Warren-Ballard Debate
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WARREN-BALLARD DEBATE HELD IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, July 23-26, 1952 BETWEEN THOMAS B. WARREN, Fort Worth, Texas AND L. S. BALLARD, Dallas, Texas Tape Recorded Transcribed by Betty Sue Baker Galena Park, Texas FIRST EDITION TELEGRAM BOOK COMPANY 608 PEARDALE LANE LONGVIEW, \VASHINGTON 1953 Copyright, 1953 By TELEGRAM BOOK COMPANY All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America, INTRODUCTION This debate is of outstanding value because it contains information and material not previously used in debate and made available to the general public. Although one may have a number of debates on the same subject, this one is worthy to takc a place with them; and it can be used as a ready hand-book of quotations from outstand- ing scholars on a number of arguments made in the debate. The name of Dr. L. S. Ballard is one that is familiar in the polemic field. As far back as 1913, he met E. M. Borden in debate, and is a veteran of many debates since. He is held in high esteem by his brethern, and was selected by them to defend Baptist doctrine in this dis- cussion. His work therefore is representative as he is one of the outstanding Baptist debaters today. Mr. J. Cullis Smith, President of the Orthodox Baptist Institute of Ardmore, Oklahoma, served as moderator for Dr. Ballard. Brother Thomas B. Warren, now serving as local evangelist for the Eastridge church of Christ in Fort Worth, represented the church of Christ. His brethren were well pleased with his work in this debate, although it was his second public discussion. His first debate was with Mr. J. L. Davis, a Baptist debater with considerable experience in debating. Dr. Ballard moderated for Mr. Davis, and for this second debate with Brother Warren, the Baptists chose Dr. Ballard to represent them. One cannot help but be impressed with the thorough preparation and extensive research work that Brother Warren did, and the case with which he met the argu- ments of his veteran opponent. He had ample material at his finger tips to impeach the two star witnesses of Dr. Ballard namely, The Concordant Translation, and The Emphatic Diaglott, as unscholarly and unreliable. Brother Warren forcibly met the argument of Dr. Ballard that the phrase "unto remission of sins" cannot modify both verbs, "Repent, and be baptized." With quotations from outstanding and recognized scholars, it was pointed out that "unto remission of sins" can modify both verbs in Acts 2: 38. Furthermore, this discussion contains valuable mate- rial concerning the inspiration and reliability of the much disputed passage, Mark 16:9-20. Although Brother Warren is a young man, and not an elder in any sense-either in age or officially; Dr. Ballard frequently addressed him as "Elder," and requested that it be spelled with a capital "E." This used to be a custo- mary form of address in debate, especially among the older debaters. The Publishers accede to Dr. Ballard's re- quest, but feel that this explanation should be made in fairness to all, and for a better understanding of the readers. Brother J. Porter Wilhite of Houston, Texas, served as moderator for Brother Warren. This discussion was conducted on a high plane and is entirely free from "mud-slinging" and objectionable use of personalities. We urge a fair and f:lithful reading of this discussion, and recommend that it be given a wide circulation. The Publishers offered to supply Dr. Ballard with as many copies of the debate as he desired, at a special price, to be distributed among his brethren. However, as the book goes to press, he has not spoken for any. We wish to thank Dr. Ballard for granting permission to publish the debate, and we will yet cooperate with him in every reasonable way to further the circulation of the debate among his brethren. -THE PuBLISHERS. July 17, 1953 PROPOSITIONS DISCUSSED PROPOSITION No.1 (First Two Nights) "The Scriptures teach that faith in Christ procures salvation without further acts of obedience." Affirmative: L. S. BALLARD Negative: THOMA.S B. W A.RREN PROPOSITION No.2 (Last Two Nights) "The Scriptures teach that water baptism is for (in order to obtain) the remission of past sins." Affirmative: THOMAS B. WARREN Negative: L. S. BALLARD TABLE OF CONTENTS Page First Session Ballard's First Affirmative 3 Warren's First Negative 14 Ballard's Second Affirmative 31 Warren's Second Negative 42 Second Session Ballard's Third Affirmative 60 Warren's Third Negative 71 