Can A Southern Baptist Be Reformed?

Can a Southern Baptist be Reformed? This is a question that is hotly debated among Southern Baptists, and depending on who you ask there may be differing answers. My answer to this question is a resounding yes, because as we will see in this blog post that the Southern Baptist Convention has some theologically Reformed Roots. Take for example the following passage from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's The Abstract of Principles, adopted in 1858: Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life -- not because of foreseen merit in them, but of his mere mercy in Christ -- in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. As you can plainly see, this article of The Abstract of Principles, smacks of classic Reformed theology concerning the election of the saints. We should not stop there though; as we will see there has be a strong Reformed influence in the Southern Baptist Convention since its founding in 1845.

The 1689 Confession was the confessional statement of the church or association of every one of the 293 delegates who gathered in Augusta, Georgia, to organize the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845; so let us look at the 1689 Confession.
At a time appointed by and acceptable to God, those whom God has predestinated to life are effectually called by His Word and Spirit out of the state of death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ.Their minds are given spiritual enlightenment and, as those who are being saved, they begin to understand the things of God. God takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh.He renews their will, and by His almighty power He sets them to seek and follow that which is good, at the same time effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ.And to all these changes they come most freely, for they are made willing by divine grace.Deut. 30:6; Ps. 110:3; Song 1:4; Ezek. 36:26,27; Acts 26:18; Rom. 8:30; 11:7; Eph. 1:10,11,17,19; 2:1-6; 2 Thess. 2:13,14.


Men who are not elected, even though they may be called upon to embrace salvation by the preachers of the gospel, and may be the subjects of some common operations of the Spirit, cannot be saved, because they are not effectually drawn to Christ by the Father, for which reason they neither can, nor will, truly come to Him.Much less can men who do not receive the Christian religion be saved, no matter how diligent they are to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the teachings of the religion which they follow.Matt. 13:20,21; 22:14; John 4:22; 6:44,45,65; 17:3; Acts 4:12; Heb. 6:4-6; 1 John 2:24,25.

So, as you can see, the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention, or at least their churches and/or local associations, were indeed Reformed in belief , according to their confession of faith.

Now let us look at the solas of the reformation, and you tell me does any Bible beliving Southern Baptist reject these principles.

Sola Scriptura, or Scripture Alone : The teaching that the Bible is the only inspired and authorative word of God, the only source of Christian doctrine, and is acccessabile to all - that is the Bible requires no interpertation outside of itself.

Sola Fide, or By Faith Alone: The teaching that justification is recieved by faith alone, with out any mixture or need of good works.

Sola Gratia, By Grace Alone: The teaching that salvation comes by God's grace, or unmerited favor, alone.

Solo Christo, or Christ Alone: The teaching that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is no salvation through any other.

Soli Deo Gloria, or Glory To God Alone: The teaching that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action.

I believe these arguments, alone, are enough to establish the fact that Southern Baptists can be Reformed, but just to put the argument to rest, for some at least, I will provide the names of a few resources that may help you:
A Quiet Revolution by Ernest C. Reisinger & D. Matthew Allen
A Critical Evaluation of Paedobaptism by Greg Welty
A Catechism for Boys and Girls PDF in booklet format
How to Deal with Those Who Differ from Us by Roger Nicole
A Southern Baptist Looks at the Biblical Doctrine of Election by Ernest Reisinger
Southern Baptists, An Unregenerate Denomination
A String of Pearls Unstrung: A Theological Journal into Believers' Baptism by Fred Malone
From the Protestant Reformation to the Southern Baptist Convention: What Hath Geneva To Do with Nashville? by Tom Ascol

I hope that this blog entry is informative to you , and to all other Baptist brethern you may encounter.