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God spoke through a word of prophecy in May 1968, and said, ‘I have chosen you to usher in the coming of My Son.’
-- Pat Roberston, Sermon on Satellite Network Seminar
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News: Theology Means Little When it Comes to Activism
Posted on Friday, April 22 @ 06:44:34 PDT by Kurt Fietch |
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By Pastor Chuck Baldwin
As most of my readers probably know, I am a pre-millennial Baptist. That means I am dispensational in my understanding of eschatology. Yes, Gertrude, I believe in the Rapture. However, many of my Christian friends hold to Covenant or Reformed Theology and are post-millennial in their understanding of eschatology. Still others are Roman Catholic, and some claim no theology at all. When it comes to civic activism, it doesn't seem to make much difference.
Many post-millennialists believe that the reason more of my dispensational brethren are not engaged in the political affairs of this country is because of their theology. I know many Armenians who feel the same way about Calvinists.
The fact is, one can find activists and the apathetic in every theological camp. I know many Calvinists who are totally disengaged when it comes to Christian activism, while dispensationalists are very much engaged. The same can be said of Armenians, Catholics, etc.
Adding more quandary to the formula is the fact that there are many non-Christians who are extremely involved in moral and spiritual causes while many of their Christian counterparts (of any persuasion) are noticeably absent from the public square. This has always amazed me.
How is it that unsaved people can have more discernment and courage regarding the crucial issues impacting our country than saved people? But this seems to be the case many times over.
I even know Mormons (whom I believe are heretical regarding cardinal doctrines of Christianity) who demonstrate more courage and more appreciation for America's founding principles than many of my Baptist brethren. Incredible!
Rather than theology, it seems that personal zeal and courage are the deciding factors that motivate people to activism. If one lacks these, it really doesn't seem to matter what brand of theology he or she embraces.
For example, I often hear people criticizing pastors and churches for accepting the IRS tax exempt status, because they believe this is why pastors and Christians are not involved. However, as a Baptist pastor for nearly thirty years, I see it differently.
In my opinion, the 501(c)3 tax status is only a tree that pastors use to hide behind. If suddenly the tree is removed, they would find another tree to hide behind. The problem is not the tree; it is the cowardice of the one who hides behind it! The same could be said for any other excuse pastors and Christians are using to not engage the culture.
Of course, courage and personal responsibility are virtues that are generated from within; they are not forced from without. One is either willing or not, laws, regulations, and other interferences notwithstanding.
Therefore, I think it is time to stop blaming outside encumbrances or denominational nuances and start putting the blame where it rightly belongs: upon the shoulders of each and every one of us as American citizens (regardless of our theology) to stand for the principles upon which our country was established!
One will find just about every denomination of the Christian faith represented among America's founding generation. Yet, they all accepted their personal responsibility to actively engage the cultural and political direction of the country. So must we!
Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
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Re: Theology Means Little When it Comes to Activism (Score: 1)
 by Virgil on Friday, April 22 @ 06:51:04 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | Nice try! This is an easy way to find excuses Chuck! The idea that what you believe doesn't affect your actions is absolutely ridiculous. History proves you wrong. Yes, there are cowards in the Church, but the cowards are produced by bad theology.
Dispensationalist theology is a theology of despair and a disasruous future. It is a theology of social impotence. Nothing you say can change the reality of it - what's worse is that Dispensationalism can become a self-fulfilled prophecy, because you control politicians with nuclear weapons. What a nightmare! |
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Re: Theology Means Little When it Comes to Activism (Score: 1)
 by Parker on Friday, April 22 @ 08:31:31 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | It is true that some modern dispensationalists have become more politically engaged than before, but that's because they have *radically* departed from the copious teachings of their early founders on this matter.
Early dispensationalist writers like J. N. Darby, C. A. Coates, J. Taylor and others wrote whole treatises against social interaction and engagement. They spent much ink slandering voters and even arguing that going to work was a necessary evil--for, the "world system" (i.e., economics, education, labor, etc.) were all run by satan! These escapists truly believed that such withdrawal from the "world system" was necessary for holiness and to escape the endtimes judgments.
As DeMar has noted at this site and elsewhere, many recent dispensationalist teachers have departed from their early tradition and now seek political representation and involvment. But this new engagement openly contradicts their central thesis about the impending endtimes doom, and therefore will be short lived.
This pastor Church Baldwin is kidding himself if he thinks all theologies produce equal results, implications, and consequences. Such a claim is absurd. All ideas have consequences, whether good or bad. Again, if dispensationalists were *consistent,* they would run for the hills and wait for the world to implode (just as the Jerusalem church did when they abandoned the city in AD 66-67 ). |
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Re: Theology Means Little When it Comes to Activism (Score: 1)
by leslie on Friday, April 22 @ 09:44:10 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Chuck, as a 20years Southern Baptist, I have heard thousands of Sermons from 'Crazed','drooling' preachers yelling. Stay out of Government, it is all evil,god must let this 'evil' Government take it's course in (gad)Liberalism. They scream,"The 'world' must get worse and worse in oreder for the 'Lord to come. Their main and only message is to ,'save souls,'save souls',save souls.They never seem to care about 'the person' only 'his' soul. You say it is the unsaved that seem to have more discernment and courage for Americas founding priciples than Baptists. Chuck, deep down your theology is antiAmerican. The 'unsaved' and a lot of 'others'Christians besides Dipsy Baptists look long term. While most if not all dispensatialists look very, very short term. Don't get me started on that 501 (c) 3 statis of 'the church'. Coruption abounds and I believe that the 'Baptist'Church (and many others) lie to the people in the pews about 'tithing' and have Hellashishly bloated budgets. I had read somewhere that the denomination of Baptist in American invented, just like Mormonism. interesting. Yes Chuck, I have been called a heretic for not following all Baptist Creeds and submiting to 'the Church'. Oh well, Jesus was a heretic too. And by the way I am still a Southern Batist.(Jesus said to go where the sinners are). As most Baptist preachers, Chuck, you preach a good"I feel good" sermon, but as most Bapist sermons, you are full of a lot of hot air. |
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Re: Theology Means Little When it Comes to Activism (Score: 1)
by Sam on Saturday, April 23 @ 10:34:05 PDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | There is something here that rings true: eschatology is "irrelevant" to day. Why? BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN FULFILLED! Thus, these guys can preach Antichrist all day long and it matters not because it, well, don't matter. That is why I can still work hand in hand with others when it comes to making a difference in our communities. The Terry Schaivo case, for example, witnessed in my backyard, did not have an eschatological litmus test before we could pray together. That's the point. Eschatology can be set aside (on one hand) because it has been fullfilled (on the other, which is our view and the importance of continuing to show the relevance of preaching Preterism). We are not erecting a new eschatology inasmuch as we are simply destroying old models and traditions that impede further, greater, social action TOGETHER as one church.
Samuel Frost |
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- by djelectrop on Sunday, April 24 @ 15:37:27 PDT
- by Sam on Monday, April 25 @ 21:29:20 PDT
- by djelectrop on Tuesday, April 26 @ 12:36:03 PDT
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