Ballard's Fourth Affirmative 90 Warren's Fourth Negative 101 Third Session Warren's First Affirmative 119 Ballard's First Negative 137 Warren's Second Affirmative 149 Ballard's Second Negative 168 Fourth Session Warren's Third Affirmative 180 Ballard's Third Negative 200 Warren's Fourth Affirmative 213 Ballard's Fourth Negative 231 WARREN-BALLARD DEBATE First Session Proposition-FIRsT Two NIGHTS "The Scriptures teach that faith in Christ procures salvation without further acts of obedience." Affirmative: L. S. BALLARD Negative: THOMAS B. WARREN BALLARD'S FIRST AFFIRMATIVE Mr. Warren, gentlemen moderators, ladies and gentle- men: It gives me quite a good deal of pleasure, and I speak out of my heart, to come here for this discussion, I am not used to being hanged, understand (as the attach- ment of the loud speaker was put around his neck) so I can certainly endorse all that has been said by these men. I guarantee that I will be as nice to my opponent as he is to me. I never allow any man to be better to me than I am to him. I like orderly, gentlemanly, Christian debate, but I don't care anything about the other kind. Now, of course, we will get a little bit heated, no doubt, at times, and some folk may think we have broken over a little, but I am sure everything will come out splen- didly in the end. It kind of reminds me of the Republi- can and Democratic conventions that have been going on, they have a lot of speakers, you know, before the 3 4 WARREN-BALLARD DEBATE main guys take the stand. Now I would like this, if I could have my say in it, that we begin promptly on time, because Brother Smith and I have about 35 miles to drive after each session of this debate is over, and through a part of the City of Fort Worth and also part of the City of Dallas. So, you could accomodate us in that respect, I am sure, by starting the discussion promptly on time. It is a pleasure to meet Mr. Warren. I consider him a high-toned, Christian gentleman. I had that impression of him the first time I met him, and that has grown on me ever since I have known him. And to tell you the truth, I am his real friend. I am not just his friend in word-something down here in my heart tells me that I am a friend to him. But, of course, we differ on the Bible, the teachings of the Bible, and you understand that or you would not be here tonight. First of all, I am going to define the proposition. I have it written down so there will be no mistake about the definitions I give. Now what we mean by the "Scrip- ture," of course, is the Old and New Testaments. Sec- ond, "faith in Christ," coming from the Greek word "PISTEUO," and that means "to have confidence in; to trust in; to believe in" Christ. Third, "procures," brings into possession. Fourth, "salvation," deliverance from the penalty of sin. Fifth, "without further acts of obedience," no act of obedience intervenes between faith and salvation. Now we have agreed to have three questions in each session of this discussion, so I submit the first three questions here to Mr. Warren, my opponent. First: Did anyone ever receive remission of sins before the blood was manifested, poured out, on the cross? Second: Does the Spirit enter when and where the Word does? Third: Is faith made alive in baptism, before or after baptism, WARREN-BALLARD DEBATE 5 or does the doing of good works apart from baptism, before or after baptism, procure the remission of sins? First. The Believer Is In Christ. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I begin my first affirma- tive speech, and I am going to do just what this proposi- tion says. I am going to stay by the Word of God, "the Scriptures" teach, as best I know how, and the first thoughts that I introduce in the debate is, and I am sure we will agree on that, that saved people are in Christ. We might differ as to how people get into Christ, but I give John 14:20, "I am in my Father and ye in me and I in you." So, then regardless of what we may think about being in Christ or what our ideas may be, we are agreed that we are in Christ. Second. Faith In Christ Procures The Remission Of Sin. Now note, I have these arguments formulated and it will not be answering the arguments just to say I have answered a few scriptures and that will answer them all. Faith in Christ procured remission of sin, Acts 10:43, "To Him gave all the prophets witness that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive the re- mission of sins." Now that is a positive, clear-cut state- ment from the Word of God, and I believe it.