BaptistFire Calls Calvinists Out of the SBC

Exactly one week ago, I shared that the notorious BaptistFire shared that they were coming out with comments by the Caner brothers on their site. Their new article is out, and it is quite interesting. Here is their conclusion:

"We believe it is time to examine Romans 14 in the light of the current conflict between Bible-believing churches and Calvinist churches in the SBC. It is time to consider whether or not Reformed Calvinist churches should be excluded from fellowship in the Southern Baptist Convention."

My first question is who is "we"? It is amazing the courage people have when they can write anonymously! At least the Caner brothers signed their names! The closest we get to any identity is "Baptist Fire Editor." Lovely. Second question, since when has Calvinists in the SBC the cause of division and attacks? Is it not BaptistFire who is slandering their Christian brother on their website? Is it not pastors like Johnny Hunt, Jack Graham, Bobby Welch, Herb Reavis, and others who have taken the initiative to take on the resurgence of Reformed theology in the SBC? Ironically, the ammunition for these men are accomplishing nothing but causing them to shoot blanks as their fill their rhetoric from faulty resources such as BaptistFire, Dave Hunt, and Norm Geisler. Thirdly, it is clear that the Caner brothers had the intention of being kicked off Founder's Blog by the extreme use of inflammatory rhetoric but failed in their attempt to do so by the gracious administration of Tom Ascol. By allowing them to continue, those who take an objective analysis of the blogpost will find the Caner brothers unable to answer any of the questions while manifesting the first-class conduct of SBC deans. This proved not to be a debate but a revelation of intent which was to prove a point which they failed to accomplish. BaptistFire calls the readers of Founder's Blog "thin-skinned," which would hardly be the case sense we have taken the heat from so many who feel like the next step in the "conservative resurgence" is to remove those evil Calvinists from the SBC. Fourthly, BaptistFire readily points to the Romans 14:1 text as an accusation about Calvinists and their debating. While they argue that we are so quarrelsome, have they gone to their own and held them to the same standards as they do us? Methinks not. But then again, this double-standardness is congruent with the rest of the illegitimacy of such organizations of BaptistFire. After all, with self-congratulatory praise, they unabashedly contend that their document "Crept in Unawares" carefully documents the spread of Calvinism. This is not history my friend. This is hype. Finally, the only thing I found honest and factual on BaptistFire is their intent on using their propaganda as resources for pastors and church leaders. "Crept in Unawares" is taken from Jude 4 talking about certain people "who long ago were designed for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." Not only is BaptistFire saying that Calvinists shouldn't be in the SBC, by applying this text they are saying that they are not going to be in heaven! How else are we to understand the phrase "designed for this condemnation" and "deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ?" Is this who the Calvinists really are? The believers who esteem a God-centered salvation and extol the sovereign grace of God - really? Rather, I would argue that those in the Reformed tradition (call us whatever you want - hyper-Calvinists, crept in unawares, etc.) are those found in verse 3 who are contending "for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." The entirety of church history and the whole counsel of God's Word attest to this. I know of some pastors who are so anti-Reformed that they won't even dialogue with me concerning what the Bible says. Just in the last week, I had been in an email exchange where one pastor refused to answer any of my questions concerning biblical texts but chose to call me a hyper-Calvinist, modern-day Pharisee, and a Gnostic. BaptistFire has made it plain that they are targeting such pastors to provide more lies and divisive rhetoric to further inflame the issue all the while avoiding the Bible and pursuing peace with their Calvinist brother. One would only hope that just as the Caner's attempt to rail Founder's Blog failed, those in the BaptistFire would have their statements backfire and fall on deaf ears. This is not a request for retribution. This is a call for integrity and accountability.