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- PAS:Declaration Concerning Personal Separation Mid-America Baptist Fellowship 10/89
-
- It is obvious that the moral decadence of society is having an
- impact upon fundamentalism and that there is a general erosion of
- Christian character. We are aware of the voices that say our churches
- and institutions must adjust to this changing day if we are to survive.
- To the contrary, fundamentalism is not in the surviving business; it is
- in the crusading business! Our response should not be one of
- accommodation and compromise, but of courage and conviction. The
- following five issues are a sample of personal separation held through
- the years by fundamental Baptist.
-
- We, the undersigned, declare that we are only interested in
- supporting those publishing houses, colleges, mission boards, and the
- institutions that aggressively and unashamedly stand on these Biblical
- principles.
-
- Dress Dr. Ralph Martin
-
- because the Word of God establishes principles of modesty,
- distinctiveness of dress between men and women, identification with
- Christ in opposition to the world and the principle of consistency in
- standards of dress in both public and home life.
-
- Therefore we stand opposed to nakedness, the wearing of clothing
- that is inappropiate in style, revealing by immodest vfit, androgynous
- in design (confusin the male and female roles).
-
- We, as men of God, by preaching, teaching, and example, desire to
- uphold the standards of modesty, purity, and holiness for both godly
- men and women; not excusing near-nakedness by reason of weather
- conditions, recreation, or fashion (this includes mixed swimming).
-
- Dating Pastor Wayne Van Geldren, Jr.
-
- Understanding that marriage is a holy, permanent union crweated bny
- God (Mark 10:6-9), that all intimate emotion and physical relationships
- between a man and a woman outside of marriage are improper and immoral
- (Mt. 5:27-28, Pro. 5:15-23, 1 Cor. 6:18-7:2), and that children should
- honor the leadership of their parents until marriage (Ex. 20:12, Gen.
- 2:24), the following daiting principles should be taught and practiced:
-
- 1. Children should submit themselves to parental leadership in the
- choosing of a mate.
-
- 2. Dating should be for the purpose of finding God's will in
- marriage, instead of mainly meeting immediate social and emotional
- needs.
-
- 3. Pre-marriage relationships such as "going steady" and
- pre-engagement should be considered dangerous and be discouraged.
-
- 4. All intimate physical contact should be reserved for marriage and
- not allowed in dating or engagement.
-
- TV/Movies/VCR
-
- Dr. Collins Glen
-
- Regarding the phenomena of the present day Hollywood
- movie-television-video industry, the church of Jesus Christ must speak
- out loudly against its philosophies and standards of morality.
-
- 1. It steals time that should be redeemed for God. (Eph. 5:16)
-
- 2. It dethrones the holiness of God and glorifies man.
-
- 3. It preaches and anti-family philosophy.
-
- 4. It ridicules and attacks by message and example the Biblical
- principles of purity and godliness.
-
- Our nation's mentality is being inundated with humanistic
- philosophies and ideals. There is a consequent, corroding effect upon
- the Christian mind and lifestyle that God-fearing people must encounter
- aggressively to counteract. Silence against anti-christian philosophies
- and lifestyles, principles, and doctrine is unacceptable. Nothing would
- aid the cause of Satan more than for fundamental, Bible-believing
- Christians to remain neutral on this issue.
-
- Christians are urged to be discerning in their choice of television
- and video entertainment by observing the words of Psalm 101:3, "I will
- set now wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that run
- aside; it shall not cleave to me."
-
- Social Drinking Pastor Mark Simmons
-
- We believe that the Bible teaches total abstention with regard to
- alcoholic beverages. We also believe there needs to be a return to the
- old-time preaching against all "social" drinking and promoting in ever
- environment within our means the practice of total abstinence.
-
- Music / Dancing Pastor Mike Harding
-
- We believe that contemporary Christian music consists of music that
- weds Christina lyrics to popular worldly styles such as rock, pop,
- country, jazz, new wave, etc. These styles constitute sensual worship
- that has patterned itself after the world's worship of its own
- twentieth century idols. We believe these forms of music have weakened
- the church and add to the moral doctrinal disintegration so evident
- already.
-
- Since music is inherently moral, we believe God's view of music
- revealed in Scripture must be the attitude of sacred musicians and true
- worshipers in an age of increasing apostasy. Church music will not
- improve itself without guidance and strong Biblical preaching on the
- subject. In like manner, we also reject all forms of liturgical and
- modern dance. We commit ourselves to such a course.
-
- Signed______________________________________________________
-