"Reformed" & "Truly Reformed"

The "Reformed" and "Truly Reformed"

As a Baptist, I have often been amused by the use of the term "Reformed" and even more amused when I see the term "Truly Reformed." This is even more amusing when I see or hear it from a Baptist.

Those terms actually belong to the Pedobaptists (baby sprinklers), and up until a few years ago, you never heard Baptists using them. In fact, when I became a Christian in 1953, there were no "Reformed" Baptist people in the city or state . . . at least that I knew of. That term, I later found, had been used by the Baptist apostates who became Campbellites, following Alexander Campbell in his "Reformation Movement" of the early 1800's. The term was never used by any Baptists of that time other than those who went off into Campbellism.

Then in the 1960s, with the coming of "Banner of Truth" publications, it seemed that "Reformed" began to pop-up on occasion among some Calvinistic Baptists. I even knew a Baptist church or two which added the word in their church name. I recall a book written by Kenneth Good called "Are Baptists Reformed?" It was a "new thing" for Baptists to say they were "Reformed." A lot of explaining had to be done. [There is relatively good history by Mark Sidwell about "Reformed Baptists" groups at this link: The Reformed Baptists.]

To my knowledge, the word was a relatively modern Pedobaptist creation. It was never applied by Baptists to themselves, and I don't recall that it was used by the Puritans. I never found C. H. Spurgeon referring to himself as "Reformed," although there are some web sites today identifying Spurgeon as "Reformed." Just because Spurgeon held some theological views which may also be held by the Pedobaptists does not make him "Reformed."

Now in more recent times we have often come upon another word being added to it -- "Truly Reformed." It seems that "Reformed" is not quite good enough, so they tack on "Truly." That seems to help somehow certify that one is "truly" Reformed. You can prowl around some of the "Reformed" web sites and see what they are defining as being "Truly Reformed." Of course, those using that term to apply to themselves are obviously the "standard" of what is "Truly Reformed."

Nathan Finn, who teaches at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, while he goes along with using the word "Reformed" of some Baptists, nevertheless admits the following;

"It is fair to say, from a historical standpoint, that Reformed Baptists are not Reformed in the fully historic sense of the term because they embrace a Free Church ecclesiology and credobaptism. If there were to be a contest to demonstrate which side can “out-Reform” the other (in terms of embracing historic Reformed distinctives), and if history were the judge, the pedobaptists would win, no question."

Here we are simply Baptists. Not "Reformed" and not "Truly Reformed." We leave those terms with the Pedobaptists who contrived them. As our web site name indicates, we "swat" some of the "Reformed" ideas which were contrived by the Pedobaptists -- whether "Reformed" or "Truly Reformed" -- some of the ideas even adopted by some professing Baptists who call themselves "Reformed."

One church I knew that added "Reformed" to their name later dropped it. I didn't ask "Why?" but I assume that it was too burdensome -- always having to explain what is meant by "Reformed" or maybe even "Truly Reformed" -- like some web sites seem to think they have to explain who qualifies as "Truly Reformed." Maybe before long we will be reading about the "Really Truly Reformed." Where will it all end?

BTW, some entrepreneurs are taking monetary advantage of the situtation. You can get a T-Shirt identifying yourself as "Truly Reformed" for just $22.

Spurgeon and Altar Calls

Spurgeon's "Inquiry Room" -- Forerunner
to the Public Invitation or Altar Call

Since there are many "anti-invitationists" using the Internet for bogging and web sites, I have noticed a number of articles which repeat the anti-invitationism arguments of Pedobaptist ministers such as the late Martyn Lloyd Jones and his one-time assistant, Iain Murray.

The latest blog I have seen to use Pedobaptist Lloyd-Jones against invitations is Pastor Wade Burleson of Enid, Oklahoma, whom we have had occasion to refute on some matters in the past. What Bro. Burleson fails to point out, however, is that Reformed Pedobaptists believe elect babies get "regenerated" in infancy, if not even before they are born, so Pedobaptists seldom would have any use for public invitations when lost sinners are called upon to accept (or believe on) Christ as Saviour and "come forward" to make a public profession of faith. This is the circumstance in which many, if not most, Baptists have been brought to Christ, according to my observation. In fact, many of those who later opposed inivitations admit that they were saved in just such a circumstance as the public invitation or what some call "the altar call."

Often, misleading information about C. H. Spurgeon on the "inquiry room" and invitations is given, especially by Iain Murray and those who follow his writings, as if to add some "weight" to anti-invitationism. While it is true that C. H. Spurgeon did indeed advise against the abusive use of the "inquiry room," as noted by Murray in some writings, there is no source in Spurgeon's sermons and writings which indicate that he opposed its proper use.

No, Spurgeon did not oppose the use of the "inquiry room," for he used it himself. He obviously simply wanted to protect against the abuses of it.

