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Saul in the Cave of Adullam

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Saul in the Cave of Adullam SAUL IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM: A TESTIMONY AGAINST THE FASHIONABLE, SUB-CALVINISM OF DOUG WILSON (EDITOR OF CREDENDA/AGENDA MAGAZINE); AND, FOR CLASSICAL PROTESTANTISM AND THE ATTAINMENTS OF THE SECOND REFORMATION by Reg Barrow Please note: A "Table of Contents" follows the "Introduction." INTRODUCTION The following book chronicles a controversy initiated by _Credenda/Agenda_ magazine when they published an attack on me in their Cave of Adullam section. In my opinion this attack was clearly in violation of the ninth commandment. This episode with Doug Wilson (and _Credenda/Agenda_) evokes imagery of walking down a long narrow path (the full covenanted testimony for the truth [Rev. 12:6]), surrounded by darkness (the present apostasy from covenanted attainments [2 Thes. 2:3] -- especially among professing Christians and the visible church in its corporate character [Rev. 17:5]), my way illumined by only a flashlight (the Word of God and the testimony of faithful martyrs [Rev. 6:9] and other witnesses -- agreeable to the Word of God [Rev. 6:9]). I and other witnesses press steadfastly and determinedly onward, waiting for the sun to arise (when the Holy Spirit is poured out in world transforming power [cf. Ezek. 47:1-12, especially verses 5-12]) and illuminate not only the narrow path (Matt. 7:14), but the whole earth (during the coming millennium glory, when the covenants will again be nationally renewed and the biblical attainments of former generations vindicated on a massive scale [Isa. 2:2-5, Matt. 13:31-33]). Across this narrow path, blocking the way to further individual and corporate sanctification, is a piece of splinter-filled, rotten wood (_Credenda/Agenda's_ original attack against me for bearing witness, on Knox Ring, against John Frame's apostasy and idolatry). Not wanting others to stumble over this obstacle, I bend down to remove it (my use of Matt. 18:15-17 to restore the offenders at _Credenda/Agenda_) and use my flashlight to illuminate the portion of path it obscured. To my surprise, in so doing I am confronted with a den of scorpions (the heresies [some Romish, some Anabaptist, some malignant, some independent, etc.] and further slanderous accusations of Doug Wilson -- against classical Protestantism and the biblical attainments of the second Reformation)! My attempt to exterminate and remove these scorpion-like opinions from the path of the covenanted Reformation make up much of what follows in this book. Before I continue, I must make an important caveat. This is in no way to say that I judge Doug Wilson (or the others involved at _Credenda/Agenda_) to be outside the invisible church -- that is for God to decide. Throughout this book (and above) I am addressing those statements and actions (1 Cor. 3:12-15, John 7:24, 1 Cor. 2:15) which either have been published already or which Doug Wilson has agreed to make public. Furthermore, as will be seen throughout my responses, the question of what Calvin calls the "true and lawful constitution of the church" or the "lawful form of the (visible--RB) church" (_Institutes_ 4.2.12) is often in view. Please be sure to make the distinction between the visible church as it is *duly constituted* and the "catholic or universal" visible church (or the visible church as to its *essential* character) -- which "consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children" (_Westminster Confession of Faith_ 25:2). This is an essential biblical distinction which must be made when ecclesiastical questions are in view (cf. Larry Birger's "The Visible Church: Essence Versus Lawful Form" free at: http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/vischu.htm or write us for this free newsletter). Getting this right would help clear up much of the fuzzy thinking that permeates the church today. Distinguishing between the *essential* and *constitutional* character of the visible church (as the Reformers' did) would also be useful in eliminating a great deal of the misdirected, misapplied and unnecessary name-calling that has been bandied about of late (of which Wilson provides many examples throughout his letters to me). On this point the Session of the Puritan Reformed Church of Edmonton gives us one of the most mature and faithful contemporary short summaries of the Reformation position, "Though it is not necessary that a truly constituted church be absolutely pure as to the doctrine taught or embraced, as to the ordinances administered, or the public worship performed, it is, however, necessary that its constitution be founded upon and agreeable to the Word of God and that its constitution reflect the light attained to by the purest of Reformed Churches (for all reformation must be biblical reformation if it is reformation at all, otherwise it is not a reformation but a deformation, cf. Phil. 3:16). Wherefore, to adopt a