SBC Statement on Agreement and Differences

Today I ran across the statement that was released by the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the various area of belief where they agree and where they differ. I found it quite interesting and in most areas a statement that could have been written for the Evangelical community at large. It does not address some hot topic issues that are used to divide today, which I like. It actually appears to recognize that those topics will change as time goes along. It looks at the overarching theological concepts that seem important. It clearly is addressing the Calvinism/Armenian divide. I like how it says repeatedly, “We agree that . . . but we differ on . . .” or “agree to disagree” while remaining believers in the same camp. I have pasted it below. It would be interesting to see how other view this statement.

With a full recognition of the limitless wisdom of God’s Word and the limited wisdom of ourselves, we urge Southern Baptists to grant one another liberty in those areas within The Baptist Faith and Message where differences in interpretation cause us to disagree. For instance,

§  We agree that God loves everyone and desires to save everyone, but we differ as to why only some are ultimately saved.

§  While we all heartily affirm the article on election in The Baptist Faith and Message (Article V), we differ as to whether the response of faith plays a role in one’s election.

§  We agree that the penal and substitutionary death of Christ was sufficient for the sins of the entire world, but we differ as to whether Jesus actually substituted for the sins of all people or only the elect.

§  We agree that the Gospel should be proclaimed to everyone, but we differ as to whether or how every hearer will be enabled to respond.

§  We agree that everyone has inherited Adam’s hopelessly fallen sin nature, but we differ as to whether we also inherit his guilt.

§  We agree that men and women are sinners, but we differ about the effects of sin on the mind and the will.

§  We recognize the differences among us between those who believe that sin nullifies freedom to respond to the Gospel and those who believe that freedom to respond to the Gospel is marred but not nullified.

§  We agree that God is absolutely sovereign in initiating salvation, uniting the believer to Himself, and preserving the believer to the end, but we differ as to how God expresses His sovereignty with respect to human freedom.

§  We agree that the Holy Spirit working through the Gospel enables sinners to be saved, but we differ as to whether this grace is resistible or irresistible.

§  We agree on the necessity of regeneration that results in God-ordained, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered obedience from the heart, but differ as to whether faith precedes regeneration or regeneration precedes faith.

§  We agree that most Southern Baptists believe that those who die before they are capable of moral action go to heaven through the grace of God and the atonement of Christ, even as they differ as to why this is so.