The Climax of the Reformation

In 1977 I wrote an article bearing the title, the Climax of the Reformation, for the Link, the newsletter of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association. In that work I set forth what was accomplished that indicated the Reformation had reached a point where it moved from being a Gospel recovery operation (in which the medieval mind-set was still present - meaning the parties in it persecuted others who disagreed with them) to becoming an outgoing, creative effort). Among the things accomplished was religious liberty (adopted from one of the minor groups in the Reformation - the Baptists who first put it into law in Rhode Island), the great missionary movement (the attempt to win the world by simple persuasion in preaching and not by force), the uniting of Separate and Regular Baptists in 1787 which produced the United Baptists with the result that 50 yrs. later a church was organized in MO bearing in its name the term United, and the writer of this blog would pastor that church in the 1960s for a brief period, the founding of educational institutions (Brown, Furman, et.al.), persuading of 255 Congregational Churches to become Baptists (God must have done that as the Baptists were always squabbling (the ferment that leavens the whole loaf), helping to found the freest nation on earth, beginnings of agitation against slavery (the Friends of Humanity Baptists in VA and KY), using educated and uneducated minsters in the Lord's service, and more. The theology of this period was calvinism or Sovereign Grace (the term I prefer due to Calvin's persecution of people who did not agree with him). Such a theology then involved Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption is th preferred term), Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Predestination and Reprobation are also included. Dr. John D. Eusden in his introduction to his translation of William Ames' Marrow of Divinity put it well, "Predestination is an invitation to begin one's spiritual pilgrimage." Every one of the above teachings constitute an invitation. Our Lord preached particular redemption and unconditional elction to the syrophonecian woman, when He said, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." she was not a Jew, but she treated His teaching as an invitation to worship. She fell down before Him (Mt.15:21-28) It was this theology with the heavenly presence that explains the First and Second Great Awakenings; it is this theology and the heavenly presence that will lead us to the Third Great Awakening, the one in which the whole world is won to Christ by persuasion - not manipulation or force. My prayer is God speed the day. For 36 yrs. I have been praying for such a visitation. Others have prayed even longer. I invite, encourage, and press the reader to join in such prayerful effort on a daily basis, interceding for the whole world and that day, when God shall take it with His truth for the glory of His Son.

A preternatural and invisible hand

Morgan Edwards in his work on Baptists in 1771 declared "I believe a preternatural and invisible hand operates in the assemblies of the Separate-Baptists bearing down the human mind, as was the case in primitive churches. I Cor.14:25." In the Ketocton Baptist Association in 1816 a writer commenting on what had occurred in the past 50 years remarked that while it was not miraculous, it was something remarkably like it. There are descriptions of the power of Heaven coming down in those early assemblies. Some times the power convicted of sin and filled hearts with the fear of the judgment to come. At other times, there was a sense of such love and joy, the persons experiencing the visitation could scarcely contain themselves. Now all of this was in conjunction with faithful preaching of the doctrines of grace. Two things are noted in the case of the First and Second Great Awakenings, namely, the theology preached and the visitation of the Divine presence. The two in conjunction seem to utterly transform neighborhoods, people, conduct, etc. This is the source of why the South became such a church going part of the nation.

The Third Great Awakening

This blog is dedicated to promoting a third great awakening, one which wins the whole world to Christ in one generation followed by others that take the whole earth for a thousand generations. The reason for such a goal is simple: God has promised that all the nations of the earth would remember and return unto him, that the whole earth would be filled with his knowledge and glory as the waters that cover the sea, that every man would set under his own vine and fig tree and none should make him afraid, that in the seed of Abraham ever family of the earth would be blessed, that Abraham's seed by faith would be as innumerable as the sand by the sea shore and as the stars of Heaven, that the redeemed in Heaven cannot be numbered by man. These are but some of the references/promises which were the basis for Jonathan Edwards' Humble Attempt to promote the extension of the Gospel throughout the whole earth. Thus, this blog shall be devoted to forwarding such a lofty goal for the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. All who have an interest are invited to particpate and add their insights and knowedge to the effort.