By Mark W. Christy, PhD
This article is the tenth in a series designed to carefully consider the theological position against Calvinism taken by those who have signed what is called A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation (released in 2012). In short form, this document is commonly known as the Traditionalist Statement (TS) among Southern Baptists. Presently, comments will be made in response to Article 9 of the TS:
Article Nine: The Security of the Believer
We affirm that when a person responds in faith to the Gospel, God promises to complete the process of salvation in the believer into eternity. This process begins with justification, whereby the sinner is immediately acquitted of all sin and granted peace with God; continues in sanctification, whereby the saved are progressively conformed to the image of Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit; and concludes in glorification, whereby the saint enjoys life with Christ in heaven forever.
We deny that this Holy Spirit-sealed relationship can ever be broken. We deny even the possibility of apostasy.
John 10:28-29; 14:1-4; 16:12-14; Philippians 1:6; Romans 3:21-26; 8:29,30; 35-39; 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:12; Colossians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:19; 3:2; 5:13-15; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 13:5; James 1:12; Jude 24-25
The denial mentioned in TS Article 9 clarifies that those who support TS affirm all true believers endure until the end (this teaching is sometimes referred as once saved always saved). Likewise, Calvinists also hold to this position and commonly refer to their stance on this matter in the doctrine of perseverance of the saints and preservation of the saints. While this agreement between the two opposing sides is refreshing, some questions demand an answer.
First, the signatories of TS take great lengths to uphold the idea of libertarian free will in regard to the salvation response. Given their insistence, one wonders how God could forcibly prevent believers from choosing freely to abandon their faith and apostatize. It would seem this statement would be greatly improved by an article (or at least some additional language within an article) that addresses this concern.
Second, a careful reading of the affirmation within TS Article 9 seems to demonstrate that the drafters are taking the position that the salvation process in regard to a particular believer does not begin until after the response of repentance and faith is made to the gospel. For this to be so, faith and repentance would have to be works of the flesh and not gifts of God as Scripture upholds.[i] In support of Scriptural teaching on this topic, the BFM2000 says that “[r]epentance and faith are inseparable experiences of God’s grace.”[ii] Along with this declaration, the BFM2000 also adds that the whole process leading up to the saving response is an act of God’s grace whereby the Holy Spirit works in the human heart and convicts the sinner of sin.
[i]See Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; The BFM
[ii]Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Available at: https://fbctlh.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Baptist-Faith-Message-for-web.pdf. This resource is available across the web, so if the link breaks a search for it will render another site that offers the same document.