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Life Truths
– Family Bible Study Ó
Formally
Adult Life
and Work Lesson Ó
Comments
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I am affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)
These comments are presented as an
independent study of the lesson to help teacher and student as in the realm of
a Sunday morning lesson taught by teachers worldwide. It is meant to supplement
and comment on the Hobbs Commentary and the Advanced Bible Study material of
the LifeWay Christian Resources. This information is
for educational purposes only.
By Marvin Ganote: Adult Bible and Sunday School Teacher / Discipleship Training Instructor
NOTICE: In
August 1, 2000 the Life and Work Lessons was replaced with the Family Bible
Study lessons.
Based upon the work of Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs, 1907-1995,
and selected others as I am led to do so by the Holy Spirit. They provide an
additional study look into the Life and Work and Life Truths studies for adults
based upon Bible study and teaching under the direction of the Holy Spirit
since 1960 in SBC churches. I am
currently teaching an adult couples Sunday School class. This study or other
comments from this web page does not necessarily reflect the views of the SBC,
the Baptist Sunday School Board of the SBC, the church’s Sunday School, its staff
or its pastor since we believe in the Priesthood of each Believer. I offer a
combination book review of this commentary, the Advanced Bible Study
commentary, and personal assessments to create a sample teacher's lesson from
it. It is the same lesson material I use myself. I hold firmly to The
Baptist Faith and Message as a faithful statement of what the Bible
says. I agree with our seminaries. I reject Calvinism [See God’s Plan of Salvation
below] except for eternal security. See what Dr. Hobbs said about Calvinism. I hold
that God’s part of the Plan of Salvation is Grace and the convicting work of
the Holy Spirit and the sinner’s part is Faith as defined in (Acts 20:21 RSV)
"testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ."
Note:
Occasionally circumstances cause me to forget to actually post the next lesson.
If this
happens, please e-mail me and I’ll do it right away.
Also there is a shadow site.
BACKUP (This lesson is posted on two servers so that
failure of one should not deny access to anyone who wishes to read it.)
NOTE:
There is a source for many of Dr. Hobbs’ books. Check out Albris, Used and New
books.
Special Studies
(To
save space on this page, I will put these studies on separate web pages while
putting the subjects here)
REVELATION INFORMATION SOURCES
Comments and
Thoughts
THE NEW WAR
Not Revenge But
Justice in Times of War
Thoughts from an
Afghani-American
Air Force Chaplain Defines Islam
Air Force Chaplain Explains True
Jihad and Islam
Baptist Faith and Message
Please read: Stating Baptist Doctrine: When Is
It Meddling?
The SBC has now turned the Baptist Faith and Message into a CREED!
Woe to us!
Dr. H. H. Hobbs
said that the Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M) comprises “basic elements of faith
generally agreed upon by Southern Baptists.” Further the 1962 Southern Baptist
Convention, meeting in San Francisco, adopted a motion to revise the 1925 BF&M and declared in item (5) of
the statements in the BF&M “(5) That they are statements of religious convictions, drawn from the
Scriptures, and are not to be used to hamper freedom of thought or
investigation in other realms of life.”
In the Dallas
Morning News of Saturday February 2, 2002 was an article
that “Southern
Baptist missionaries were asked this week to affirm the specifics of their
beliefs with a signature.” These beliefs are defined by the 2000 BF&M.
The Dayton Daily New, April 18, 2003 ran
the Associated Press stating “The Southern Baptist Convention has told its
overseas missionaries they have until May 5 to affirm the denomination’s
revised statement of faith…Rankin sent letters to 25 missionaries asking them
to affirm the statement, resign from their posts, or face possible dismissal.”
Dr. Hobbs wrote
a book in 1971 entitled “THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE” to help Southern
Baptists understand more fully the BF&M. He stated then that Baptists have
always solved the problem faith differences “by adhering to the principle of
the competency of the soul in religion.” He wrote on page 11 about the state of
the faith of Southern Baptists that it is “a living faith rather than a creedal
one. The tensions created by these differences have kept their faith vibrant.
In all likelihood the only thing that would divide Southern Baptists with
regard to their faith would be for one group – to the right or left of center
or even in the center – to attempt to force upon others a creedal faith. So
long as they hold to the competency of the soul in religion they will remain as
one body in faith. The very differences which disturb some will serve as
counterbalances between extremes with the vast majority remaining in between as
always.”
The
SBC leadership has now done what Dr. Hobbs feared. They have turned the
BF&M into a CREED to define whether a person, a missionary, and a group are
proper Southern Baptists. Unless they immediately stop, and return to the
long held Baptist belief of the competency of the soul in religion, the SBC
will continue to go against John 17:21-23 and hinder the witness that is the
core of the SBC. I am thoroughly Baptist, but the BF&M to me is not a creed
and the 2000 version has some wrong doctrine. I cannot affirm it as a correct
statement of my faith. I can do so with the 1963 statement.
Dr. Hobbs, in his book, page 13 wrote “Baptists have always shied away
from anything that resembled a creed or a statement of beliefs to which people
were forced to subscribe.” Then on page 16 he wrote: “No, the 1963 statement of
the Baptist faith and message is not a creedal statement.” Unfortunately this
is not the case today with the SBC leadership. [Dr. Hobbs was booed at the 1980 SBC Convention because he tried to
call for a renewed commitment to evangelism and commitment (see First Baptist
Church of Oklahoma City (FBC of OKC) Position Report).] The SBC today is
doing this to our fine missionaries, WHERE WILL THEY STOP? Who will they go
after next? It is overtime to get back to being Baptists who hold no creeds nor
force a statement of subscription. The future of the SBC is in balance at this
moment. It is extremely serious. The purging has begun: MASSACHUSETTS--IMB trustees
terminate service of 13 for refusal to affirm BF&M.
