What's a Fundamentalist?

I consider myself a fundamentalist. As most people today define fundamentalism, these brings to mind a legalistic, dogmatic, hatefull, and even violent extremist sect of Christianity. But these attributes are not fundamentalist, and are in fact opposed to true fundamentalism.

Many people would say I am liberal. I don't believe the King James to be the only inspired version of the Bible. I don't believe that Scofield was given divine inspiration to define the interpretation of Scripture. But these things are not true fundamentalism, these are extra-Biblical dogmas, the traditions of men.

But a real fundamentalist adhears to those doctrines which are critical to Christianity, and especially, salvation. The generally accepted five fundamentals are defined as:

• Inerrancy of the Scriptures
• The virgin birth (and deity) of Jesus
• The doctrine of substitutionary atonement through God's grace and human faith
• The bodily resurrection of Jesus
• The authenticity of Christ's miracles

Of these five fundamentals, 2 through 4 are essential doctrines of salvation as defined by the Bible, and all five are dependant on the first, the inerrancy of Scripture. The inerrancy of Scripture is absolutely essential to our faith; without that, we can question any point of faith, and those that do not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture do just that, by denying creation, the virgin birth of Christ and His miracles, the miracles of the Old Testament, and virtualy any supernatural event in the Bible is discounted as fancifull myth.

In today's Christianity, people are afraid to be labeled fundamentalist or "fundie". They are worried that people will view them as a religious fanatic, "holier than thou", or hatefull. But I carry it as a badge of honor, not that I think highly of myself, for I am a sinner just like everybody else, but it is testimony that I care more about God than what other people think. And I will continue to use Scripture, written by men and authored by the Holy Spirit, as my standard for doctrinal beliefs.

It is imperative that the gospel of Jesus Christ be presented in a Scriptural way, not watered down or perverted from that which is given by God through the Bible. And according to the Biblical standard, faith without repentance is not a saving faith. This is not a popular thing to say, but there is no love in giving people false hope. You may create enemies, be cussed at, ostrasized, marginalized, and stereotyped, even by those professing to be Christians which isn't much fun I admitt.

But, think of the reward, if even one person by the grace of God recieves the gospel, believes, repents and confesses unto salvation! God has chosen us, His redeemed in Christ, as His agents on earth to present the Truth unto salvation, what a wonderfull privilage! And what wretched people we are, if we forsake this duty for fear of offending someone, or worse yet- for fear of the consequences for ourselves on earth.

The drift away from the view of Biblical inerrency is evident in today's churches. Christians have allowed their fealings, rational thinking, and man's finite "understanding" of the universe color the way they view Scripture. Carried to its logical extreme end, this "higher criticism" view of Scripture leads people to make up their own god based on their ideas on who God should be, or even deny that God exists.

So I propose a new definition of a Christian fundamentalist:

Christian Fundamentalist, Fundie

One who upholds and declares the sacred truths of Scripture, without compromise, shame, or fear of consequences.

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

John 15:19-20 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.