Dr. J. R. Graves wrote (emphasis mine):
"I have no language in which to express my utter abhorrence to, and repudiation of these popish doctrines of sacramental efficacy and ritual regeneration and salvation." -- Iron Wheel, p. 415.
Commenting on the word of Jesus -- he that believeth hath eternal life -- he says: --
"This means [that] the moment one truly believes on Christ he passes from a state of death unto life that is everlasting life -- from a state of condemnation to a state of justification -- such an one must be a saved man the moment he believes." "Saved for ever and ever" (Ibid. 516)."
Baptist History Homepage (see here)
Life, Times and Teachings of J. R. Graves
by Samuel H. Ford, 1899
Chapter 3
Feb 29, 2012
J. R. Graves on Church Succession
The following is excerpted from "Sketches Of Tennessee's Pioneer Baptist Preachers" by J. J. Burnett. (see here)
"Dr. J. B. Gambrell's illustration of the "lost horse" gives the gist and relative merit of Baptist contention and Baptist differences on this point. "I do not place much stress," he says, "on historical succession — but the New Testament reads as though things were started to go on. Let me illustrate my idea of succession: A man lost a gray horse. He finds some horse tracks step by step for a hundred miles. Then he comes upon the horse — but it is a black horse. That is historical succession. Tracks are not worth a cent. If, on the other hand, you find the gray horse, it does not make any difference if you do not find any tracks. The whole business lies in the identity; we have the horse hunted for. So, the man who takes the New Testament and finds a church in his neighborhood or elsewhere like the one in the Book, has succession." This puts the main emphasis in the right place, while it may be thought to depreciate in a measure, at least inferentially, the value of a history of an ancient and "peculiar people" with whose fortunes have been bound up in an age-long conflict the fortunes of the kingdom of God. In this connection I may be permitted to say that while Dr. Graves was a successionist there is no evidence, I think, that he put undue emphasis on the fact of succession or on any sort of "mother-church" notion; he did emphasize church authority and with apostolic zeal contended for the recognition of the same."
"Dr. J. B. Gambrell's illustration of the "lost horse" gives the gist and relative merit of Baptist contention and Baptist differences on this point. "I do not place much stress," he says, "on historical succession — but the New Testament reads as though things were started to go on. Let me illustrate my idea of succession: A man lost a gray horse. He finds some horse tracks step by step for a hundred miles. Then he comes upon the horse — but it is a black horse. That is historical succession. Tracks are not worth a cent. If, on the other hand, you find the gray horse, it does not make any difference if you do not find any tracks. The whole business lies in the identity; we have the horse hunted for. So, the man who takes the New Testament and finds a church in his neighborhood or elsewhere like the one in the Book, has succession." This puts the main emphasis in the right place, while it may be thought to depreciate in a measure, at least inferentially, the value of a history of an ancient and "peculiar people" with whose fortunes have been bound up in an age-long conflict the fortunes of the kingdom of God. In this connection I may be permitted to say that while Dr. Graves was a successionist there is no evidence, I think, that he put undue emphasis on the fact of succession or on any sort of "mother-church" notion; he did emphasize church authority and with apostolic zeal contended for the recognition of the same."
Feb 27, 2012
Debate Announcement
I will, the Lord willing, be holding my second debate with Bruce Reeves of the "Church of Christ" in Conway, Arkansas. A year and a half ago we had a four night debate here in Monroe on the topic of election. I affirmed unconditional election of individuals and Bruce affirmed a confitional election of the church as a group ('corporate election'). You can listen to it on the web site for the church in Conway. The dates for our second debate are July 23, 24, 26, 27. It will be held at the 46th street Church of Christ in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
The propositions are (Monday and Tuesday nights):
"The scriptures teach that it is impossible for the child of God, one born again, to sin so as to be eternally lost."
Affirm: Stephen Garrett
Deny: Bruce Reeves
Thursday and Friday Nights
"The scriptures teach that it is possible for the child of God, one born again, to sin so as to be eternally lost."
Affirm: Bruce Reeves
Deny: Stephen Garrett
The propositions are (Monday and Tuesday nights):
"The scriptures teach that it is impossible for the child of God, one born again, to sin so as to be eternally lost."
Affirm: Stephen Garrett
Deny: Bruce Reeves
Thursday and Friday Nights
"The scriptures teach that it is possible for the child of God, one born again, to sin so as to be eternally lost."
Affirm: Bruce Reeves
Deny: Stephen Garrett
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