I recently received an e-mail newsletter from an old friend from ABA days in which he caviled and lambasted those who teach the doctrines of grace that are sometimes called by the nickname “Calvinism.” Had he tempered what he said by declaring that not all so-called Calvinists were of the kind he described I would not be replying to his grandiloquent derision of Calvinism. But, he made a blanket condemnation of all who hold such doctrines. In his article, titled Calvinistic Preachers in Baptist Ranks, he wrote,

If I believed in "limited (Next page please) atonement," "unconditional election," and "irresistible grace" as the Calvinists do, I would see no point in the doctrine of witnessing. Preachers, above all, need to examine themselves, and in doing so recognize their status in the ministry. The Calvinist believe that God is going to save who He wants to whether the Word is presented or not. The Bible does not support their ‘sit down’ theory. The Bible clearly states that doctrinally sound preachers and laymen are to go into all the world with the gospel. "GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST: TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN," Matt. 28:19-20.

"BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH," Acts 1:8.

A soul-winning preacher and a Calvinist preacher have nothing in common. Open hostility by the Calvinist toward the soul-conscious witness will find itself evident. Actions speak louder than words. A man with no gospel to present and no Spirit-prompted, soul-conscious attitude toward people is a self-constructed Calvinistic individual, whether he admits he is a Calvinist or not.

Calvinists, you will find, are hard and heartless, uncaring for the souls of men. "WHEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM," Matt. 7:20. Times’s evaluation, to them, is a deep dark secret with 2 Corinthians 5:10 misunderstood. "FOR WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST; THAT EVERY ONE MAY RECEIVE THE THINGS DONE IN HIS BODY, ACCORDING TO THAT HE HATH DONE, WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD," 2 Cor. 5:10.

The way we use THE TIME God gives us in this life tells us how smart we really are and paints an undeniable picture for the observer. Wasted, unredeemable time - - - how foolish!!!

"DAILY IN THE TEMPLE, AND IN EVERY HOUSE, THEY CEASED NOT TO TEACH AND PREACH JESUS CHRIST," is certainly for preachers. Paul said, "I TAUGHT YOU PUBLICLY AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE." Most preachers spend ninety-five per cent of their time on the "PUBLICLY" and very little on "FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE." That is the reason they don’t get the job done.

Calvinist churches with their non-productive preachers are a slow death participation, while a live church is an outreaching monument to the glory of God.

That is the sad case of the article that I quoted above. It is filled with perversions of the position of most of those who hold to the doctrines of grace that have been nicknamed “Calvinism.”

But, it is not my purpose to attack the writer in the same manner in which he has attacked preachers and churches in his broad-brush article. I will, in a future message, perhaps the next one, take his arguments one by one and show that they are invalid. But, in this introductory message, I want to set forth why I preach the doctrines of God’s Sovereign Grace in the Salvation of Sinners. In my mind, I too fought with these doctrines even as the Lord was revealing them to me in his Word. I recall hitting my desk with my fist and saying, “It can’t be so! It can’t be so!” But, I would read Eph. 1:4 again and it was still there. I would read II Thes. 2:13 again and it was still there. I would read Rom. 8:28-30 and they still said the same thing. I would read Jn. 6:37 again and it still said the same thing. I would read Acts 13:48 and it still said the same as every other time I read it. I would read many other verses and they still said what the did and I finally could fight with the Word of God no more and what was at first an intellectual admission that the doctrines were in the Bible suddenly became a conviction that they were very fundamental truths.

I preach the doctrine of God’s sovereign grace in the salvation of sinners because

David affirmed that he is in the heavens and has done whatsoever he has pleased to do. Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. He does not merely try to do as he pleases; he has done whatsoever he has pleased.

The sweet singer of Israel further declared that God has done and does do all that he pleases wherever he pleases. Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Not just in some places, but in all places God has done and does do all that he pleases. There is no power in any creature—angel, man, or beast—to thwart the pleasure and will of God. Pharaoh thought that he could thwart the will of God and keep Israel in bondage but he failed disastrously.

God declares that he cannot be compared to any other for there is none like him. Isaiah 46:9-11 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. He has declared the end from the beginning and all things that are not yet done before they come to pass. He declares unequivocally that his counsel shall stand and that he will do all his pleasure. He does not hesitate to say that he will bring to pass all that he has spoken and will do all that he has purposed to do.

God does as he wills in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can even momentarily halt his work or question what he does. Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Let the reader who believes the Bible is the infallible Word of God read the verses above carefully and remember that God “doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.” He does according to his will among men who are inhabitants of this earth.

Salvation is of the Lord and he is absolutely sovereign in that glorious work. Jonah 2:9 Salvation is of the LORD. He has mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion on whom he will have compassion. Romans 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy.

