The Earnest Contender

Thursday, April 12, 2007

What’s New?

What’s new at The Earnest Contender Blog?

I am in the process of changing the direction of this blog. I want to get back to the original intent of presenting Authentic Fundamentalism. What is Authentic Fundamentalism? Thanks for wondering. Authentic Fundamentalism is first of all authentic, it has to do with a life lived well in Christ. Fundamentalism is not just a doctrinal statement of faith, it is the faith! There is nothing better than being alive in Christ and growing in His grace daily.

Sadly, there are many religionists who may not know the first thing about the abundant life in Christ (or perhaps they have forgotten) and therefore they seem hell bent on begrudging and belittling others (usually in the name of tolerance of course) for the joy that they have of knowing sins are forgiven and take pleasure in a growing relational bond with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

An Authentic Fundamentalist will take doctrine very seriously, without taking himself or herself too seriously. Exposing errors and edifying the saints. This is more of the model I wish to represent.

The name of this blog is The Earnest Contender not the obstinate offender. I like this name for several reasons.

1. That is what saints are called to be and do. (Jude 3)

2. This blog is in a sense dedicated to my very first Bible believing, Authentic Fundamentalist pastor, Earnest Pickering.

3. I want to be more earnest in contending for the faith.

4. I like the word “contender” I may have the entomology a little off, but if the prefix “con” is to put together or hold together and the word “tender” means kindhearted, loving caring, and passionate, and the object being contended for is the faith once delivered to the saints, then that is a great and noble idea. BTW it is not my idea (Jude 3)

Yes I know theology and the biblical distinctives of Baptists are important. The whole counsel of God is important. That’s why I will do my best to maintain two other Blog Spots, TEC Theology Page and Baptist Distinctives Re-Blogged in Order.

Thanks for reading feel free to ask questions and express your views and opinions here as well.

In His fellowship,
Brother John

15 Comments:

Careful. The prefix, "con" can also mean "against," or "to pull the wool over someone's eyes."

You wouldn't do that, would you?

Cereally, I am looking forward to the future posts in The Earnest Contender.

By Joe, at 12/4/07 4:36 PM
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the caution. I knew I didn't have it right. The word "contender" does have a diferent meaning.

verb (used without object) 1. to struggle in opposition: to contend with the enemy for control of the port.
2. to strive in rivalry; compete; vie: to contend for first prize.
3. to strive in debate; dispute earnestly: to contend against falsehood.
–verb (used with object) 4. to assert or maintain earnestly: He contended that taxes were too high.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME contenden < AF contendre < L contendere to compete, strive, draw tight, equiv. to con- con- + tendere to stretch; see tend1]

—Related forms
con·tend·er, noun
con·tend·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. wrestle, grapple, battle, fight. 2. See compete. 3. argue, wrangle. 4. hold, claim.
—Antonyms 3. agree.

I found that here!

Thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Brother John

By J. Wendell, at 12/4/07 4:48 PM
Sounds real good. I'm not a Fundamentalist but I liked the tone and direction of this post.

By mark pierson, at 13/4/07 7:34 AM
Hi DF,
My favorite movie, I think, is The Usual Suspects, and I have not yet decided what my favorite Cubist painting is. Rosie had to explain that to me.

Thanks for your comment.
_____________________

Hi BC,
Perhaps you can be persuaded. The water is warm. Come on in.

Brother John

By J. Wendell, at 13/4/07 8:02 AM
I'm looking forward to following your new direction post (as well as the old direction - new blogs too). ;-)

By Kc, at 13/4/07 8:14 AM
John, I am glad your wife is a connosieur of fine art.

I saw the beginning of that film, but I think I gave up and did soemthing else (that was a few years ago, I cannot quite remember).

By Matthew Celestine, at 13/4/07 11:26 AM
Mark, why do you not consider yourself to be a Fundamentalist?

