For a number of decades now the heresy on repentance hatched in hell and taught by Jack Hyles, Curtis Hudson and Shelton Smith’s Sword of the Lord, and other “Baptist” leaders, as well as the (falsely so-called) Free Grace movement of Zane Hodges and others, has rejected the Biblical fact that when the lost repent, they must, enabled by God’s grace and the powerful working of God’s Spirit, turn from their sins to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead of this basic gospel truth, the heresy that repentance is just turning from unbelief to belief (which of itself misunderstands the nature of saving belief or faith, which involves surrender) has infected a significant percentage of the independent Baptist movement. However, while this false gospel has spread, being taught with more or less consistency, in schools such as Hyles-Anderson College, Golden State Baptist College, Dayspring Bible College, Baptist College of America, West Coast Baptist College, Berean Baptist College, as well as through para-church organizations such as the Sword of the Lord, and by nutcases with a large Internet presence like the Holocaust-denying “Baptist” Steven Anderson, no public debate over it has taken place. In light of these terrible facts, I would be interested in conducting a public and moderated debate with a prominent advocate of the alternative “Baptist” position on repentance. (It could have some value to debate a “free grace” advocate who attended Dallas Seminary and goes to a Bible church, but I would prefer to debate an independent “Baptist” advocate of this new and false gospel, as I am the most concerned for independent Baptist churches adopting and promulgating this damnable heresy.) Both parties to the debate would have full rights to do whatever they wished with the video-recorded debate, (which, in my case, very likely means posting it for free online, as my debates with Dan Barker of the Freedom From Religion Foundation are online), over the proposition:
“Saving repentance always results in a changed life.”
or something similar.
If you are a significant advocate of the anti-turning from sin position on repentance and are willing to defend your position in open debate, please contact me on my website. If you are not an advocate of this position but have connections to one of its significant advocates, please encourage him to stand up for his position like a man (and, in his view, like a Christian, even if his gospel is not in truth Christian) and defend it in an open debate.
I believe it would be beneficial for the kingdom of God to have a public discussion of this sort available, instead of just having two radically different gospels proclaimed among independent Baptists without any serious interaction of this kind. Such a debate could, Lord willing, be watched by many in this media-focused generation–between the advocates of the opposite positions.
I would love for advocates of the anti-true repentance position to take the name “Baptist” off of their church signs, as they are neither Biblical, Baptist, nor Christian, but if they are not willing to do so, then at least they should be willing to defend their heresy. The way the majority of them spread it, by taking texts out of context, screaming from behind their pulpits to the whipped-up crowds of the mainly already convinced, “proving” they are right by the number of people they have manipulated into repeating the “sinner’s prayer,” and other non-exegetical antics, really needs to stop being good enough. It is time for one of them to defend their new “gospel” in public debate.
Brother Ross,
This is a great idea, and probably the most important debate that needs to take place in the IFB movement. The person who I would most want to see debate you on the subject of repentance is Steven Anderson. But I seriously doubt that he would even consider it, considering that his position on repentance is indefensible from scripture. I fear that Steven Anderson's influence amongst Independent Baptists is much greater than many realize. He has captivated so many fringe Independent Baptist Church members who are more interested in youtube than their local assembly. His popularity is even more troubling considering the fact that he clearly preaches a false gospel. But his position is nothing new, it is the same foolishness, and damnable false doctrine that was promoted and preached by famous fundamentalist leaders such as Jack Hyles, Curtis Hudson, Bob Gray, Jack Schaap, etc. To those who think that this debate does not need to take place in the IFB movement, go and watch Steven Anderson's soul-winning demonstration on his website. After watching it, if you believe that he is preaching the true Gospel, then you most certainly don't even know what the true Gospel is, and you have a pathetically low view of conversion.
Again, I hope that someone takes you up on this challenge Brother Ross, even though I find it highly unlikely that anyone will. Thank you for expressing your burden and concern about this vital matter in IFB churches.
Sincerely written by an Independent Baptist Missionary
Dear IFB Missionary,
Thanks for the comment. I would love to debate Mr. Anderson on this topic and defend the Biblical and Baptist gospel against his heresy.