Pedo-regenerationist Murray, the "father" of most of the modern anti-invitationalism, was perhaps the first in our time to express criticism of the "inquiry room." But Murray fails to appropriately use quotations from C. H. Spurgeon in his booklet on "The Invitation System" to properly represent Spurgeon. I have articles on a website refuting Mr. Murray and other opponents of the public invitation. See Selected Writings of Bob Ross.

SPURGEON USED THE INQUIRY ROOM

Yes, Spurgeon himself used the "inquiry room" at the Tabernacle, and while he wanted to guard against the abuse of it, he never opposed its use, nor did he oppose "the invitation system," as has been falsely alleged. Spurgeon approved of any reasonable method which tended to bring men to repentance and public confession of Christ as Saviour.

For example, Spurgeon supported the revival work in Great Britain by D. L. Moody, and he approved of Moody's methods. He had Moody to conduct evangelistic meetings at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, and Spurgeon said of Moody's methods:

"I believe that it is a great help in bringing people to DECISION when Mr. Moody asks those to STAND UP who wish to be prayed for. Anything that tends to separate you from the ungodly around you, is good for you." (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1897, page 516).

Awhile back I wrote an article entitled --
"Was C. H. Spurgeon the Innovator of the Modern Public or Church Invitation?"

The point was that Spurgeon's methods in essence developed into the public invitation used by evangelists and churches of the 20th century.

Here are a few excerpts from that article --

"C. H. Spurgeon earnestly exhorted those who had accepted Christ as their Saviour to come forward amongst his people and avow their attachment to His person and name." - The Sword & The Trowel Magazine, 1865, pg. 70.

SPURGEON and the "CALVINISTS"

Spurgeon was "bucking" the system of the "high Calvinists" of the times by this type of innovation as well as by his preaching the "simple Gospel" and promising "immediate salvation" to those who believed it. The hypers, hybrids, and ultras of that age did not appreciate Spurgeon's emphasis.

The leading pastor among the Calvinistic Baptists of the time, James Wells, who was dubbed "King James," said he had his "doubts" as to "the divine reality of his [Spurgeon's] conversion," and alleged that Spurgeon was "deceiving others with the deception wherewith he himself is deceived" (CHS Autobiography, Vol. 2, pages 38, 39).

When Spurgeon first came to London in late 1853, the Baptist preachers such as Wells and the churches of the Park Street Chapel variety were mostly either hyper-Calvinists or ultra-Calvinists, or something on the order of what the "Hybrid Calvinists" are and are becoming in our time. The killing effects of "mere doctrine" and too great an emphasis upon "the Calvinist system" had virtually killed evangelistic efforts in England. Spurgeon's success in preaching the "simple Gospel" made him the object of resentment, jealousy, criticism, and even cynical ridicule by some of the Baptists, especially some of the respected leaders among the professed "Calvinists." In a letter to his family, Spurgeon complained of the "Calvinism" which prevailed at the church at that time and how "It is the Calvinism they want."

“December __, 1853.
“My Dear Father, . . . . . . The London people are rather higher in Calvinism than I am; but I have succeeded in bringing one church to my own views, and will trust, with Divine assistance, to do the same with another. I am a Calvinist; I love what someone called ‘glorious Calvinism,’ but ‘Hyperism’ is too hot-spiced for my palate. . . . It is Calvinism they want in London, and any Arminian preaching will not be endured.”

Spurgeon not only literally knocked out the windows of the dingy old New Park Street Chapel to let in the air, he began to strike blow-after-blow at what he often called the "false Calvinism" of his "ultraists" brethren. Some of his very worst enemies were those who loudly proclaimed their "Calvinism." Spurgeon became so "put out" with these types, he said, "I do not hesitate to say, that Phariseeism is mixed with Hyper-Calvinism more than with any other sect in the world" (New Park Street Pulpit, Year 1860, #336 — Struggles of Conscience, page 403).

One of the innovations which Spurgeon put to good use, out of the practical necessity for the hearing of confessions of Christ by those responding to his evangelistic preaching, was the use of inquiry rooms. D. L. Moody, before he ever started preaching, went to London to hear Spurgeon for the first time in 1867. Moody became Spurgeon's devoted disciple and ardent protege. In this regard, Moody was indeed a sort of "Timothy" in relation to C. H. Spurgeon. Moody -- who later started his own preaching ministry -- adopted many of the means and methods he had observed in Spurgeon's implementing the work of the Gospel, including starting a Bible Institute similar to Spurgeon's Pastor's college, a colportage or publishing work similar to Spurgeon's, preaching to the masses in large halls as did Spurgeon, and using the inquiry room to deal with converts, as did Spurgeon. The latter method, in its essential elements, became the forerunner of what we today call the "public invitation."

