - I'll take the T and the P, but the U, L, and I are not for me! Yet, some of my best friends are 5 point Calvinists. I will say this about my Calvinist friends - they are theologically conservative and the majority of them of much more serious students of God's Word than my more Armenian friends. Also, I will say that they have given MUCH more thought to this issue than the opposing crowd who often times just try to state what they believe without being able to offer any real explanation.

What is the foundational issue raised by this post? I believe it must be this - whether a man is a 1 point or 5 point Calvinist, as long as he is a zealous soul-winner, that is what really matters. I will be the first person to stand up and speak out against a 5 point Calvinist who says that we should no longer be participating in confrontational soul-winning, but if he is still advocating reaching the world for Christ, is it really a hill worth dying on? I think the obvious answer is NO!

Need an example? How about the relationship enjoyed by George Whitefield and John Wesley during the heart of the first Great Awakening? You may not know this, but Wesley was once asked (after the death of Whitefield) whether he would see Whitefield in heaven. He responded "No." The inquirer further asked, "What do you mean? Do you believe he will be in hell?" Wesley replied, "No, not at all...you see, I believe he will be so close to the throne of God that I won't even be able to see him." This is the type of respect that those on each end of this theological issue should have for one another. If a man believes that all are lost apart from Christ and that whosoever believeth can come to him and that he will do whatever he can (within biblical parameters) to make that happen, HE IS MY FRIEND. We can squabble ad infinitum about the dynamics of the TULIP, but I would rather concentrate on agreeing on the essentials and reaching the world for Christ.

I know someone will probably reply to my post by saying that I am a compromiser or that I think the dynamics of soteriology are trivial matters, but that is not the case at all. I just believe we must agree to disagree on some points and then move ahead reaching the world for Christ. Will the SBC become known ever-more increasingly as Calvinistic - maybe. But, if the SBC is known much more for its compassion, biblical integrity, and evangelistic fervor, I really don't care if we are known as purple people eaters. Let's reach the world for Christ!