By Matthew Celestine, at 13/4/07 11:27 AM
Matthew, Fundamentalism arose and has become a close associate with Dispensationalism in the late 1800's and early 1900's. My lines are traced somewhat through Spurgeon, who was wholly outside of both. The reason I say "somewhat" through Spurgeon is because he would have a problem with certain aspects of my embrace of NCT. For instants I look at Christ as my Sabbath, whereas Spurgeon, like the Puritans before him, were STRICT sabbatarians. I surely would have faced disciplinary measures had I been a member of the Met. Tab., for I often work Sunday's.

Spurgeon and Fundamentalism/Dispensationalism came of age at roughly the same time. The lines of spiritual descent were entirely unrelated. They share no lineage whatsoever, that is, aside from looking at the cross of Christ.

By mark pierson, at 13/4/07 12:09 PM
Mark, interestingly Spurgeon's son, Thomas Spurgeon was a contributor to the 'Fundamentals.' And A.T. Pierson, Spurgeon's successor at the Met Tab was very closely connected with the Fundamentalist movement.
Not that either fact makes Spurgeon a fundmentalist.

But this begs the question that I put to you, Mark:

What is a Fundamentalist and why are you not one?

By Matthew Celestine, at 13/4/07 2:52 PM
Hi KC,
Thanks for the kind words.
____________________

Hi DF,
She blesses me in many ways! Art is one of them.
_____________________

Hi BC,
"For instants I look at Christ as my Sabbath..." Amen! Spoken as soundly as any Fundamentalist I know.

Stay sharp,
Brother John

By J. Wendell, at 13/4/07 3:26 PM
Thank you for the complete definition. I was worried that it might mean, "favoring tough meat," or some such thing.

(Con-tender...against tender...)

Never mind.

By Joe, at 13/4/07 3:42 PM
Hi brother Blue Collar,

Have you read any of these Fundamentals of the Faith Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, and Conclusion?

I wondered if you have any strong feelings about them.
_____________________

Hi Joe,
Hi Joe,
As much as I enjoy the pure spiritual milk of the Word, I like the meat of the Word to. Sometimes it does take me some time to chew on and I don't always readily accept it or enjoy it. I wish it were all tender, just right for my pallet.

Brother John.

By J. Wendell, at 14/4/07 7:32 AM
Matthew - "Mark, interestingly Spurgeon's son, Thomas Spurgeon was a contributor to the 'Fundamentals.' And A.T. Pierson, Spurgeon's successor at the Met Tab was very closely connected with the Fundamentalist movement."
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Very good, Matthew! Accurate indeed. However, Iain Murray, in his book " The Forgotten Spurgeon" chronicles the decline and near death of the Tabernacle after American Fundamentalism and dispyism settled in. Murray lays that near death at the feet of Fundamentalism/Dispensationalism/Revivalism.
--------
"Not that either fact makes Spurgeon a fundmentalist."
-------
Murray points out that Spurgeon most definitely was not fundamentalist, and that he disagreed with Dispensationalism.

The reason Spurgeon felt an affinity for A.T.Pierson was because he perceived in him an ally against Higher Criticism (liberal theology)in The Down Grade Controversy.

Pierson went on to be a large figure in the bringing in of A.C. Dixon as a later pastor at The Tabernacle; a revival loving, dispensational, Fundamentalist. He and his style were radically different than Spurgeon's. Murray tells how people fled The Tabernacle in droves beginning in his watch.

And, to your point of Pierson succeeding Spurgeon, it was only for a few months at most. He departed for America again a mere 3 or 4 months after Spurgeon's death. A couple of years later he came back again, only this time the congregation voted against his re-instatement as main teacher.

By mark pierson, at 14/4/07 8:47 PM
I am not sure whether it would be fair to assign blame for the twentieth century deline of the Met Tab on any system of theology.

There are Dispensational churches that are very strong in numbers and growth and there are plenty of Reformed churches that are struggling and shrinking.

I go to a church that is largely Reformed in theology which is growing and growing.

Every Blessing in Christ

Matthew

By Matthew Celestine, at 15/4/07 9:48 AM
"I am not sure whether it would be fair to assign blame for the twentieth century deline of the Met Tab on any system of theology."

I didn't; Biographer and Historian Iain Murray did.

By mark pierson, at 15/4/07 11:54 AM