This method did not derive from Charles G. Finney's "anxious seat," as Lloyd-Jones and his disciples allege, for the inquiry room was not on that order at all. Moody never even heard Finney preach, nor saw the "anxious seat" used in a Finney revival meeting. By 1860, Finney could not even travel, much less hold revival meetings, and that was long before Moody even started preaching.

But Moody did hear Spurgeon, followed Spurgeon around to hear him, read everything published by Spurgeon, and he saw how Spurgeon dealt with souls. Moody adopted Spurgeon's methods.

Here is an example of Spurgeon's method, later adopted by D. L. Moody, demonstrated in the year 1865. This is from the March 1865 issue of The Sword and the Trowel, Spurgeon's magazine, page 128, during a high period of intense, ongoing revival, with many being converted to Christ, and a fervent spirit abounding in the church:

>>NOTICES
[Reported by George Rogers, Principal of Spurgeon's Pastors' College]The second proposed special prayer meeting, mentioned in our last number, was held in the Metropolitan Tabernacle on the evening of the 6th February. . . .Between six and seven thousand persons assembled -- not to witness a theatrical exhibition -- not to hear an eloquent preacher -- not to witness a select and diversified display of platform oratory -- but for a prayer meeting! This was a sight that could not fail to gladden the hearts of good men, and prepare them for the higher enjoyment that followed. It was evident that the impression of the former meeting had not passed away, but it influence had become more widely extended, as the attendance was not only more numerous, but some hundreds were unable to gain admission. No extraordinary efforts were made to provide for the meeting; no sensational speakers were engaged; no novelty was either thought or desired. The ministers of the new fraternity, as on the former occasion, in the spirit of prayer, and confident reliance upon the Spirit of God, quietly and solemnly came upon the platform. Several of the ministers who took part in the proceedings, and two of them were students yet in the college; but all were of one mind and of one heart. Mr. Spurgeon, after a few words of gratitude and joy for the return of such an occasion, gave out some verses of the 100th Psalm, that all might join in a song of praise. He then suggested that their next duty was to give thanks for the blessing which had attended the former meeting of the same kind, the effect of which, upon his own people, was that ninety-three [93] had set down on the previous evening, for the first time at the table of the Lord. Mr. Marshall and Mr. Barnard presented the incense of praise. Mr. Spurgeon then gave out the hymn, commencing with -- "Just as I am, Without one plea."

This was a prelude to confession of sin, which, after a silent confession of two or three minutes of each for himself, was offered in the name of all by Mr. Clark. Some verses of the hymn, "I will praise Thee every day," were then sung, after which petitions for the revival of the Churches were presented by Mr. Warren and Mr. Offord: those of the latter were preceded by a touching and powerful appeal to the hearts of believers.

Now came the direct reference to the unsaved. This was introduced by a most earnest and awakening address by Mr. Spurgeon, and was responded to in prayer by Mr. Stott and Mr. Varley. A hymn followed, commencing thus, "Once a sinner near despair."

Mr. Teal and Mr. Burton then prayed, and Mr. Spurgeon closed with prayer. INQUIRERS were then encouraged to retire to the lecture hall, where ministers and elders would be glad to converse with them'; and MANY RESPONDED TO THE INVITATION.

This was one of the most sober, the most impressive, and, we should judge, the most effective meetings we have ever witnessed. . . .
>>

Here observe that all of the essential elements which characterize a sane, sound, Baptist public invitation are present: (1) Preaching, (2) Prayer, (3) Encouragement to respond, and (4) and Invitation to be conversed with. Even the great invitation hymn, Just As I Am, was used by Mr. Spurgeon at this meeting, from his hymnbook, Our Own Hymnbook, #546.

Later, in the same article, we read:
"His own ministry had begun in a storm of opposition, but he had been enabled to outlive it, and to obtain a position of comparative quiet in the denomination to which his Church belonged . . . He had to remind the Church how greatly God had blessed the preaching of the Gospel in their midst during the past year. Conversions had been frequent in the Sunday-schools, in the Bible and Catechumen Classes; and never had the Word come with greater power to the great congregation. The Church had received by Baptism 381 members; . . . the present number of members on the Church books, 2,881."

Moody's "model" was Spurgeon, not Finney. Moody and Sankey in Great Britain [The Sword and the Trowel, February 1876, pages 84-87]

When D. L. Moody was engaged in evangelistic work, he held meetings in Scotland and in England. His work in Scotland began rather hopelessly, with but a scant few -- "only eight persons were in attendance." However, by "hanging in there" and "fighting the good fight of faith," Moody's work gradually gained ground and finally became extraordinarily productive, with multitudes eventually saved. In England the professed conversions were not quite so numerous, primarily because so many of the recent enthusiastic converts were filling up the seats in the meeting place, therefore many of the unconverted were thereby "kept out" -- not purposefully, but circumstantially. Also, Spurgeon cites the lack of significant interest in the meetings by the PEDOBAPTIST English churches, due to their own peculiar evangelistic coldness toward enthusiastic evangelistic preaching. After all, they claimed that their children had inherited "regeneration" in early infancy and did not need the type of conversion preached by either Moody or Spurgeon!

