Attitudes or Viewpoints Toward the Bible

January 25th, 2012

Study By: J. Hampton Keathley, III
Copyright ©1996-2006 Biblical Studies Press, reprinted with permission from http://bible.org .

In the study of bibliology it is important to be aware of the various attitudes people either have or with which they approach the Scriptures. We will divide these attitudes toward the Bible into six different categories.

(1) Rationalism. The philosophy behind rationalism is “The theory that the exercise of reason, rather than the acceptance of empiricism, authority, or spiritual revelation, provides the only valid basis for action or belief and that reason is the prime source of knowledge and of spiritual truth.”7 The rationalistic approach toward the Bible may be extreme or moderate.

In its extreme form it denies divine revelation and represents the belief of atheists and agnostics. Moderate rationalism may admit divine revelation but tends to accept only those parts of divine revelation that personal reason approves. Under this approach the Bible is not viewed as authoritative, but the moderated rationalist seeks to eliminate or honor various Scriptures as he may choose. This is often the attitude of modern liberals.8

The issue in rationalism is that the mind is supreme and becomes the final authority.

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Unconditional Election – A Doctrine of God’s Sovereign Grace

January 9th, 2012

Elder Jimmy Fulmer
Shoal Creek Primitive Baptist Church

This year is an election year.  Registered voters will have the right, based on our country’s constitution, to freely choose who they want to be our nation’s leaders.  Most everyone can understand this kind of national election.

God has an election, too; however, it is not of a national kind.  God’s election is one concerning salvation.  Before the beginning of the world, He chose certain individuals to be saved.

We might ask, “Why does God have the right to choose whom He saves?”  I answer; because God is sovereign.   What exactly does that mean?, it means  that God is God.   That no one has the right to tell God what He can or cannot do.   .”  God is sovereign, which means, He does what He pleases, when He pleases, where He pleases, and with whom He pleases.   Psalm 115:3 tell us , “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”

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Mankind Dead In Sin – A Doctrine of God’s Sovereign Grace

December 30th, 2011

Elder Jimmy Fulmer
Shoal Creek Primitive Baptist Church

Primitive Baptists believe men are born in sin.  The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 2:1 said, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”  Dead, in this verse, means a corpse. As we all know, a corpse can not respond to any kind of stimulus.  Webster’s Dictionary explains stimulus:  “This word may be formed on the root of stem, a shoot. Literally, a goad; hence, something that rouses from languor; that which excites or increases action in the animal system, as a stimulus in medicine; or that which rouses the mind or spirits; as, the hope of gain is a powerful stimulus to labor and action.”

We believe the Bible teaches man’s total inability to respond by believing, repenting, turning, hearing, seeing, or any other spiritual activity, because he is dead to spiritual things.  1Cor.2:14 tells us “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

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