He has mercy on whom he will have mercy and he hardens whom he will harden as our text says. He has mercy on those vessels of mercy whom he has prepared for glory. Romans 9:23-24 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

He has mercy on all whom he has loved with an everlasting love and draws them unto himself. Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

He hardens whom he will harden. “and whom he will he hardeneth.” Ah, but you say, “How can that be?” It is so.

When it was his will to do so he hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. Note that God is telling Moses in advance that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh.

I once heard a Landmark Baptist evangelist make the declaration that God pleaded with Pharaoh to repent several times before he hardened his heart. Of course, he gave no Scripture for there are none to give. God announced in advance his sovereign intentions concerning the ruler of Egypt— “I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.” That is exactly what he did. Exodus 7:13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. In fact, God revealed to the man that he had raised him up for the very purpose he fulfilled in him. Exodus 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Paul affirms the same thing concerning Pharaoh. Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. The inspired apostle then adds this conclusion drawn from God’s dealing with the Egyptian ruler, Romans 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

He hardened the heart of Sihon the king of Heshbon when it was his will to do so. Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. Who hardened the heart of King Sihon? “The LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate.” The words of the wise Solomon should be considered here. Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. When it suited the Lord’s purpose he hardened the hearts of men to cause them to accomplish his purpose. “Whom he will he hardeneth.”

When it was his will to do so, God hardened the heart of several kings of various cities because it was his will to deliver them into the hand of Israel. Joshua 11:19-20 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. 20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. Notice that “it was of the LORD to harden their hearts.” Nothing could be clearer. Nothing could be more unequivocal. “It was of the LORD to harden their hearts” and that is exactly what the LORD did. “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:19-20).

God hardened the hearts of the leaders of Israel in the days of Christ’s flesh so that they would not hear, see, or understand and be converted. John 12:39-40 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He (God) hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. God is the one who hardened their hearts. God is the one who blinded their eyes. Why did he do it? Note the clause of purpose which gives us God’s reason for so working in these religious leaders. “. . . that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.”

Someone might be prone to argue, “God permits Satan to blind their eyes. They might do so on the grounds of such biblical declarations as the following. 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. God is the primary cause; Satan, the god of this world, is the secondary and instrumental cause. He is but an instrument in the hands of God.

This reminds me of an instance in history when God sent a lying spirit to deceive Ahab and cause him to go to war so that God could kill him. 1 Kings 22:22-23 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Consider also what God did to Abimelech. Judges 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. The deceived and the deceiver both belong to God. Job 12:16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. Since the deceived and the deceiver both belong to God it is not unexpected that he would use them for his own purpose when it pleased him to do so.

In a similar matter, God sometimes sends men strong delusions so that they should believe a lie and be damned. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

On the other hand, I must point out that in the very next two verses Paul declares that there are those whom God has chosen to salvation and whom he called to that salvation through the preaching of the gospel after he sanctified them by his Spirit and gave them the faith to believe the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I say again, I preach these doctrines sometimes nicknamed Calvinism because God is the God of salvation and is sovereign in all that he does, including salvation.

Except for painting and installing a stove, sink, and other fixtures, in the cook room the main dining hall is complete. We do not have the money at this time to purchase a refrigerator and freezer which will be added later.

Beloved friends and supporters of Thailand Missions and the work that is being done by our faithful missionary, Bro. Anond Phoothaptim, you will remember the pictures I have published of the first house we built for the girls. It was destroyed by a windstorm within days after it was finished. When the word spread about this and another setback we had in the building of the Baptist Children’s Center, several churches and individuals responded with generous offerings and this made possible the progress that has been made. On this page you can see two views of the new girls’ house. It is now complete and ready for occupancy. The holdup at this moment is the electricity. Today, September 2, 2002, the power company started building the power line to the land where the workers at the children’s center can connect the buildings, which are already wired, to the line.

Here is the boys' house which is now complete.

When the girls house blew down, the workers salvaged all the materials possible out of it. With those materials and other materials that had been salvaged from a building on the property, a second dining/assembly hall is being built. It is pictured below. This will decrease the chance of school activities conflicting with the activities at the children’s center. This building will be complete by the time we begin classes at the Sovereign Grace Baptist School of Theology in November, 2002

Some time ago, August 2000, I read a very interesting article titled, “Why Don’t You Just Leave and Leave Us Alone?” In the article the author called on all who do not agree with his particular doctrine of Landmarkism to “just leave and leave us alone.” In the article the author assumed great authority and demanded that when those leave that they not write any articles in papers, but just leave obediently and quietly. Such a presumptuous demand by an alleged independent Baptist astounded me at the time and when I read it again recently (I scanned it and have it on my computer), it still astounded me.