Here is an excerpt of how Spurgeon describes the Moody-Sankey evangelistic efforts:

>>
The work in Edinburgh was repeated in many other towns of Scotland such as Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, etc., and with similar results, the people going so far as to tolerate Mr. Sankey's "unsanctified musical machine." The campaign in Ireland which succeeded was still more remarkable when we take into account the national prejudices of the population. In Dublin the Great Exhibition building was hired for the meetings as being the only place in the city capable of accommodating the multitudes who came to hear. This success of the evangelists in the Emerald Isle was a fine testimony to the power of the simple gospel; for while no fierce denunciations of the apostate church were heard from the platform, the converts came alike from the ranks of Romanists as well as from the houses of the Protestants. The Romish leaders raised the voice of warning, but to no purpose; and their machinations were aided by a club of atheists, who penetrated into the inquiry rooms to endeavor to turn the whole into controversy. [Note: These Romanists and Protestants had supposedly "born again" when they were babies. The were probably hearing the Gospel for the first time, and many were being truly born again! -- Bob]". . . . This man was coming upon the stage one evening to sing a comic song, when a verse of a Sunday School hymn, which he had learned years ago, flashed through his mind, producing so deep an impression that he was unable to drive it away. He attempted to sing his song but failed, and on retiring from the stage was summarily dismissed by the manager. For three weeks he plunged into the deepest dissipation, being scarcely sober for a single hour all that time. During this debauch he wrote a comedy, which he finished off with a burlesque upon Messrs. Moody and Sankey, who had just then arrived in Liverpool; and in order to give greater point to his satire, he attended one of the services in Victoria Hall, to hear them for himself. While thus watching for something of which to make sport upon the comic stage, the Holy Spirit so impressed the truth upon his heart that he remained to the after-meeting for inquirers, was instructed in the way of his duty, and that very night found peace with God. He has now entered into training for the purpose of becoming a missionary."
>>

From another one of my articles, here are some excerpts:

Spurgeon indeed often made negative comments which were intended to either expose or guard against abuses of methods and practices, but those remarks do not convey the total image of Spurgeon on such matters. He likewise often commented in a negative vain about abuses associated even with Calvinistic theology, baptism, the name "Baptist," church attendance and membership, the use of music, miscellaneous financial schemes, and similar activities, but such remarks must not be isolated if one is to avoid an erroneous impression of Spurgeon. For example, though he often rebuked "worldly" methods as to church finance schemes, his own church conducted a Bazaar to raise money for the construction of the Tabernacle, which some might view as contradictory to what he sometimes said against things of this sort. The fact is, as to the matter of methods in regard to professions of faith, it is stated in The Sword and The Trowel, January 1890, page 45: "That which is admirable with one congregation may not suit another."

Spurgeon was for any method which incorporated the Gospel message in relation to accepting and confessing Christ as Savior.

SPURGEON-SPONSORED EVANGELISTS
USED THE INQUIRY ROOM

In the 1890 bound volume of The Sword and the Trowel magazine, there are reports of Tabernacle-sponsored evangelistic meetings which demonstrate that Spurgeon favored an evangelism which sought to obtain immediate professions of faith by various ways and means. Spurgeon and the Tabernacle Church actually sponsored Evangelists who conducted special evangelistic campaigns or missions. The foremost two were J. Manton Smith and W. Y. Fullerton. There are quite a number of reports in this 1890 volume of their meetings which refer to the "decisions" made, the "after-meetings," and the "inquirers" who went into the "inquiry rooms." A report appeared in the January 1889 Sword & Trowel which is illustrative of the work done by the Metropolitan Tabernacle-sponsored Evangelists.

>>
The hopes that we expressed last month respecting Messrs. Fullerton and Smith services at the Tabernacle were more than realized before the mission closed. The numbers in attendance increased nightly, until, at the closing service, not only was the Tabernacle densely packed, but overflow meetings were held in three rooms in the College, and some thousands of persons were unable to gain admission. All who had professed to find the Saviour were asked to meet the workers in the lecture-hall, at the close of the public services, and very soon the hall was quite full. Those who were present will not soon forget the scene when, in response to Mr. Fullerton's request, some hundreds of hands were held up in token of blessing received during the mission. . . . Messrs. Fullerton and Smith came over from Bloomsbury for the first half-hour, and gave wise and weighty counsels to those who had been brought to decision. . . .Mr. Chamberlain sang and spoke, and then asked any who had been brought to decision during the mission just to rise, and declare that fact. In less than half-an-hour, no less than fifty-one persons bore oral testimony to what the Lord had done for them at the special services, and many more would have spoken if there had been time.

