The 19 men and women who drafted the proposed revision of the Baptist Faith and Message Statement are all good and godly people. They are seminary presidents, leading pastors, outstanding evangelists, prominent laymen, well-known state workers and more. They represent the best among us.
Traditionally, Baptists would affirm the report of such a committee with little comment, and that may be the case when Southern Baptists gather June 13-14 in Orlando, Fla., for their annual convention. However, in our judgment, the proposed revision is fatally flawed and, if not amended, should be defeated.
There are several questionable points. For example, did God reveal Himself in events, history, relationships and ultimately in Jesus Christ? If so, then the Bible is the divinely inspired “record of God’s revelation of Himself.” But the words “record of” trouble some Baptists. They believe the words detract from the importance of the Bible and propose omitting the words in the revision. Others want the phrase to remain, saying that without it Baptists border on “bibliolotry,” worshiping the Bible as the revelation itself.
In the same section, the revision identifies Christ “as the focus of divine revelation.” Some contend the statement is too narrow. They argue God has been in the business of revealing Himself. To limit the focus of revelation to one person of the Holy Trinity is too confining, they say.
Since Christ is the ultimate revelation of God, most of those who are unhappy with the proposed revisions believe the phrase “The criteria by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ” should be left in the Baptist Faith and Message. The new statement omits the sentence.
These and other issues, such as the role of women, are important and deserve attention. But the fatal flaw, in our judgment, is the omission of any reference to soul competency and its corollary, priesthood of believers. In the current Baptist Faith and Message, these doctrines are outlined in the preface and form a filter through which the rest of the statement is understood. The proposed statement makes no mention of them.
Soul competency and priesthood of all believers undergird much of what Baptists believe about a relationship with God. They form a foundation for other doctrines.
Personal religion: For example, Baptists believe in a personal religion. Each person decides individually to accept or reject Jesus Christ. As one writer has said, “There can be no delegated religion, no proxy faith, no inherited relationship to God.”
Each individual must personally repent. Each individual must personally abandon sin. Each individual must personally take up his cross.
Each individual must personally commit to follow Christ. Without soul competency and priesthood of believers, one does not have a personal religion.
Direct access to God: The same two doctrines provided the understanding of direct access to God. There is no mediator between God and man except for the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. All Christians can “come boldly” before God through Christ. All believers can pray to God. All believers can intercede with God for others. All believers can offer God praise and worship.
Equal access to God: In addition to direct access to God, soul competency and priesthood of believers mean all Christians have equal access to God. Churchly prominence or prestige provides no boost into God’s presence. Instead, every Christian has immediate, equal and full access to the heavenly Father. One writer put it this way: “The throne room of heaven is open to all, and God’s ear is always tuned to hear the prayer and praise of even the most humble believer.”
Equal standing before God: Soul competency and priesthood of believers allow Baptists to practice democratic church government under the headship of Jesus Christ. Standing in the church is not based on worldly differences of wealth, education and experience. God is no respecter of persons. Neither is His church. All are equal in God’s sight and in the church. The humblest and the mightiest stand on the level ground at the foot of the cross.
Baptists believe every believer has access to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That, together with our commitment to equal standing before God and in the church, provides the basis for congregational church polity.
Freedom of interpretation: Soul competency and priesthood of believers form the basis for the Baptist commitment to freedom of interpretation. Some Christian groups believe only the hierarchy of the church can determine what the Bible teaches. They believe others are bound to follow the course set by church officials. That is not the Baptist way.
Baptists were among the earliest champions of putting the Bible in the language of the common man so every person could read the Word of God for himself. The Holy Spirit is the guide to help one understand and interpret what one reads.
The Bible does not belong to church officials or seminary professors alone. It is God’s gift to all.
Religious liberty: Soul competency and priesthood of believers also provide the foundation for religious liberty, a hallmark of Baptists. No human being or human organization can tell a believer what to believe or how to worship. To do so places that person or that organization between God and His crowning creation, mankind. That position belongs only to Jesus Christ. Therefore, each soul must be free to respond to God personally. That means religious freedom for all.
Soul competency and priesthood of believers are a cornerstone of Baptist belief. No statement of faith should be adopted that does not explicitly outline a commitment to these positions. That is why we have reluctantly concluded that the proposed statement should be defeated unless it is amended to clearly state the historic Baptist commitment to these doctrines.
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