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Fundamental
Evangelistic Association
selected
articles from:
©FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W. Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt
Costella,
Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor
The Old Fashioned Fundamentalist
by M.H. Reynolds,
Jr.
Foundation Magazine, Mar-Apr 2003
DOWN THROUGH THE AGES, all of God's faithful servants have
been fundamentalists. True, the name "fundamentalist" was unknown to
those who lived before the turn of the twentieth century. But every true
prophet, every genuine apostle, every obedient child of God has
practiced the principles of fundamentalism in each generation. A
fundamentalist believes all of God's Word and seeks to be obedient to
that Word regardless of the cost. Every true Christian ought to be a
fundamentalist. The fact that so many are not is a sad commentary on the
spiritual condition of the church. Laodiceanism (lukewarmness) rules the
day at the very time when God's people should be on the front lines of
the battle.
Admittedly, being a genuine fundamentalist is
not easy. God never said it would be. However, believers are under
orders—orders from God Himself! Those orders command us to declare "all
the counsel of God" (Acts 20:26-32). We are commanded not to "add unto
the Word" nor to "diminish ought from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2). God says,
"He that hath My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully" (Jeremiah
23:28). There is no question about our orders. The only question that
arises is whether or not we will obey our orders!
The big
problem, of course, is that when we deliver God's message faithfully and
completely, the response from an evil world and a lukewarm church is
immediate and virulent. By and large, the unsaved do not want to hear
the simple Gospel message, nor do disobedient believers welcome words of
warning and reproof. Thus, the fundamentalist is left to proclaim an
unpopular message—a situation that is not easy!
Now, some
Christians who want to be known as fundamentalists—at least as far as
the basic doctrines (the "fundamentals of the faith") are concerned—are
looking for ways to make the message more palatable to a greater number
of people. So, they take God's message and disguise it, trim it,
supplement it and revise it in a dozen different ways, after which they
employ the latest psychological techniques to deliver it. The immediate
results exceed their fondest expectations. People just cannot seem to
resist this new revised message which is packaged so attractively. And,
suddenly, rather than being the offscouring of the earth, they are
honored by governors, presidents, kings and other prestigious
individuals. "This new approach really works," they say. "Everyone
should try it, even the old-fashioned fundamentalists. Otherwise, they
will get nowhere in their ministry."
Thus, when
a true fundamentalist comes along and proclaims a "thus saith the Lord"
message with no trimmings or trappings, with no additions, deletions or
abbreviations, his message and approach are ridiculed and maligned.
Sadly, since the flesh does not like to be ridiculed and maligned, many
fundamentalists who cannot accept the scorn of men opt for a weaker
message and a softer approach.
Humanly
speaking, such a reaction is understandable. When you have done your
very best to deliver God's message succinctly and lovingly, it is not
pleasant to be accused of being unloving, critical, judgmental or
hypocritical. The accusatory questions are not easy to take either. "Do
you think you are right and everyone else is wrong?" "Why do you have so
few followers?" "Don't you see that if you would only emphasize the
positive and just quit being so negative all the time you would have far
greater success?" "You're always criticizing somebody—can't you ever say
anything good?" And so the accusatory questions keep coming, often
followed by the statement: "You fundamentalists are just jealous of
other leaders because their work is large while yours is small."
God's
faithful messengers have never been in the majority. The Old Testament
prophets and the New Testament apostles were never overwhelmed with
popularity. They were tested by loneliness. People did not speak well of
them or their message. They detested and persecuted the messenger.
Rather than becoming angry at God Who composed the message, they poured
out their wrath upon the faithful servant who delivered it. It has
always been so. Therefore, it should be no surprise today when faithful
messengers of God face the wrath of the majority.
If you are
a fundamentalist in need of a good spiritual tonic and backbone
strengthening, read the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a man who was not
looking for the limelight or itching for a fight. When God called him,
Jeremiah said he was like a little child. He could not speak and surely
was not qualified to deliver God's message. But God set aside Jeremiah's
excuses. God said, "Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth," and He
even forewarned Jeremiah not to be afraid of peoples' faces when he
delivered God's messages, promising, "I am with thee to deliver thee"
(Jeremiah 1:5-9).
Dear
Jeremiah! Had he not been walking by faith and recognizing the fact that
he was under orders from his Lord, he would not have survived. He was
soon to discover why God warned him not to be afraid of the faces of
men. Not only were those faces angry looking, but each face had a tongue
like a sharp sword which cut deeply. Of course, Jeremiah was not
perfect, and neither are fundamentalists today. But he knew God had
called him. He knew God had given him a divine message to deliver, and
he began to deliver that message to one and all-kings, priests, prophets
and individuals-whoever would listen. From the human viewpoint, he did
not enjoy much success. It was obvious that he was out of step with the
times, just as in Isaiah's day when the people wanted to hear "smooth
things" Isaiah 30:1 And when Jeremiah refused to change his God-given
message to pacify the people, they conspired to put him to death.
Finally,
Jeremiah came to the place where he thought he could not take it
anymore. So he said, "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more
in His name" (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah must have presumed that he would
be relieved from the pressures of his unwanted, unappreciated ministry
if he just kept silent. After all, no one appeared to be responding to
his message anyway. But, read the rest of verse nine. Jeremiah said,
"But His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,
and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." As a true
fundamentalist, Jeremiah could not remain silent. The pressure from God
was stronger than that of men!
No real
fundamentalist enjoys being maligned and misjudged by ungodly people or
unspiritual and uninstructed Christians, but we are soldiers under
orders. We must run with patience the race that is set before us and
press toward the mark. Someday, perhaps today, the battle will be over,
and we shall meet our blessed Lord face to face. To hear Him say, "Well
done, thou good and faithful servant" will make it all worthwhile. Until
that time, we should stand fast, cry aloud and rejoice! The battle may
rage, but our victory in Christ is assured.
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