Скачать или смотреть “I reject Calvinists and I don’t accept them as brothers” – Pastor Tommy McMurtry | IFB

Such irrational hatred that Independent Fundamentalist Baptists express toward Reformed theology truly amazes me and saddens me. While this is no excuse, I do recognize it is founded only on gross ignorance of “Calvinism”. But of all people, pastors should know better. To call “Calvinists” “natural brute beasts” (2 Pe 2:12, KJV), calling them dead and unable to understand the Scripture (i.e. unsaved), and to reject the history of God building His Church is utterly irrational and tells you a lot about this type of Independent Fundamentalist Baptists. There are honorable exceptions, of course.

This might be surprising to my IFB brothers and sisters, but us “Calvinists” believe that we are only by God’s grace alone justified on the Day of judgment by Christ’s righteousness alone imputed to us by faith alone, apart from any works, so that we are eternally secure in Christ from the moment we repent and believe the Gospel, and cannot lose our salvation because all our sins were imputed to Christ on the cross, where He died in our place, taking our punishment of death, so that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. And we are to preach that message to every man, woman and child. Notice how I used only biblical words to describe the Gospel (in this same sermon Pastor McMurtry strongly disparaged using theological terms not found in the King James Bible).


I personally do like Pastor McMurtry. He seems like a good man, faithful Christian, and I appreciate his strong stance against the New IFB in general and Steven Anderson in particular. But be not falsely assured; he displays the same ignorance of and vitriol toward “Calvinism” and non-KJVonly Christians – even worse than Anderson who is more educated on the subject. His mockery of things he plainly doesn’t understand, and condemning “Calvinists” who believe they are justified the same way Pastor McMurtry believes as unsaved, and calling them “natural brute beasts” is irrational. His usual demeaning, mocking and dismissive tone toward “Calvinists” he displays in sermons and podcasts is very off-putting, and gives out an impression of a man who cannot be taken seriously. I get it, it’s your standard IFB preacher rhetoric that gets the people excited and shouting “Hayman!”, but is utterly void of meaningful substance. And honestly, it disappoints me more than anything.


I understand, since I was once an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist who hated “Calvinism”. But it was in grave ignorance, based on misrepresentations thereof by IFB pastors – that “Calvinists” believe in works salvation and don’t evangelize. Granted, the more popular “Calvinists” today, such as John MacArthur and Paul Washer, promote a form of “Calvinism” known as Lordship Salvation, which I personally disagree with, because I believe it muddles the clarity of the Gospel, causing many of Christ’s sheep to doubt their salvation, orienting them away from Christ’s finished work and toward themselves and their works. And there are “Calvinists”, such as John Piper and Douglas Wilson, who do indeed preach a false gospel, and should rightly and properly be exposed.

I hope Brother McMurtry, and every IFB member or follower who agrees with his remarks will take the time to listen to what “Calvinism” actually teaches and accurately represent it in the future. You can still disagree with “Calvinistic” understanding of predestination and election unto salvation, just don’t claim “Calvinists” are unsaved, or that they don’t evangelize. Below are few playlists I would heartily recommend to your listening, and encourage you to take the time to understand what Reformed Theology teaches about the Gospel before you make such outrageous statements:

Gospel clarity with Pastor Patrick Hines
   • Gospel clarity with Pastor Patrick Hines  

Gospel clarity with Theocast
   • Gospel clarity with Theocast  


And also, some videos presenting the actual issues of preservation of Scriptures from a believing perspective:

Refutation of Sam Gipp's "What's the Big Deal with King James Onlyism?"
   • Dr. James White on Dr. Sam Gipp  

Refutation of Kent Hovind's overly simplistic teaching on the history of the Bible from his Creation Seminar
   • Dr. James White on Dr. Kent Hovind | Histo...  

Refutation of Gail Riplinger and documentation of her insanity
   • Gail Riplinger insanity and lies documente...  

Demonstration of what cultic King James Onlyism does, featuring the late Texe Marrs
   • Dr. James White on Texe Marrs  

Refutation of Steven Anderson's attempted rebuttal of "The King James Only Controversy"
   • "The King James Only Controversy" by Dr. J...  


May God bless you, keep you, and guide you in your walk with Him.


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