The converts were of all ages, and of both sexes; there were 'young men and maidens, old men and children,' praising the name of the Lord for the great things done for them.. . . .Let us pray that the work of revival may continue to spread until thousands more are won for the Saviour.
>>

In the February 1889 issue of S & T, Spurgeon published a number of comments from Pastors and Churches in regard to meetings held by the Tabernacle-sponsored Evangelists. Here are a couple of those:

"Had you been present at the large enquirers' meeting which we held in the lecture-hall last night, your heart would have been rejoiced to hear the testimonies of God's power to save; and many steady, matured Christians added their witness to the fresh power and renewed consecration which they had experienced during the mission."

"Seldom have we known a finer blending of the instructive with the earnestly exhorting to immediate decision than was nightly listened to from Mr. Fullerton. . . . Best of all, great spiritual results have followed. No fewer than 150 persons went into the enquiry-room. Many of these have avowed their conversion to God, their newly-found faith in Jesus. Amongst these some are the children of the officers and members of the church, some restored backsliders, and others are men and women who for many, many year have never gone inside a house of God. . . . souls have been born again, and the Saviour has been greatly honored."

While there are some today who are trying to utilize a few remarks by Spurgeon which were obviously focusing upon real or possible abuses of evangelistic methods, you will most likely not find such reports as the foregoing, from Spurgeon's own magazine, called to the readers' attention. They demonstrate that Spurgeon favored a very aggressive evangelism, one that pressed for immediate response, decision, and public confession.

Unlike the modern Reformed pedo-regenerationists, such as Mr. Murray, who are apparently inactive in aggressive evangelistic missions such as those by Smith and Fullerton, Baptists such as Spurgeon did not have the practice of infant baptism and baby "regeneration" to fall back upon to make "disciples" and church members, and so they used the Biblical type of evangelism of preaching the Gospel to those who would give it a hearing, be convicted of sin, come forth publicly to acknowledge faith in Christ, and confess Him as Savior.

Copy of Spurgeon's Letter

A Copy of C. H. Spurgeon's Letter
Regarding the
"Down Grade" Controversy

A few weeks ago, I was furnished with a copy of a C. H. Spurgeon hand-written letter, sent to me by our longtime friend, Pastor Gary W. Long of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church and Particular Baptist Press, Springfield, Missouri.

The letter, dated February 17, 1888, serves to further substantiate what Spurgeon himself wrote in some issues of The Sword & the Trowel magazines -- namely, that "Calvinism" was not an issue in the Down Grade Controversy. This is what we have have always represented as a matter of authentic history on this particular matter.

I did not have this letter when we reprinted the book, THE DOWN GRADE CONTROVERSY, a few months ago; otherwise, I would have included the letter in that book. But after I received the letter, we had copies made which we now insert into the book.

If you want a copy of the letter, send a postage-paid self-addressed envelope to --

Bob L. Ross, Box 66, Pasadena, Texas 77501.

I have a lot of interest in and respect for authentic history, but not much interest in someone's "interpretation" of history, especially their "eisegesis" of history (reading their own ideas into history). Nothing chafes me more than someone who -- for whatever reason -- distorts authentic history.

Some of our Calvinistic brethren, such as Iain Murray and Erroll Hulse, who have written about Spurgeon and the Down Grade Controversy, have unfortunately strayed from authentic history and have attempted to inject Calvinism into the DGC, and I sometimes see comments by some who are evidently influenced by Murray and/or Hulse. I suppose that Murray and Hulse, ever zealous to promote their version of Calvinism, think it adds weight to associate Spurgeon and Calvinism to the Down Grade Controversy. But Spurgeon staunchly denied this accusation when it was made in his lifetime by his detractors, as we learn from his magazine and also from this letter. According to Spurgeon, the issues involved were of greater significance than one's theoretical understanding relating to Arminian-Calvinist squabbles over differing views. He said:

"Certain antagonists have tried to represent the Down-Grade controversy as a revival of the old feud between Calvinists and Arminians. It is nothing of the kind. Many evangelical Arminians are as earnestly on our side as men can be."

If you want a free copy of Spurgeon's letter, send a stamped SAE and I will mail it to you.

If you want the DOWN GRADE CONTROVERSY book itself, it sells for $8.99 plus $3 to mail -- $11.99 -- but we will settle for $10.

******************************************

Permission granted to copy and use this article.

