Resolutions Passed of the Bible Presbyterian Church
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Resolution 71:8

The Sovereignty of God and Evangelism

The Lord God has most graciously and lovingly, in His sovereignty, elected some from all eternity unto salvation by means of a Redeemer (Ephesians 1:3-5). Therefore our Father did in mercy send forth His beloved Son to work the redemption of all His people by His perfect obedience, perfect sacrifice, and glorious triumph over death in His resurrection (Galatians 4:4-5, Matthew 1:21, Romans 3:19-5:21).

Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended unto the right hand of God, and “having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this [the blessings of Pentecost],” which the Hebrews witnessed on that day.¹The Holy Spirit applies redemption to the people of God and dwells in them. He has called and empowered a mighty army of faithful preachers and teachers to proclaim and teach the Word of God throughout the world, and commanded His Church to “Go ... and teach all nations,” and to “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”²

It is the duty of every believer and every church to disciple their children, to be “teaching ... all things whatsoever I [the Lord Jesus] have commanded...,”³and to maintain a faithful and active teach- ing ministry at home and abroad. As our Lord has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, we are to endeavor to reach out both to saints and unbelievers with the Word of God. Instruction and catechizing are important elements of evangelism. In addition, we must pursue an increase of holiness in our own lives, seeking the glory of God.

The glory of God is the chief aim of all our evangelism! The burden of the glory of God must weigh heavily upon the preacher, the missionary, and the evangelist, as well as every child of God, as we serve Christ in this world. Moreover, our preaching of the Lord’s truth must be God-centered rather than man-centered.⁴

Compromise of sound doctrine and of conscious submission and obedience to the Captain of the Lord’s host and the directives of His Word may be useful to the edification of a preacher’s pride and salary, but they are detriments to the true edification of Christ’s Church. Asteadfast purpose to honor the Lord by submission to His revealed will and a focus on His absolute sovereignty will equip God’s children to place the Gospel of Christ in all its glory and grace before a lost and dying world. It will also enable the servant of Christ to trust and depend upon his Lord rather than upon himself, and pray fervently for strength and the work of the Holy Spirit. Aprayer-filled evangelistic effort will honor the Lord, present Christ before the needy with hope, and bring forth the fruit which our Lord has deter- mined, in answer to prayer.

It is common today to follow pragmatic measures to seek numerical growth, to pursue an increase of knowledge while becoming introverted or introspective, or to divert energies towards effecting change by political means. It is common for men to allow such pursuits to consume or distract them while they fail to carry out the Great Commission and the duties of love in an appropriate measure.

Christ is present in the midst of the candlesticks—that is, with His Church—and has set His City upon a hill to be the light of the world! Faithful Christians which maintain the preaching of the true Gospel and are obedient to the Word of God are God’s witness to the lost. He will use the Church to accomplish His sovereign will to redeem every member of His holy bride as we serve Him in love, humble obedience, and dependence upon Him!

Therefore, be it resolved that the 71st General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church, meeting in Cape Canaveral, Florida, August 2-7, 2007, is committed to continuing to be heavily involved in the work of evangelism to be conducted in the light of God’s absolute sovereignty in the salvation of souls. We know that it is His holy work to grant saving faith and repentance unto life. He uses the holy means of the preaching of His blessed revelation to us. He answers prayer for the anointing of His Holy Spirit as this work is conducted. May we be fervent in prayer for a mighty outpouring of His Spirit to work in our hearts and those of our hearers to the glory of God. Let us be diligent in working to faithfully proclaim and teach the oracles of God which He has committed unto us! May we further be careful to adorn our profession of the Gospel with holiness, and that zeal for good works of obedience and love which are characteristic of God’s peculiar people.

[1] Acts 2:33.
[2] Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15.
[3] Matthew 28:20.
[4] Psalm 96:3; 1 Corinthians 10:31. The ideas presented in this paragraph were part of a message by Dr. Morris McDonald, Moderator of the 71st General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church.

Adopted by the 71th General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church,
meeting in Cape Canaveral, FL, August 2-7, 2007.