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S i d e b a r
THANKS, BUT NO THANKS, BUDDY
By Bartholomew F. Brewer
Dear Mr. Sungenis:
Ligonier Ministries has a committee, of which I am not a member, that makes all decisions about speaking requests. Because of my writing and seminary teaching schedules, most of my speaking is done for Ligonier conferences. I can accept only a couple of outside speaking requests each year. The speaking committee doesn't see the value of my being involved in a debate on sola fide, and I am in agreement with the committee's decision. It comes down to a matter of time schedule priorities, as my secretary told you.
Thank you for your invitation. I'm sorry I am unable to accept.
R. C. Sproul
Dear Robert:
Greetings from "America's Finest City" [motto of San Diego]. I appreciate your letter. Thanks for writing.
Frankly, I am not a debater. Nor do I have the time available to prepare for such an event. The confusion you saw in "Protestantism" is no less prevalent within Romanism. All confusion has its source in Satan who has clever devices to undermine the sole authority of Holy Writ. Robert, I have not found true Christians characterized by confusion. No doubt your encounters have been with the wrong crowd. I refer to the WCC and NCC crowd, neo-evangelicals, and neo-pentecostalists.
The issue at stake is whether or not one has eternal life as taught in the Scriptures. In this regard, may I suggest you read the new book, A View of Rome, by John Armstrong. Perhaps it would be more helpful for you to correspond with him than yours truly as I am not able to keep up with correspondence, etc., at this time.
I have no intention "to try to convert" you "back to Protestantism." You need to be converted the Bible way, which you have never experienced. I am praying that you will humble yourself and take to heart the content of Jim McCarthy's book, The Gospel According to Rome. How you could know Jim and be under his leadership and return to the religious filth of the Pope's Church is beyond me. The Lord will have to deal with you. Robert, consider this:
The doctrine which Roman Catholicism serves up to her priests and faithful members is not the theology of the Bible or of the primitive Christian Church, but an artificial system, based on Holy Writ, partly on Aristotelian philosophy, and partly also on apocryphal texts, legends of doubtful authority, wilful [sic] alterations and interpolations of ancient canons, and on superstitions and relics of heathenism. Robert, thanks for writing.
Debtor to mercy and grace,
Bartholomew F. Brewer
P.S. Ruth and I just returned from two churches in Connecticut where the congregations are 85 percent former Catholics. They are converted not to some religious institution but "new creatures" in Christ. How will you reclaim them? Where are the padres? Why don't they help you out?
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