When I first heard from another brother the title of the article, several scriptures immediately came to mind. I thought of the words of the enslaved Israelites. Exodus 14:12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians. They did not want Moses rocking the boat and making their labors more rigorous. So they said, “Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians.” God had graciously sent Moses to lead them out of their enslavement but they said, “Let us alone.” How like our author this sounds. He said, “Why Don’t You Just Leave and Leave Us Alone?” They said, “Let us alone.”

I also thought of the words of a demon-possessed man whom Jesus encountered in a Jewish synagogue. Both Mark and Luke tell us of this. Mark 1:23-24 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. Luke 4:33-34 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

It is also interesting that the unbelievers in Gadara were so fearful of Jesus after he cast out the demons and they went into the swine that they began to plead with him to leave their area. Mark 5:17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. Like the demons in the previous case they wanted Jesus to let them alone. In essence they said, “Why don’t you just leave and leave us alone?”

I note that in both accounts the man with an unclean devil cried out, “Let us alone.” And the people of Gadara asked Jesus to leave their coasts.

Is it not amazing that some people, when they cannot meet the Biblical arguments of others just want them to shut up and quietly leave and leave them alone?

Then there is the case where God commanded the prophet Hosea to leave one of the tribes of Israel alone. Hosea 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

It is a sad day in the life of anyone when he cries, “Leave us alone.” But, when this brother cried out for some to “leave, and leave us alone,” he inferred that those whom he wanted to leave had joined something from which they should leave. Is there some invisible order, or convention, or association that we joined unknowingly and that we have been asked to leave. When I was in the ABA and started preaching the doctrines of grace, there were those who suggested to me that the church that I pastored and I should leave. Some called for our ouster but the ABA does not even have anything for one to join which he can then leave. One state association did refuse to seat messengers but they grossly violated their articles of agreement when they did so and it haunts them to this day as more and more rules are modified to control the churches and pastors in that fellowship.

“Let us alone,” cried the enslaved Israelites. “Let us alone,” cried the demons whom Jesus encountered. “Leave our coasts,” pleaded the Gadarenes. “Let him alone,” commanded God concerning Ephraim, “he is joined to his idols.

Sad, so very sad, to hear a Baptist preacher echo the words of the enslaved Israelites, the scared demons, and the unbelieving Gadarenes! Even Baptists can become enslaved to traditions and they do not want anyone asking for chapter and verse from Scripture for those traditions and practices. So they cry, “Leave us alone.” Let us serve our traditions. Don’t ask us for Scriptural or historical evidence that the way we do things is the only way. Please don’t write any articles exposing the fallacies of our fabricated “chain-link succession” back to Christ. Don’t remind us that some of the links we claim are not links at all. Don’t tell us that the fact that a man from one church was present when another church was received into the Philadelphia Association does not establish a link between the two churches. “Elder Abel Morgan was one of the messengers at the annual meeting when Opekon was received into the Association. Morgan came from the Welsh Tract Baptist Church in Newcastle county, Delaware (p.15) which was organized with 16 members at Pembrokeshire, South Wales in June of 1701 and sailed together to Philadelphia arriving September 8, 1701.” Don’t dare write an article showing that one of the churches through which we trace our “chain” was self-constituted in Sandy Creek, NC, by 16 or 17 scripturally baptized people. We do not want to hear it. “Leave us alone, we do not want to know any different.” Please silently, submissively, obediently leave our coasts. “Let us alone, we are married to our, uh, uh.”

The illimitable temerity of a brother who would arrogantly suggest that those whom he commands to leave must leave silently amazes me. We must write no articles before we leave. We must simply bow our heads in submission to our betters and leave without a word.

What gives him or any of his friends the authority to make such a demand? He has less authority to make such a demand than the enslaved Israelites had when they cried out for Moses to let them alone. He has less authority than the demons who cried out for Jesus to leave them alone. He has less authority than the Gadarenes who prayed for Jesus to leave their coasts.

Speaking for myself, I have not knowingly joined anything that I could leave. I have not joined anyone that I could leave alone. I will also tell you that this editor will not be forced into silence by the demands of another who arrogantly orders silence from all whom he orders to leave his hidden association or convention or whatever.

I can understand someone might say such a thing audibly in the heat of an argument. But, when one writes an article he has time to think about what he is writing. We know, therefore, that this was not a spur of the moment statement. He wrote the article, hopefully he proofed it before sending it off for publication. This was a deliberate demand for an action with which it is impossible to comply.

I believe there was a man in Scripture who exhibited the spirit and authority which the brother who demanded that some of us leave submissively. It seems John wrote of him. 3 John 9-10 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. This prating brother cannot cast us out of the church for we are not in the same church as he. Nor can he cast us out of the association for we have not joined any association. And he cannot cast us out of the convention for we have nothing to do with conventions. But, he wants us to leave something and leave him and his compatriots alone. I wish he would tell us what we are supposed to leave.