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"C. H. SPURGEON WORLD WIDE WEB NETWORK"

68:11

Spurgeon Gems
Spurgeon Archive

Spurgeon sermons in SPANISH

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Spurgeon's Sermons on Internet

61 Volumes of C. H. Spurgeon's Sermons
Now on the Internet [05/21--2010]

The following email from Brother Emmett O'Donnell is a report on Emmett's remarkable progress in putting C. H. Spurgeon's New Park Street Pulpit (1855-1860) and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (1861-1917) on the Internet, available around the world.

Spurgeon never had any idea that his sermons would one day "miraculously" be available in this form!

Thank the Lord that He inspired Brother O'Donnell to give himself to this task, and thank the Lord that Bro. Emmett has been enabled to persevere in doing it!

Here is his recent report:

May 15, 2010
Dear Ones,
Let us pray for Grace to give our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, all the praise and honor for using me to complete the modernization of 61 volumes of Brother Spurgeon's sermons. -- Brother Emmett O'Donnell.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God The Father!
Not Mary. Not Mohammed. Not a future Messiah.
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way.(John 14:6).

Visit http://www.spurgeongems.org/ for over 3,500 C. H. Spurgeon sermons in today'slanguage.

"All the history of an elect child of God, even before conversion, will be found to be full of traces of the preventing goodness of the Lord."--Volume 60, Sermon #3413, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit.

READ Brother Emmett's testimony here.

Permission granted to copy and use this article.

Pilgrim Website: http://www.pilgrimpublications.com/

By request, names are added to my personal Email List, or removed.

Publishers of C. H. Spurgeon's Sermons & Other Works

Send your snail-mail address for a printed Price List.

Pilgrim Publications, Box 66, Pasadena, TX 77501

Phone: (713) 477-4261. Fax: (713) 477-7561

VIDEOS ON INTERNET:

"Spurgeon Country"
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/1044139/3888336

Other Pilgrim videos are now available for viewing on
YOUTUBE, YAHOO Video and GOOGLE Video --
Simply enter "Larry Wessels" in the Search box.

YOUTUBE channel page:
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Other Internet Resources:

Selected Email Articles by Bob L. Ross at http://writingsofbobross.tripod.com/1toc1.html

Articles on blogs by Bob:

http://calvinistflyswatter.blogspot.com/
and

http://reformedflyswatter.blogspot.com/

King James Only Resource Center

http://www.kjvonly.org/

*******

"C. H. SPURGEON WORLDWIDE WEB NETWORK"

Psalm 68:11
Spurgeon Gems http://www.spurgeongems.org/
Spurgeon Archive http://www.spurgeon.org/mainpage.htm

Spurgeon sermons in SPANISH http://www.spurgeon.com.mx/
SingleVision Ministries http://www.seegod.org/

"The Prince of Preachers Live!" http://www.charlesspurgeon.net/

Christian Classics http://www.ccel.org/s/spurgeon/

Spurgeon's Devotionals http://www.gospelweb.net/table1fcb.htm

CHS' Sermons on CD / Cassette

http://www.chspurgeon.com/

Pilgrim Publications

http://www.pilgrimpublications.com/

Videos on Hardshellism

LINKS TO
VIDEOS ON HARDSHELLISM

Cultic Hyper-Calvinistic Doctrines of the Primitive Baptist Church Part #1
from CAnswersTV
Bob L. Ross, Director of Pilgrim Publications of Pasadena, Texas, a leading publisher of the works of Charles Haddon Spurgeon in the world, is joined for this...
59:54

Cultic Hyper-Calvinistic Doctrines of the Primitive Baptist Church Part #2
from CAnswersTV
Bob L. Ross, Director of Pilgrim Publications of Pasadena, Texas, a leading publisher of the works of Charles Haddon Spurgeon in the world, is joined for this...
59:26

Cultic Hyper-Calvinistic Doctrines of the Primitive Baptist Church Part #3
from CAnswersTV
Bob L. Ross, Director of Pilgrim Publications of Pasadena, Texas, a leading publisher of the works of Charles Haddon Spurgeon in the world, is joined for this...
59:54

Blessings,

Larry Wessels
1 Peter 3:15

Hardshell Liberal Movement

Stephen Garrett on the Hardshell
"Liberal Movement"

Bob L. Ross' note:

Stephen Garrett, at the BaptistGadfly, has written a very enlightning summary of modern "Hardshellism," especially in relation to Pastor Lasserre Bradley Jr. of Cincinnati, the "radio voice" of the Hardshells (aka Primitive Baptists) for many years. We are publishing a few of his opening paragraphs and the remainder can be read at BaptistGadfly. The modern Reformed "regeneration precedes faith" heresy is at the heart of Hardshellism, as it was in the case of Bradley when he left missionary Bapists for the anti-missionary Hardshell sect.

