Arkansas Fellowship Formed

by   T.C. Pinckney                                                                                                                                              Vol. VI, No. 4, May 1993

This article is based upon one by Trennis Henderson that appeared in the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine of 25 march 1993. Henderson is editor of the Newsmagazine. The "Cooperative" Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas was officially established 5 March in Little Rock as approximately 100 gathered to adopt a constitution and bylaws. Billy White, pastor of Second Church, Little Rock, was elected moderator. White said, "This is an official identification with the values that we share [with the national CBF], including the central value of freedom."

Excuse me, but I thought our freedom only springs from faith in Christ (Romans 3:22), that without Him we are born into and remain bound by slavery to self-centered sin (Romans 3:23). Our freedom, then, is not a "central value" as White pronounced, but rather is a privilege unmerited by us, yet still bestowed by the vicarious atonement of our Lord. Thus, our freedom is derivative, not primary. Moreover, "whosoever will save his life shall lose it" (Matthew 16:25) and "whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:44-45)

It bothers me when I hear Christians emphasizing their rights and prerogatives. I can't help wondering whether their priorities are right. With these thoughts in mind, check the following two paragraphs which are just as printed in the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine:

According to the preamble to the state fellowship's constitution, "As followers of Jesus Christ, we are free and faithful baptized believers. ... We recognize that all believers are priests unto God, able to know and do the will of God. Believers therefore are free to interpret and apply the Scriptures as they believe the Holy Spirit directs, and not according to ecclesiastical creeds or manmade documents."

The preamble goes on to affirm local church autonomy, voluntary cooperation, soul freedom, equality among believers, and separation of church and state. "Our only purpose is God's will, our understanding of which is constantly growing," the preamble continues. "Our only claim is Christ. Our only power is His love."

Now a number of the phrases in the above two paragraphs are quite correct, in some cases even eloquent, points no true Baptist would take exception to. But I fear that in some instances the eloquence may camouflage both a lack of specificity and an emphasis at variance with the servant orientation Christ commands. For example, just what does it mean, "Believers therefore are free to interpret and apply the Scriptures as they believe the Holy Spirit directs..." (emphasis added)? Does this mean that one man's interpretation is as good as any other's? Does this give me license to take Scripture out of context? Does this justify a seminary professor asserting "Jesus would never have had the audacity to claim the deity!"? Does this mean I am free to deny the historicity of Adam and Eve and no one can say me nay?

What about "our understanding of which is constantly growing"? Is this supportive of continuing, progressive revelation? Does it perhaps equate experience with Scripture as sources of authority? Or does it merely mean that as we continue to study Scripture and put it into practice the Holy Spirit opens our minds to more of its beauties and content? One cannot tell from the quotes, and that is the problem.

Another example. National CBF coordinator, Dr. Cecil Sherman, spoke at the Arkansas meeting. Describing the nature of Scripture, Sherman said the Bible "is the objective unit of measure of God's voice in all time." Hmmmm. "The objective unit of measure of God's voice in all time." Does anyone care to guess what this sonorous phrase means in words of one syllable that even this redneck fundamentalist can understand straight out?

He obviously does NOT mean the Bible is inerrant, for he heads an organization the members of which go into a tizzy anytime someone even mentions the "i" word.

It may be instructive to contrast the quotations in this article with the accompanying piece, "The Decline of Doctrine," by Al Mohler, the new president of Southern Seminary. "The objective unit of measure of God's voice in all time." Hmmm???