Read
the Position Report Dr.
Hobbs’ former church (First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City) had to take to
uphold the Historical Tenets of the Baptist Faith. Note that they used the work
of Dr. Hobbs as a major resource. This is never easy or popular, but true
doctrine must be upheld. I agree with their report, as a past member of the FBC
of OKC and Bible teacher.
An Excellent Short
Discussion of the Issue
A COUNTER WORD
The
expected justification of this is revision of the BF&M is underway. As is
the expected statements like “While dismissing the Baptist Faith and Message as
a creed, critics likewise demean it for supposedly attempting to change
Southern Baptist beliefs. In reality, the 2000 BF&M has not changed any
beliefs at all. Recent revisions have simply spoken to contemporary issues by
confessing what the Bible has always taught -- and Southern Baptists have
always believed and practiced -- about the role of pastoral leadership and the
spiritual order of the home and to affirm that the entire Bible is the
inspired, infallible Word of God, not just that spoken by and with reference to
Jesus, all of which have been under attack by postmodern thinking.” This is by
Jerry Rankin, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International
Mission Board, at http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=16623.
The Word of God is infallible, but the ability of people to
always read and understand it correctly is not. The holding of certain
positions within the SBC does not give the holder any automatic stamp on what
is pronounced as “thus says the Lord” any more than it does for the Pope. Nor
does the majority automatically have it either. Again note Dr. Hobbs’ words
above. The 2000
BF&M has been changed to enhance male authority and not to clarify what the
Bible states. E.Y. Mullins did make it clear in 1925 that the original Baptist
Faith and Message stated this was definitive confession of faith that was to be
an instrument of doctrinal accountability for preachers, professors and those
representing the denomination. But a confession of faith is not a creed. It is statements of religious convictions.
It is valid only when it is Biblically correct. I hold to the 1925 BF&M
with no reservation, as I do the 1963 revision. Dr. Rankin seems to ignore Dr.
Hobbs’ statements as the chairman 1963 committee. Certainly there has to be
definite statements of correct belief that positions sent out under the name of
the SBC must hold. But any such statement must be Biblically correct for this
testing to be valid.
Bible Study by Books
Upon
request I have started comments on whole books of the Bible. They will be done in
random order as time permits.
List of Available [perhaps] Books
Listen to the Bible Read -
Excellent (Click Listen to the Bible in the bottom box)
Here is a list of resources that give the
correct view on Revelation, whether by Dr. Hobbs or others.
IMPORTANT ISSUES/TOPICS
MARRIAGE
DEFINITION: Amen to the Vatican.
Quotes: “the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman”;
“Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law….
Under no circumstances can they be approved… Sacred Scripture condemns homosexual
acts “as a serious depravity...”; “Nonetheless, according to the teaching of
the Church, men and women with homosexual tendencies “must be accepted with
respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in
their regard should be avoided”.(7)
They are called, like other Christians, to live the virtue of chastity.(8)
The homosexual inclination is however “objectively disordered”(9)
and homosexual practices are “sins gravely contrary to chastity”.(10)”
Justification by Faith - Lutheran World Federation and Roman Catholic Church Joint Position
So get ready and stay ready! WITNESS DAILY! Show you want Jesus
to come today.
HELPS:
Best Study Guide: How to Study the Bible Principles with Bible Study Sources by
Orin T. Binkley
Best Translation of the New Testament:
THE NEW TESTAMENT in the Language of
the People, Translated from the Greek by CHARLES B. WILLIAMS
The
Scriptures and Understanding Them
Very Useful Bible Search and
Matthew Henry’s Commentaries on the New Testament
My
Position on Calvinism Growth in the SBC and the Baptist Faith and Message
See what Dr. Hobbs
said about Calvinism
Minimum Requirements
and the Plan of Salvation
The Baptist Faith and
Message text on SBC site. I hold
firmly to it as faithful statement of what the Bible says.
The Baptist Faith and
Message and Calvinism - Totally incompatible!
LifeWay Sermons
(19) on the Baptist Faith and Message. I
agree with these sermons. I reject Calvinism, except for eternal security. Note
this extract from sermon
7: “Like most doctrinal error, this distorted version of the biblical
doctrine of election is a result of magnifying certain Scriptures and ignoring
others… It also obscures the truth that nowhere in all of Scripture is it said
that God elects some to damnation. They already are damned [see John 3:18 my
addition]
Most
importantly, this erroneous doctrine ignores the fundamental truth that God
endowed human beings with freedom of choice.”
Other Lesson Views
SBC LifeWay Site lists Bible study resources. Now it includes the
weekly help called EXTRA! It will help you customize Sunday morning Bible study
to be timely and relevant to meet the needs of your adults.
The LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC has licensed
the use of their LifeWay's NEW Family Bible Series
curriculum outline to the author of Lesson
Questions for Study. However, the
lessons are not the Sunday series. They are topical.
Another view of the lesson material: Sunday School Help. (A Financial
Donation is requested by the author.)
Other Helps
Fine Low Cost Computer Bible Software: Power Bible CD
Interesting source on several avenues of life: Internet for Families
A family-safe
site that also provides a variety of helps: QuestGems
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Copyright Notes:
The Lifeway's NEW Family Bible Series
material is published and copyrighted by The
LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC.
The Herschel Hobbs Commentary is published
and copyrighted by The LifeWay Christian
Resources of the SBC.
The Advanced Bible Study material is
published and copyrighted by The
LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC. This material usually does provide advanced Bible
insight and significant points for study. It is highly recommended as an
additional study aid.
Please use this e-mail address for comments
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Copyright and copy 2012 Marvin Ganote
Last Update May 2, 2012 (DMA Server)
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