Also, you may view a video on Hardshellism which I made with Stephen Garrett, a former Hardshell preacher, at --http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5943967/15468873

Hardshell Liberal Movement
by Stephen Garrett

Since I began writing my book against those today who call themselves "Primitive Baptists" (see the link titled "Hardshellism" for chapters published in my ongoing book "The Hardshell Baptist Cult"), I have had several interactions with elders in the PB church. Some of the discussions have involved the "liberal movement," which began among the Hardshells in the 1990's, chiefly as a result of Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church.

Elder Bradley began his ministry as a young teenager among Sovereign Grace Baptists until the late 50's when he and his flock became converted to "Primitive Baptist" teachings and were re-baptized and reconstituted as a Hardshell Church. This event was heralded and applauded by the "Primitive Baptists" as a second Pentecost. Elder Bradley became an overnight sensation among the Hardshells and was the most popular preacher among them, travelling far and wide to hold meetings for them. His radio program, the Baptist Bible Hour, became a leading voice in promoting the denomination.

I know Elder Bradley personally. I have been in his home and have had several telephone conversations with him during the years when I preached for the PB's. I was invited by him to stand in for him at the Cincinnati church. When a young preacher, living in the Cincinnati area, in the mid 70's, I use to visit the Cincinnati church frequently.Elder Bradley and the Cincinnati church were instrumental in constituting my dad's church, which had also formerly been a Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist church, into a Hardshell church in the mid 60's. They re-baptized my dad and his small church, after they united with the Cincinnati church, and then reconstituted them into a church.

What led Elder Bradley, and my father, and some other Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptists, to join the Hardshells was their coming to see that regeneration precedes [faith] in the new birth. This led them to believe that the gospel, and faith and repentance, were not means or accompaniments in regeneration, and were therefore not necessary for regeneration. They embraced the idea that regeneration was distinct from conversion, that the former was necessary for salvation, but the latter was not. They were also led to believe that this view was the view of the Baptists prior to 1832, the formal date when the Hardshells declared non-fellowship with Mission Baptists and became a distinct denomination.

This view also led Elder Bradley to take an unbiblical view of what constitutes the experience of regeneration and what it means to "persevere." He was given the Hardshell hermeneutic regarding passages which seem to teach the necessity of faith in Christ, and the means of the gospel, in order to be eternally saved. He was told that those passages which teach the necessity of faith in Christ for "salvation" did not relate to "eternal" salvation from sin and eternal hell, but to a "timely" salvation from errors, a topic I have addressed exhaustively in my book on the Hardshells.

After several years of preaching for the Hardshells, however, Elder Bradley seems to have become disillusioned with the Hardshells, just as I had in the early 80's. He began to swing back to his older views.

His turning back seems to have started when he organized a "preacher's school" at the Cincinnati church, at first designed for the benefit of young preachers, to help them counsel with their members on many social and spiritual issues. He at once began to be attacked by the hardliners, they accusing him of being "liberal" and departing from the faith and practice of PB's, who had stood against the practice of having anything akin to a seminary, Sunday School, or bible classes.

See here and here for more information by the hardliners against Elder Bradley.

READ THE REMAINDER OF THE ARTICLE AT
BAPTISTGADFLY

Galyon's Gregious Omission

Galyon's Glaring Omission as to
the Heresy of Hyper-Calvinism

Our sometime nemesis, "the rev" James Galyon, has attempted to define for his readers what constitues "Hyper-Calvinism," to which he refers as "Heinous Error."

Yet Galyon himself is guilty of a gregiously heinous error on this matter.

As we have found to often be the case with "the rev," he omits information which would present a more complete representation of the subject under discussion. In the current instance, he lists 16 items which he alleges as characteristics of Hyper-Calvinism, but he does not bother to point out the fact that all Hyper-Calvinists hold to a theory on "Regeneration" which we prefer to categorize as HYBRID CALVINISM. Every Hybrid Calvinist may not agree to all of the 16 items mentioned by "the rev," but if there is a Hyper-Calvinist who does not hold to Hybrid Calvinism, I have failed to learn of him (or her).

We have pointed out that Hybrid Calvinism is a departure from Creedal Calvinism on Effectual Calling whereby the Hybrids separate the Word and Spirit in the work of regeneration, which is contrary to all the Calvinistic creeds.

Hybridism alleges that "regeneration" takes place without the use of the Gospel or Word of God as the instrumental means of the Holy Spirit in producing the New Birth. Supposedly, the elect get "born again before, apart from, and without faith" -- most of them even "born again" either in infancy or "possibly" before the physical birth.

R. C. Sproul, for example, says, "It is possible that God gave me new life within the womb, and over time I came into a deeper understanding of the faith He gave me." Likewise, John Frame alleges, "I hold the Reformed view that children in infancy, even before birth, can be regenerated and saved, presumably before they have any conscious doctrinal beliefs."

