The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum SBC to leave or not to leave?

SBC to leave or not to leave?

There are many faithful Churches and Christians who are leaving the SBC. There are also faithful Churches and Christians who choose to stay and fight without compromising.

Who is right and is it a black and white issue?

I have heard both sides of this issue and I do not think it is a black and white issue.

I was given an article recently; that although I have not made my own decision; I believe is at least worth considering.
I myself do not belong to the SBC, but I have a few friends and pastors/theologians that I am a fan of that belong to the SBC.

https://americanreformer.or

Tom

Although I do in a way, I really do not understand the SBC. It is really not a denomination; just a convention of supposedly like-minded chuches. They got the Lottie Moon fund for missionaries, but that is practically the only thing they do together. The SBC national assembly only make some announcements, but nothing is binding. I'm not sure how they were able to kick out the Saddleback Church a few years ago.

They certainly call themselves a denominational.
They even have a statement of faith; they are supposed to
adhere to.
A local Church can leave; or the denomination can vote to
kick a Church out of the denomination.

Tom

What does Scripture tell us?
“Be ye not unequally yoked together.”

This applies first to our religious or ecclesiastical connections. How many Christians are members of so-called “churches,” where much is going on which they know is at direct variance with the Word of God either the teaching from the pulpit, the worldly attractions used to draw the ungodly, and the worldly methods employed to finance it or the constant receiving into its membership of those who give no evidence of having been born again. Believers in Christ who remain in such “churches” are dishonoring their Lord. Should they answer: “Practically all the churches are the same, and were we to resign, what could we do? We must go somewhere on Sundays,” such language would show they are putting their own interests before the glory of Christ. Better stay at home and read God’s Word, than fellowship that which His Word condemns.
~ A.W. Pink

It is difficult to be without a church. It is far worse to affirm what is called a church but is in essence, a synagogue of Satan. A true Church is given to the exercising of Church discipline. One of the three marks of a true Church. A true believer may discipline a false church by leaving or not attending its services.

Take a look at what the Belgic Confession teaches:

Belgic Confession
Article 29. The Marks of the True Church.
We believe that we ought to discern diligently and very carefully from the Word of God what is the true church, for all sects which are in the world today claim for themselves the name of church.

We are not speaking here of the hypocrites, who are mixed in the church along with the good and yet are not part of the church, although they are outwardly in it. We are speaking of the body and the communion of the true church which must be distinguished from all sects that call themselves the church.

The true church is to be recognized by the following marks:
1. It practices the pure preaching of the gospel.
2. It maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them.
3. It exercises church discipline for correcting and punishing sins.

In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and regarding Jesus Christ as the only Head. Hereby the true church can certainly be known and no one has the right to separate from it.

Those who are of the church may be recognized by the marks of Christians. They believe in Jesus Christ the only Saviour, flee from sin and pursue righteousness, love the true God and their neighbour without turning to the right or left, and crucify their flesh and its works. Although great weakness remains in them, they fight against it by the Spirit all the days of their life. They appeal constantly to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of Jesus Christ, in whom they have forgiveness of their sins through faith in Him.

The false church assigns more authority to itself and its ordinances than to the Word of God. It does not want to submit itself to the yoke of Christ. It does not administer the sacraments as Christ commanded in His Word, but adds to them and subtracts from them as it pleases. It bases itself more on men than on Jesus Christ. It persecutes those who live holy lives according to the Word of God and who rebuke the false church for its sins, greed, and idolatries.

These two churches are easily recognized and distinguished from each other.
Rev 2:9; Rom 9:6; Gal 1:8; 1 Tim 3:15; Acts 19:3-5; 1 Cor 11:20-29; Mt 18:15-17; 1 Cor 5:4-5, 13; 2 Thes 3:6, 14; Tit 3:10; Jn 8:47, 17:20; Acts 17:11; Eph 2:20; Col 1:23; 1 Tim 6:3; 1 Thes 5:21; 1 Tim 6:20; Rev 2:6; Jn 10:14; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18 Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 4:2 10Rom 6:2; Php 3:12; 1 Jn 4:19-21; Gal 5:24; Rom 7:15; Gal 5:17; Rom 7:24-25; 1 Jn 1:7-9; Acts 4:17-18; 2 Tim 4:3-4; 2 Jn 9; Jn 16:2

Titus 3:10,11 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.

Mt 18:15-17 And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. 17 And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.

1 Cor 5:4-5 in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Cor 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.

2 Thes 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.

2 Thes 3:14,15 And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15 And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Chestnutmare
I agree for the most part with what is said above.
Yet, we are speaking of the SBC, not individual Churches.

I have been a believer now for about 45 years.
I have in that time, mainly because of moves to different cities and heresy coming into
the local Church, left.

Also during that time, I have been in faithful Churches, who had to decide
whether to leave their denomination, or stay and fight to try to return their denomination to their statement of faith; until it becomes evident it is a fruitless endeavour.

Basically, what I have found is there has never been a denomination in that 45
years, that has not been affected by liberalism to one degree or another.

Tom