1993 – Resolution: Baptists and Fundamentalists

Webster’s Dictionary defines fundamentalism as “the emphasizing as fundamental to Christianity the belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures, Biblical miracles, especially the virgin birth and physical resurrection of Christ” and fundamentalism pertains “to the foundation or the basis of a doctrine or doctrines, as being essentially a principle or a law or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system, an essential part.”

The foundation of Christianity is Jesus Christ, His person and work (I Corinthians 3: 11), as revealed in the written Word of God.

A true fundamentalist, contrary to the way it is defined in the press today, is a born-again believer in Christ who maintains a steadfast allegiance to the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God; measures all things by the rule of the Scriptures; affirms the foundational truths of the historic Christian Faith – particularly the doctrine of the triune God, the incarnation, virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven and second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Other doctrines believed by fundamentalists include the new birth through regeneration by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of believers to life eternal, the resurrection of unbelievers to final judgment and eternal retribution, and the fellowship of believers comprising the church which is the body of Christ represented in this age by local churches patterned after the New Testament.

Another important identification of a true fundamentalist is that he exposes and separates from ecclesiastical apostasy and from compromising individuals and groups which fail to practice Biblical separation.

The Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, June 21-23, 1993, while believing and rejoicing in our Baptist distinctives, which were emphasized in this conference with the theme, “Reclaiming Our Baptist Heritage,” also declares a willingness to encourage, support, and identify with true fundamentalists in such organizations as the American Council of Christian Churches in their determination to “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3).

The Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America recognizes fundamentalism faces a common threat which includes apostates, compromisers, a growing Charismatic movement, as well as increasing governmental pressures. The American Council of Christian Churches/World Council of Biblical Churches provide a responsible voice for Bible-believing separatists to challenge and oppose religious error which will weaken and even silence our witness and testimony in the ’90’s. Individuals and local churches can stand together with such muti-denominational, separated groups without any loss or compromise of Biblical Truth.