Preaching Brother's Correspondence (Part 2)

[Editor's note: In last week's article, the telephone conversation between a Baptist "pastor" and our friend, Preaching Brother (from another state) was being recounted. The "pastor" (designated DL for Denominational Leader) had sent out a form letter to "members" of that congregation, encouraging them to return. The letter was sent out 12 years after the Preaching Brother (PB) had left it (when still a teenager). Preaching Brother responded to the letter to ask in particular when he had ever made a pledge to that congregation and what did the pledge consist of? To his surprise, he received a telephone call from the man, which has mostly been reported. The conversation picks up here where it left off last week.]

DL: You just want to argue.

PB: Will you answer?

DL: [Silence]

PB: DL, it's just like I told you at the first. No one answers my questions. Will you answer?

DL: Maybe. [After repeated questions]: I may send it to you sometime.

PB: I really want to have correspondence with you over these matters.

DL: If you were taught that you were wrong, would you accept it?

PB: If it were true.

DL: If you were taught that you were wrong, would you change?

PB: Yes, I would. My soul is more important to me than anything there is.

DL: I don't feel that you will. You are twisting the truth and refusing to listen!

PB: Mr. DL, if you show me I'm wrong and give me Scriptures for each point you teach.... [interrupted]

DL: You won't listen!

PB: Wait a minute! Let's keep an open mind about this! Will you answer the letter I sent and give Scripture for everything you teach?

DL: Yes! We have a Scripture for everything! We teach the same thing the Bible does!

PB: Will you answer my letter?

DL: I may do it sometime.

PB: Come on, Mr. DL. I really want to hear from you. I challenge you to answer my letter.

PB: Will you?

DL: I might sometime.

PB: I hope that you do! Look, I know that this phone call is costing you; so answer my letter, and we can get this straightened out. OK?

DL made no further comments—not even an amiable, "Good-bye"—and the conversation came to an end. Eighteen days later PB wrote a letter to DL. In the meantime, he had done some research and found the covenant he had been told he agreed to. Below are some excerpts from that letter, dated February 28, 1981 (some minor edits were made).

I am sorry to say that you have convinced me of what I had thought previously concerning those of your belief. That is, that you are not scripturally able to properly defend your beliefs and that you refuse to answer questions of those who honestly ask….

At the beginning of our phone conversation, you stated you would answer my questions, but before we had finished, all that you would say was, "I might sometime." Mr. DL, Peter said to be ready to give an answer to those asking for the reason of the hope that lies within you (1 Peter 3:15). I have asked you two times to do just that, and you have refused. I don't worry about myself, but you have violated that which the apostle Peter declared that a Christian should do! … I plead with you to examine your motives for not being in compliance with God's Holy Writ!

.. Your covenant also states that you were to "seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances," but you deemed it unnecessary to try to seek my salvation any further than to accuse me of heresy against your covenant! Why am I guilty of heresy in the Baptist Church and not guilty of heresy in the Bible? Is it that you require more than God does? If you feel that I am guilty according to the Scriptures, I DEMAND that you show me, in the Scriptures, so that I may make the proper corrections and therefore make sure of my eternity! If you refuse, would not this be intentional and premeditated negligence on your part, to save a soul from the fires of hell? You not only owe it to me to try and save my soul but also to yourself….

[Editor's observation: If he was "saved" as a Baptist, and they teach, "Once saved, always saved," can he actually be lost for heresy?]

You also told me in our conversation that if indeed Alexander Campbell started a restoration movement, then Jesus would be a liar. I don't understand your reasoning. You used the phrase, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). How would this make Jesus a liar? The gates of hell refers to death, according to Arndt and Gingrich (1979).

Your thinking is that the kingdom will never cease to exist from any given moment to the next down through the ages to the modern day. You use this text in Matthew to establish just that. The Greek does not bear this out! It is death that will not prevail against the kingdom! This verse does not refer to anything else! So how does this verse make Jesus a liar?

…the Baptist manual says that the Baptist Church came into existence 1607-1609. It is therefore an addition to the original church. Does man have authority to add anything to that which God has created through Jesus Christ?

… You also told me that I was wrong in the training I received in English and the ability to diagram Acts 2:38. After doing further research, I found that practically nobody, including Baptist scholars, sees it the way you said it was. I will be glad to send documented materials, at my cost, to show you what I found. All that you have to do is ask….

I would also like for you to explain to me the statement that you made concerning Acts 19:1-5. You said, "He had no authority." Did you mean the apostle Paul or the one that baptized them the first time? I don't think you meant Paul, but if you didn't, I would like to know who you were referring to! The Bible does not mention anyone else.

You also asked me if I would change if you showed me the truth. I told you, YES, but where is the truth that you said I needed? You haven't replied to my questions! You have not offered any proof for me to believe! If you have the truth that would give me salvation, and refuse to give it to me, then you are sentencing me to the second death! You do NOT have that right! If you have the truth, then why did I not receive it twelve years ago when I was among you? …

You tried to justify your refusal to answer me by saying, "You just want to argue." Mr. DL, where did you go to school in order to know what someone else was thinking?

I have realized by this that you do not have the slightest intention of answering any of my questions. I also realize that you care less as to what I think. What I would like to ask is: How can anyone who claims to be a Christian be apathetic toward those who are, you say, doomed? If I indeed am a heretic in the eyes of God, I deserve the opportunity to mend my ways. You, however, refuse this to me. What type of representative of God would act in the way you have? If you continue to do so, I pray your conscience will never give you rest until you are in complete agreement with the will of God!

2 Peter 3:9 says that the Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance…. Matthew 7:21 tells us that he who does the will of God shall enter into heaven. This is the last time that you will hear from me if you continue to be silent. I leave you to your conscience and your God.

[Editor's note: Our Preaching Brother never heard again by phone or by letter, which is not surprising given the direction of the conversation. One cannot help but wonder why DL called PB in the first place. Presumably it was to answer his question, but he never did. Nor was PB anything but polite, although he was interrupted repeatedly. DL accused PB of being argumentative several times, but who was the one who refused to provide information, rudely interrupted, and failed to respond several times to the question asked—either by silence or jumping to another subject? These are all earmarks of someone not engaging in honest discussion. If people ask us what we believe, we give them a Bible answer. We don't say, "I might send you some information."

Furthermore, we would not insult someone by telling him he does not know the Greek or how to diagram a sentence in English—unless it was true. But in that case we would show the person the correct way to do it and point out where he made his mistake. In other words, we would offer proof rather than baseless accusations. Over the years, this editor has received many questions and requests for information—and has never failed yet to provide it. The same is so with other brethren. DL's behavior in this matter was subpar, to say the least.

Although the word is over-used and misused in today's society, the fact is that DL actually acted in a judgmental manner. When PB said he would change if he had been taught wrongly, he was interrupted with a harsh, "I don't feel that you will!" Excuse me? Does DL claim to have the ability that Jesus did—to know a human's heart?

Then DL accused him of twisting the truth and refusing to listen. All PB did was cite a Scripture. He didn't even get to make an argument from the verse before he was interrupted. How can someone twist the Scriptures without even being allowed to explain them? When PB asked for Scriptures from DL, all he could say was, "You won't listen!" This judgmental attitude is not worthy of anyone claiming to be a spiritual leader. If any other Baptist wants to answer PB's question, he (and the rest of us) would be interested in seeing it. In the New Testament, Jesus' followers call themselves Christians. So, why do you call yourself Baptists?]