Posted by
flagwaver on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 12:04:35 AM
There is a word out there that has ingrained itself into our culture that is seen as so bad, so dirty, so foul that it cannot be spoken in polite company. It shows up in T.V. shows, books, movies, news programs all the time, and every time it is uttered some people get a slight shiver. They are repulsed by it, it revolts them, and makes them feel dirty after hearing it. And many in our culture have used it to mark people that are undesirable, have used it as a curse, and an insult.
The elephant in the room is the dreaded F word: Fundamentalist!
But hold on, let me hip you to some game here folks! According to my Webster's New Student Dictionary, fundamentalist means, " a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing as fundamental the literal interpretation of and absence of error in the Scriptures, the second coming of Jesus Christ, the virgin birth, physical resurrection, and substitutionary atonement." And you know what, I am more than proud to be a fundamentalist!
I am not afraid to say that I believe that what God has revealed to us in his Word is true, that Christ was born of a virgin, was crucified on a tree, went to the grave, and three days later rose again to redeem all mankind from sin...if they are willing to accept Him.
The problem with too many "Christians" today is that they are running away from these fundamental truths to seek out a 'truth' that works for them. They are abandoning the faith of their fathers in order to justify living life on their terms, in a clear rejection of the Scriptures. To do this, they have to convince themselves that fundamentalism is wrong and must be shunned. In so doing, they give themselves license to do whatever they please; they justify their choices by pretending that the Bible is in error whenever it is in conflict with the choices they are making.
Another 'dirty' word out there is evangelical. The media, political pundits, and others have so distorted the meaning of the word that nominal Christians run screaming at the sound of it. My trusty Webster's defines evangelical this way: "Emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual."
Now tell me, what is so threatening about that? I'll tell you what! In a world that is more and more secular, including many mainline Protestant denominations, the evangelical movement is something that frightens them. It does not allow for works to replace the blood of Christ as the vehicle for salvation, it emphasizes the need for a personal relationship with a personal God and savior, and forces man into a subordinate role. It rejects the secular humanist theory that is all too popular; where man is the center of all things and there is nothing greater than himself. It declares that God reigns supreme in the universe and that man must prostrate himself in front of God, live a life of obedience to Him, and must recognize His Lordship.
So, as a Christian I gladly accept, even embrace, the F word as a description of who I am and what I believe. And all that call themselves Christians and do not embrace the fundamentals of the faith need to take a long look at themselves. You cannot be a true Christian if you are not willing to take the Word of God as the truth, and are not willing to enter into a personal relationship with the Savior of mankind.
So embrace the F word, and the E...because in the end this is the only way to be.