constitution that corrupts the light of Scripture or the light of reformation is to adopt a false constitution. A false constitution renders a church and its courts unconstitutional... for a church to constitutionally adhere to Arminianism, Dispensationalism, or Charismatic experientialism (false doctrine), singing uninspired hymns or using instrumental music in public praise (false worship), Episcopacy or Independency (false government), or unrestricted communion (false discipline) is to qualify as a constitutionally false church. That is not to say that there are no believers in churches that are not truly constituted (there may be many in some cases). Nor is it to imply that ministers or elders within those churches do not courageously stand for many truths taught in Scripture. It is simply to say that authority to rule in the church must come from Christ, and if a church does not have a constitution of which He approves (as King of His church), then there is no lawful authority to rule or to administer the ordinances on His behalf. Authority to administer the divine ordinances on behalf of Christ flows directly from the King and His constitution. Authority used within His church on any other grounds is an usurped authority. It is tyranny" (_A Brief Defence of Dissociation in the Present Circumstances_, pp. 1-2. Free on the web at: http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/BriefDef.htm). Those failing to make this fundamental distinction (which is seen throughout Reformation writings dealing with ecclesiastical matters) are liable to become trapped by the same error which now ensnares Wilson, when he falsely labels me (and the other Covenanters in Edmonton) with the horrible heresy of the Anabaptistic schismatics. This error is refuted throughout the following debate and in appendix A by Greg Price in his "Testimony Against the Unfounded Charges of Anabaptism." Now, to enlarge upon the preceding allegory. After being informed of _Credenda/Agenda's_ public assault upon my name and my company, I initially spoke to the elders of the church I attend, seeking counsel as to how best to proceed. Hoping, as much as possible, to keep this controversy out of the public eye (for the sake of the brethren at _Credenda/Agenda_ and the broader testimony to the truth [2 Sam. 1:20]), and thinking that a presentation of the facts of the case would quickly lead _Credenda/Agenda_ to make their own public retraction, it was decided that Greg Price (who is the teaching elder at the Puritan Reformed Church of Edmonton, which I attend) would contact Doug Wilson. Accordingly, Mr. Price then made four private attempts to resolve the situation brought about by _Credenda/Agenda's_ publicly distributed false accusations. As evidenced by the book you now hold, even after these four private attempts at reconciliation, Doug Wilson was unwilling to repent -- and actually hurled additional scornful and derisive barbs in our direction. At this point I began the Matthew 18:15-17 process with Mr. Wilson, in the hope of reclaiming this brother. In short, this book follows this controversy as it unfolded after I began the Matthew 18:15-17 process with Mr. Wilson, though it also includes those previous items which gave rise to this dispute. The table of contents below outlines each of the items covered. The most important letters -- i.e. my second and fifth replies to Wilson and appendix A, Greg Price's "Testimony Against The Unfounded Charges of Anabaptism" -- are marked with asterisks. These three sections deal with a number of larger public issues regarding the individual, church, and state, and help remove this discussion from the realm of the specific slanders I addressed (appendix B, my article "Pornography, the Anabaptists and Doug Wilson's Civil Antinomianism" might also be added to this category). I mark them as most important not because I seek to minimize the public slander that took place, but because addressing Wilson’s charges exposed much more serious differences (Wilson's scorpion-like comments and beliefs) between _Credenda/Agenda_ and the Covenanted testimony which Still Waters Revival Books seeks to maintain. Some of the other letters (by Wilson and myself) probably could have been left out of this collection, because they add nothing to the more important public issues which we ended up debating; but I have included them for those who don't mind following all the rabbit trails that Wilson wanted to explore, hoping to justify himself as to our original controversy. These items contain much posturing and a repetition of previously discussed topics and can be skipped over without missing much in the way of general edification. My earnest desire is that the reader will engage himself in the **issues** presented, rather than the personalities and controversy that started this dispute. Appropriate (indeed, unavoidable) conclusions about Wilson and many other modern "Reformed" teachers and guides may then be drawn (Acts 17:11; Rom.
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