In September, 1965, under the sponsorship of the Beverly Manor Baptist Church, Bro. Bill Canard and I started the Illinois Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary. We had been classmates in the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas, and were two of five students out of a first-year class of 69 who stayed and earned Bachelors, Masters, and Doctors degrees. Bro. Canard left shortly after we received our last degree and went to pastor the Landmark Baptist Church in Peoria, Illinois.

Two or three years later in the month of February, 1965, I was called to and accepted the pastorate of the Beverly Manor Baptist Church in Washington, Illinois. One of the first things the church asked that I do was to start a Bible Institute and Seminary. Bro. Canard and I met weekly from March to September laying out plans for the school. It was my privilege to serve as President of the Illinois Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary for 13 ½ years. This school continues today, 37 years later, under the name of Illinois Missionary Baptist College.

As of September 15, 2002, I will have been preaching the gospel for 45 years and I am about to embark on one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. On October 28, 2002, Bro. Bill Lee and his wife Janice and I will leave for Thailand again. We will visit the children’s center and some churches on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of that week. On Tuesday, November 5, 2002, we will have the grand opening of the new Baptist Children’s Center and also the grand opening of the Sovereign Grace Baptist School of Theology.

In conjunction with these openings we will have a Bible Conference. Classes for the Bible School will commence on November 12, 2002.

As I said, this will be one of the greatest challenges of 45 years in the ministry. I will be teaching Lahu and Lisu Pastors and young preachers of both tribes. I will teach them English for one hour each day. For the remaining five hours of class time I will teach Homiletics, Theology, Ecclesiology, and a course on How to Study the Bible.

My reason for teaching English is that there are no good theology books in either of these languages. To learn the languages thoroughly enough to translate good theology books would take many years. Also, it would cost vast amounts of money to print these books in the two languages. I believe the best thing to do is to teach these brethren to read English. I have more than one copy of several books and will begin taking them to Thailand with me when I go. As soon as we are able to build a library/study hall we will have these books available for the students to use. One brother has already given books and other brethren have indicated they will help in the gathering of a library for the school. I am not ready to begin this project yet but will let it be known when I am ready.

Several brethren have asked for a list of expected expenses for the school. A few weeks ago Ruth and I met with Bro. Bill Lee and his wife to discuss what it would take for my expenses. Since he has gone over there every year since 1997 and his wife has gone several times, I felt that their input on expenses would be very helpful. We came up with the following estimates of what I would need for the 4 months I will be there.

Travel to and from Thailand including a round trip for my wife Ruth to come over in January for two weeks $ 2400.00

Housing 1500.00

Food for 140 days approximately

($10.75 per day) 1500.00

Supplies and local travel when

I want to go alone 700.00

Laundry and cleaning of clothing 100.00

Phone Service 200.00

E-mail Service (This is one item

that is higher in Thailand) 200.00

Miscellaneous items including

notebooks and pencils for students

and rice for students

to eat while at school* 1400.00

First Total Estimated Expense $8000.00

Estimated additional expenses** $4000.00

Several are planning to send money to the church here or to Central Baptist Church for my expenses while I am in Thailand. They will wire it to me, as I need it. If I have all the money before I leave that would be fine but, if not, I will trust the Lord to provide while I am there.

I first became acquainted with Bro. Milburn Cockrell when he became editor of The Baptist Examiner and pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church over 25 years ago. I first began to receive the Examiner after the death of Bro. John Gilpin. I always felt that the Examiner was at its best during the time I have been a reader while Bro. Cockrell was editor. My first contact with him was when I wrote him a few months after he started editing the paper. I wrote to compliment him on the changed tone the paper took under his leadership. During the interim period the acting editor had a couple of writers who seemed to take pride in being absolutely obnoxious. One charged ABA churches with using soda crackers and grape juice in the Lord’s Supper. When I wrote and told him that he had lied, I assured him that not all ABA churches used grape juice as he had charged and that I challenged him to produce the name of one ABA church that used soda crackers, he informed me that he would not correct his lie but would let it stand.

While it is true that Bro. Cockrell and I did not always agree, we did agree on many things. I still felt he was a champion of the doctrine of God’s sovereign grace in the salvation of sinners. And, I agreed with most of what he believed on church doctrines. Regardless of those disagreements, I respected him as a writer, editor, and preacher of God’s Word. I believe he performed a great service to those who read The Baptist Examiner and The Berea Baptist Banner.

Bro. Cockrell realized the value of the printed page in propagating the truth. Through the medium of the papers he edited and the articles he wrote and others he published he helped many who were not privileged to hear the doctrines of sovereign grace and other doctrines. He also assisted those who were members of true churches of the Lord Jesus Christ in their growth in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is probably a great understatement to say Bro. Milburn Cockrell will be missed. We extend our sympathy to his family and church and pray God’s choicest blessings upon them in the coming days and weeks.