Are YOU a Fundamentalist?

To be titled a “Fundamentalist” these days carries the connotation of being fanatical, crazy or some kind of fringe lunatic out to kill or destroy all those who don’t agree.

(QUICK FUN FACT: Some folks don’t like using the energy to say all the syllables, they use the word, “Fundy”.)

Whenever we hear about Islamic terrorists, the adjective “fundamentalist” is often applied. Also, conservative Christians are called “fundies” because they dare to have standards and acknowledge “right and wrong”. Are folks misusing this word OR are fundamentalists really lunatics?

To begin with, a fundamentalist is one who simply holds to the "fundamentals". So this begs the question, what does the word "fundamental" mean?

a) serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function : BASIC
b) of or relating to essential structure, function, or facts
c) of central importance

[*Definitions taken from Merriam-Webster Online (www.m-w.com)]

We can see that a person who is a fundamentalist is one who simply holds to the "basics" of their religion. This person would believe in the "essentials". What is "fanatical" about that? What would be the point in believing anything less?

THE FACT is that folks have “assigned” a new meaning to this word. Basically, anyone that takes thier religion seriously is now labeled a “fundy”. Anyone who would dare believe in absolute truth is a “fundy”. In other words, to actually take what Jesus said seriously is unthinkable. What Jesus said is reduced to some kind of "good advice" equivalent to a message found in a fortune cookie. Cute stories that one piously gives lip service to but has no intention of applying to ones life.

What is the point of being a Christian and not believing in the fundamentals of the Christian faith? What would be the point in calling oneself a Christian but not taking seriously what the Bible says? Seems like a colossal waste of time to confess a faith that one doesn't really believe. Would you call yourself a baseball player if you didn't even own a glove?

Personally I have no respect for anyone who is a so-called Christian that is not a fundamentalist. How could anyone say they are a REAL and TRUE Christian and not believe the basic and essential truths that the Bible sets forth? How could one reduce the importance in believing essential doctrines like the virgin birth, salvation by faith alone, the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the second coming of Jesus, Jesus' sinless life, His death, burial and resurrection, et al, and still dare be called a Christian? What would be the point?

Finally, we live in a world where most folks just want to "do their own thing". The Burger King doctrine, "my way, right away". Many people are content calling themselves Christians without showing one ounce of it in their lives. If I did not believe the Bible was the one and only, true, real, living Word of God... I would burn it and flush the ashes down the toilet. Why? If the Bible is not the Word of God, if it's claims cannot be taken seriously, then it is histories biggest fraud. Ironically, some who would be offended by the "burn and flush" statement are the ones who actually do the same in the way they live their lives.

Fakes, Phonies and Misrepresentations

If you don't know at this point, I am a Christian. If someone labeled me (and they often do), I might be an "Evangelical", "Protestant" or a "Ned Flanders", et al. The truth is I am an Independent, Fundamental, Baptist. When I tell people that "title" I can't list all the FALSE premises in peoples minds that go with that "label". I am often thought to be judging, mean, stereo-typing... and lest we forget the classic, "close-minded". However (ironically), these that are quick to call me such things are thus making thier own "judgements" about me based on nothing but a title.

My biggest concern as a Christian is the amount FALSE Christianity out there. I know so many folks who THINK they know what Christianity is ("Christian" AND Non-Christian)... and most don't have a clue. Why is that? There are several reasons. All some folks know (or THINK they know) about the Bible is what they learned from the "Simpsons" (or even worse, "South Park"). All some people see is the fakes and robbers on TV like Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Juanita Bynum, Paula White, Robert Tilton, Steve Munsey, Mike Murdock, Oral Roberts, Charles Capps, Marilyn Hickey, etc. and think that thier behavior represents all Christians. And who among us doesn't know the so-called Christian that goes to bars, gets drunk on a regular basis and dates non-Christians? I was once myself one of these who, while claiming to be a servant of Jesus Christ, actually did nothing but bring shame to his name. How? By misrepresenting Him! My life in no, way, shape or form was remotely Christian; however, I was quick to tell folks I was. How confused they must have been!

The famine of REAL CHRISTIANITY today is sickening. Most so-called Christians have no idea what the Bible says about the most simple doctrines. Let's look at just one example, ask the average "Christian" if they KNOW (ie, not guessing) they are going to heaven. The prodominate answer will be something like, "I hope so", "I live a good life", "I am just doing the best I can" or "I know a preacher", et al. NONE of these answers are remotely close to what a person who is saved should say. Hope so? Good life? Doing the best you can? Isn't the central message of the Gospel the fact that WE ALL are "dead in trespasses and sins" BUT "while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly"? Everyone is a sinner and the "good news" is that while we are hopelessly lost and dead in sins; Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Being fully God and fully man He was able to pay the price on our sin debt that we could NEVER pay in our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-5, John 3, John 8:24, 5:24). The "hope so", "good life", "doing the best you can" answer is ANTI-Biblical at best! Yet, this most central, essential and SIMPLE doctrine of the Bible is somehow "overlooked" by those who claim to believe in the Bible. Amazing! (This is just one example of many sickeningly simple (yet essential) teachings of the Bible that are missed by those who claim Jesus Christ as thier Saviour.)

I would like to make a challenge to all those who read this article...

If you are a Christian, would you please act like it? Everyone makes mistakes and we need to have forgiveness among ourselves for these; however, there is a HUGE difference between the person who makes a mistake or occasionally slips up and the person who claims to be a Christian and doesn't even know what it means to be one!

If you are not a Christian, please read the Bible! It can be proven that the Bible is the Word of God, that Israel is His chosen people, that Jesus Christ is the one and only Saviour of sinners, etc. I know non-Christians that know NOTHING about the Bible but are all too willing to make "authoritative" statements about it. This is intellectually dishonest at best. So many people say, "the Bible is full of contradictions". When I ask them to provide JUST ONE... they cannot. Yet these are all too eager to promote a LIE that they cannot prove. Here is my solution to this problem: until you know what you are talking about... SHUT YOUR YAPPER.

Finally, I am wearied by all the false Christianity out there today. I am wearied by a world that is all too eager to promote lies about Christianity. So many souls (and thier ETERNAL destiny) hang in the balance and so many of those souls are basing what they THINK they know about God, Jesus and the Bible on faulty information. Sadly, much this "faulty information" comes from a false Christianity that knows nothing of the true Christ.