Circles of Inclusion

When you read my last posting, you may feel I am encouraging unity at any price, but that is not what I said. Unity in the Christian body is important but there are times when you not only should divide but you must divide.

There are circles of fellowship that are built on a biblical model and there are those who are not in any of our circles. For example, within the twelve Jesus had the three but Jesus did not embrace the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The first circle of inclusion is to determine whether or not the person is a Christian. This is determined by how a person talks and walks.

A person can not be saved and deny the deity of Jesus Christ according to 1John 4:2-3.

Hereby you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1John 4:2-3

In addition, Jesus requires us to be “fruit inspectors” by determining the strength of the relationship based upon the persons actions.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20

A part of confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is recognizing the source from which we learn about Christ is authoritative. Accepting the Inerrancy of the Scriptures is key to embracing the Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.

If you do not accept the truth and reliability of the Scriptures, Jesus Christ may be redefined to mean another person than the God Incarnate, Word who became flesh, who is the only way to God the Father.

There are people today who are working at forming alliances between “Baptists.” They do so embracing other “Baptist” but overlooking the Word of God. Their common ground is not Scripture, or the Jesus Christ of Scripture, they wish to stand on the basis of their own preferences.

Here are some quotes from an article in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012001295.html

Former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are leading an effort to forge dozens of small and medium-size, black and white Baptist organizations into a robust coalition that would serve as a counterweight to the conservative Southern Baptist Convention.

The new coalition, which is Carter's brainchild, would give moderate Baptists a stronger collective voice and could provide Democrats with greater entree into the Baptist community. But Carter and other organizers are trying to walk a fine line, insisting that the alliance is not directly political while touting its potential to recast the role of religion in the public square.

The covenant would not be not a new denomination but a coalition of four historically black Baptist churches -- including the 7.5-million-member National Baptist Convention USA and the 2.5-million-member Progressive National Baptist Convention -- and several predominantly white Baptist groups, including the 1.4-million-member American Baptist Churches USA and the 500,000-member Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Together, they have more than 20 million members, outnumbering the SBC, which was not invited to the Atlanta meeting.

Make no mistake about it, this coalition is not based upon Christ but upon a political cause. This cause is not scriptural; it is purely anti-SBC.

I have no doubt this new coalition will have some success in their political agenda – but only for now. Most of this coalition will still be here after the Christians are removed in the gathering, spoken of by Paul.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thessalonians 4:16-17

I do not fear this new group; I do not embrace them or their cause either. I do, however, embrace all Southern Baptists who stand with me inside the circle of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

That document can be found here:
http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp