Christian Cooperation and Separation - John R Rice
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Cooperation</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Separation</strong><br />
That means I can fellowship with some who fellowship with<br />
some they ought not fellowship with.<br />
Would you fellowship with a preacher who is in the<br />
Southern Baptist Convention? Suppose he supports the<br />
Convention program. (Because of long experience with my<br />
Southern Baptist people <strong>and</strong> because I was trained in<br />
Southern Baptist schools, pastored Southern Baptist churches,<br />
I use them as an example.) Could you fellowship with such a<br />
man in a revival campaign, if he is for Christ <strong>and</strong> the Bible, if<br />
he is right on the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, blood<br />
atonement? Is he st<strong>and</strong>ing up for the Bible? Yes. I am sorry he<br />
supports some things he ought not support. Perhaps he does<br />
not know as much about it as he should. If he makes no<br />
divisive issue over that cooperation, I would say go along with<br />
him. Let him come in the revival <strong>and</strong> help.<br />
Again you ask, “Dr. <strong>Rice</strong>, could you fellowship with a man<br />
who stays in, we will say, the Southern Baptist Convention?”<br />
Again I mention that group since I am familiar with the work<br />
of my Southern Baptist Convention friends.<br />
Now no man should ever stay anywhere when he has to go<br />
against convictions to stay in. No man should stay in anywhere<br />
when he has to compromise what he thinks is right.<br />
But if a man can preach the whole truth, can support only<br />
what he ought to support, can oppose anything he ought to<br />
oppose <strong>and</strong> maintain his place as a God-called preacher,<br />
subject to Christ, if he can keep the church as it ought to be—<br />
an independent church according to Christ <strong>and</strong> the Bible, <strong>and</strong><br />
st<strong>and</strong>ing true—yes. If he has fellowship in the Convention <strong>and</strong><br />
if he supports only those things he feels certain will please<br />
13