Deleting Jesus

Search the Scriptures Daily Program #3705b Transcript follows: This is Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call.  Still to come, answers to you questions in Contending for the Faith, and, in Understanding the Scriptures, Dave and Tom will resume their conversation on God’s salvation.        Does God love only some of us?  Has He already determined those elect who will live forever with Him in heaven?  Are you one of the elect, and if not, is there anything you can do about it?  The doctrine of Calvinism, its five points and their implications for the body of Christ are discussed and debated in two powerful books from Dave Hunt and The Berean Call.  Debating Calvinism, Five Points, Two Views features a written debate between Dave Hunt and James White, published by Multnomah.  In an easy to ready format, Hunt and White exchange energetic letters addressing this long argued topic.  Co-author of The Seduction of Christianity, and co-host of Search the Scriptures Daily Radio, Dave Hunt:  The influence of Calvinism is growing greatly in the church today, it’s very important that we understand, and we did debate in Calvinism so that you could have a debate in writing.  You can go back and forth and read exactly what each side said, and think it over carefully rather than an emotional debate.       And, in what some are calling the definitive work on this topic don’t miss Dave Hunt’s What Love is This? Calvinism’s misrepresentation of God.  In this recently expanded and up-dated edition, Dave exhaustively documents the unscriptural nature of this doctrine that comes perilously close to blasphemy.  Once again, Dave Hunt:  We did a new, revised, edition of What Love is This? because so many Calvinists were criticizing what I had said.  I went through all of their criticisms and answered them in this new and expanded version, Debating Calvinism, Five Points, Two Views, and What Love is This? Calvinism’s misrepresentation of God in e-book or hard cover are both available from The Berean Call.  Information on how to order in just a moment.  In addition to this radio program we publish a monthly newsletter, which we make available free of charge.  We also produce and distribute a wide variety of teaching materials including books, video and audio tapes and other items to encourage the serious study of God’s Word.  For a complete list of materials or to get a copy of today’s broadcast, write to us at POB 7019, Bend, Oregon 97708.  Call our toll free order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org.  If you would like a copy of this broadcast, ask for program #3705, and be sure to mention the call letters of this station.  We’ll repeat this information at the end of the program.       RELIGION IN THE NEWS Now, Religion in the News, a report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media.  This week’s item is from The Lexington Herald Leader, July 16, 2005, with a headline:  “Jesus Deleted From Group’s Constitution,” Grapevine, Texas.  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, an alliance of 1800 congregations that oppose conservative leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention removed the mention of Jesus Christ from its constitution at an annual meeting, Baptist media reported.  Previously, the fellowship’s stated purpose was to bring Baptists together so “the gospel of Jesus Christ will be spread throughout the world in glad obedience to the great commission” referring to Jesus’ call to win disciples.  The new language says the purpose is “to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.”  The 2300 voters defeated two bids from the floor to defer the change to a committee.  Southern Baptist Convention leaders criticized the rival group for making the change.  The Reverend Russell Moore, a dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville said, This represents the eclipse of Christ.  But the Reverend Bob Setser of Macon, Georgia, moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship said, Jesus is present in all we think, do and say in CBF, and anybody who reads that statement otherwise is not being fair to Jesus or us.       Tom: Dave, this is a bit confusing.  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, an alliance of 1800 congregations that oppose conservative leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention remove the mention of Jesus Christ from its constitution at an annual meeting.  Now, what’s the difference between conservative and liberal?  I would think a conservative, I mean, people that are conservative, or those that go by the Bible, want to do what the scriptures say, that’s usually the implication, although many conservatives don’t even go that far, but when you are liberal you are kind of open to lots of other things, lots of ideas, some things in scripture, but certainly lots of things outside.  And the purpose of removing or referring to Jesus Christ in their constitution, I don’t get it, why would you not want to mention the name of Jesus?       Dave: Well, instead of saying, The gospel of Jesus Christ will be spread throughout the world in glad obedience to the great commission; they have changed it to say, Our purpose is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.  So, I guess that kind of leaves it open, what is our God-given mission.  Well, you can define that any way you want and you are not tied down to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Maybe they consider that’s too narrow-minded and dogmatic.  They don’t want to have to do that, plus there are a lot of other interesting things to talk about from the pulpit.  I don’t know, Tom, it seems rather strange.  Why would they take Jesus Christ out?       Tom: That’s what he said, Jesus is present in all we think, do and say in CBF and anybody who reads the statement otherwise is not being fair to Jesus or us.  I don’t get this, Dave, although I do get the idea, as we are seeing that mission and purpose, you know, we’ve kind of moved into a kind of social activism based on the Bible—We’re going to solve people’s problems, get out and do these kinds of things, but as the guy from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says, This is an eclipse, a blocking out of Christ, and I have to agree with him.       Dave: Well, but of course they would say, Well, we still preach Christ.  Well then, why did you take it out of the constitution?  Seems a bit odd— the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then, of course you’ve got all kinds of Christs out there, so I don’t know that that would even tie them down, gospel of Jesus Christ, they could define that as they want.       Tom: Which many do.       Dave: There must have been a reason why they have changed this.  Are they afraid of offending someone with the name of Jesus Christ?       Tom: Are they trying to make it more acceptable to a wider range of people? But that runs into all kinds of problems.        Dave: So, our God-given mission— well. what God do you believe in?   And you don’t have to believe in Jesus anymore, you’ve got a God-given mission and something we are supposed to accomplish for God.  So, when you begin to talk about God in general and you leave Jesus Christ out, then you have problems.       Tom: Well, you don’t have the solution to mankind’s problems.       Dave: That’s right.  A lot of people will talk about God, some higher power, we want to do God’s will, you know.  What does God want for us?   But when you talk about Jesus Christ—well, wait a minute!  Now, that ties it down.  Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.  Well, if you don’t want to go along with that, then you are going to have to change definitions so that we can talk about God instead of Jesus Christ.       Tom: They will not put up with sound doctrine in the last days.   I think that’s what we are seeing here.       Dave: It seems to be what they are up to, Tom.