The heart of Hybrid Calvinism is what they prefer to call the "ordo salutis," and its evolution is traced by Dr. Shedd to Pedobaptist Francis Turretin. The "regeneration precedes faith" notion is therefore a post-reformation creation of the Pedobaptists.

W. G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, pages 492-494:
"The divines [Puritans] of the seventeenth century very generally do not distinguish between regeneration and conversion, but employ the two as synonyms. Owen does this continually: On the Spirit, III. v. And Charnocke likewise: Attributes, Practical Atheism. The Westminster does not use the term regeneration. In stead of it, it employs the term vocation, or effectual calling. This comprises the entire work of the Holy Spirit in the application of redemption. . . . But this wide use of the term regeneration led to confusion of ideas and views. As there are two distinct words in the language, regeneration and conversion, there are also two distinct notions denoted by them. Consequently, there arose gradually a stricter use of the term regeneration, and its discrimination from conversion.

Turretin (XV. iv. 13) defines two kinds of conversion, as the term was employed in his day. . . . After thus defining, Turretin remarks that the first kind of conversion is better denominated 'regeneration,' because it has reference to the new birth by which man is renewed in the image of his Maker; and the second kind of conversion is better denominated 'conversion,' because it includes the operation and agency of man himself. . . . We shall adopt this distinction between regeneration and conversion. . . . Regeneration is a cause; conversion is an effect."

Thus, Shedd admittedly is a disciple of the Turrentin phantasmagoria.

J. I. Packer likewise attributes this Hybrid theory to post-reformation pedobaptists:

"Many seventeenth century Reformed theologians equated regeneration with effectual calling and conversion with regeneration . . . LATER REFORMED THEOLOGY has defined regeneration more narrowly, as the implanting of the 'seed' from which faith and repentance spring (I John 3:9) in the course of effectual calling."

Louis Berkhof also acknowledged that the theory had post-Creedal development:

"It is true that some Reformed authors have occasionally used the term 'regeneration' as including even sanctification, but that was in the days when the ORDO SALUTIS was not as fully developed as it is today" (Systematic Theology, page 468).

These are well-known "Reformed" Pedobaptist sources, and they are revealing that the "ordo salutis" of modern Reformed theology, which puts "regeneration" prior to faith, is in fact a hybrid development which arose "later" than Calvin, Owen, Watson, Sibbes, and the seventeenth century divines (Puritans) who regarded regeneration and conversion as synonymous.

It should be significant for a Baptist to take note of the fact that many, if not most, of the current notable advocates of Hybrid Calvinism are from the Reformed Pedobaptist (baby baptizers) camp. And even those who are not Pedos generally have been significantly impacted in their thinking by the influence of Pedobaptists. Hybrid Calvinist advocates have never been especially noted for emphasis upon evangelism, soul-winning, and witnessing, but they have made reputations for themselves via their academic writings and "registration fee required" conference appearances.

As Phil Johnson, John MacArthur's associate, has said, "modern Calvinism is producing mostly students and polemicists, not evangelists and preachers." They conduct no evangelistic meetings and do not plant churches as a result of their lack of effort.

Furthermore, no less a Calvinist "reformer" than Iain Murray (a Pedobaptist Hybrid Calvinist) apparently recognizes the lack of evangelistic emphasis in the so-called "resurgence" of Calvinism in our time. In the Preface of his 1995 book, Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism, Murray says:

In the 1960s it seemed to many of us that Spurgeon's continuing significance had to do with his witness to the free-grace convictions of the Reformers and Puritans over against the shallow and non-doctrinal evangelicalism of our day. Thirty years later that witness remains relevant and yet it is apparent that the recovery of doctrinal Christianity is not necessarily our chief need today. In many churches there has been a real increase in knowledge and a resurgence of Calvinistic belief has occurred across the world. The word 'forgotten' is happily far less applicable to Spurgeon than it was forty years ago. But it may well be that the time has come when we need to be MUCH MORE FAMILIAR with a rather different emphasis in Spurgeon. While I know of no evidence that Hyper-Calvinism is recovering strength, it would appear that THE PRIORITY WHICH SOUL-WINNING HAD IN SPURGEON'S MINISTRY IS NOT COMMONLY SEEN TO BE OUR PRIORITY.

The revival of DOCTRINE has scarcely been matched by a revival of EVANGELISM. While not accepting the tenets of Hyper-Calvinism it may well be that we have not been sufficiently alert to the danger of allowing a supposed consistency in doctrine to OVERRIDE THE BIBLICAL PRIORITY OF ZEAL FOR CHRIST AND SOULS OF MEN.

Doctrine without usefulness is no prize. As Spurgeon says, 'You may look down with contempt on some who do not know so much as you, and yet they may have twice your holiness and be doing more service to God.'