From the title alone I am trekking into a touchy subject and if read this may not be received well.
So then with anything I say here I hope to be careful that I do not misrepresent the views of Countryside Baptist. At the same time I want to express, to any discerning Christian, a warning about this church, because I do not believe that what it teaches is Biblical and that it has departed from Orthodox Christianity, in many respects. It is my strong conviction that what they are teaching others is damning and a different Gospel altogether and that they are in error.
While I understand my position as one of a student, and not a theologian, scholar, pastor or elder, I cannot but help use the words of Elihu to Job:
“I am young in years, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not declare my opinion to you. I said, ‘Age should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’ But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.’”–Job 32:6-9
The Focus
There are many things that I would disagree with Countryside on, including their dispensational theology which much of this dangerous gospel theology comes out of, their eschatology (end-times), worship, etc. But that is not the focus of this note. The focus will remain only on what pertains to the gospel which leads to salvation, the most important doctrine when it comes to the souls of others spending eternity either in bliss or indignation.
What Does Countryside Believe
I will go further into this issue as I deal with individual topics below, but for now it is important to know that Countryside aligns itself with what is known as the “Free Grace Movement/Alliance.” Countryside is correct in some important beliefs such as the person of God, the Trinity, the authority of the Bible, and so on. Yet, while they claim to align with doctrines such as justification by grace through faith apart from works, they do not hold to it in a biblical or historical way. Repentance is a non-essential, and submitting to Christ is unneeded. With only that last sentence, flashing lights should be going off, but if not, I will further explicate.
Conversion without Repentance
This is no hidden doctrine amongst those professing the beliefs of the “free grace” movement. In fact it is openly proclaimed by those holding to its views, for example by one advocate of the ideals:
“There are no qualifiers used with believe, such as really believe, truly believe, or genuinely believe. There is only one kind of belief….There are no other conditions mentioned…such as repentance, surrender, commitment, or obedience…We are saved when we simply believe (trust in, accept as true for myself) that Jesus is God’s Son, the Savior from our sins. Salvation is absolutely free and apart from any condition of merit to earn it.” (Dr. Charlie Bing, Gracelife ministries, Reference)
Read the article for yourself. What is most dangerous from this belief is the neglect of repentance, and the claim that anyone who believes in repentance before justification is teaching nothing more than salvation by works. For example, J.B. Bond explicitly states in his sermon on Grace Pt. 1 (See Here), that anyone who attempts to ask you to “repent and believe” is adding works to a gospel of grace. At the same time as you listen to the sermon you will notice that faith is nothing more than a work in the eyes of J.B., yet it will not be called such. This comes from a misunderstanding of when regeneration takes place.
This is in fact a very dangerous teaching because it implies no change, no casting away sin and no turning to God, just a casual “belief” in the death of Christ for sin. Even though the command to repent is explicit (Mark 1:4, 15; Luke 3:8; 5:32; 13:3; Acts 26:19,20; 2 Cor. 7:9, 10 and many more referring to it directly and indirectly), they have an ability to change the meaning of words. The definition to the "free gracers" is simply “to change one’s mind about God.” Leaving out all recognition of your sin, your need for Christ and the forgiveness found in Him.
The Lordship of Christ Nonexistent
Well if there is one hotly debated subject it is this one. Mainly brought forth by John Macarthur’s book, “The Gospel According to Jesus” and its sequel “The Gospel According to the Apostles,” the position of the “free gracers” being, that one may accept Christ as their savior and yet reject Him as Lord, thus separating the person of Christ into two, even though the Bible makes no such distinction. What this leads to is belief that there is no commitment to God or obedience to His commands as the above quote from Dr. Charlie Bing mentions . Meaning the Christian will not necessarily prove his salvation by any works. Take for example James 2:14-24:
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (NKJV)
After reading this verse it is clear that works will necessarily accompany faith (cf. Matt. 7:15-20, “you will know them by their fruits”). Yet the “free gracer” has a pretty well formulated argument, using scholasticism, circular reasoning, and fallacious hermeneutics, he will find his way around this verse. Changing the meaning of the word “save” for example, and also using the argument that the book of James (and all 3 synoptic gospels for example) do not apply to us as Christians.
Now I am not about to call all “free gracers” or anyone at Countryside antinomians, but what I will say is that their theology inevitable concludes at that point. Faith is made a one time thing, there is no commitment to Christ, no submission, no obedience, and if one goes off to be a Buddhist or Hindu, he is just as much a Christian as when he “believed.” Even if he curses the name of God, he has that one time “flu shot” salvation, in fact this is exactly what J.B. Bond preaches!
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” -1 John 2:3
Misunderstanding Grace
As with many other churches which make the mistake of confusing the responsibility of man in salvation with God’s sovereignty, Countryside is among them. While the claim that repentance is a work, they unknowingly purport faith as the one thing that we must throw into the equation. Faith is the one thing we must build up, and the only reason that one of us believes and another doesn’t is because we made the right decision and they didn’t.
What the “free grace” movement has become known as is “cheap grace” and “easy believism.” Please do not get me wrong, I believe in the free, unmerited, and sovereign grace of God, but not in the way that this movement and Countryside do. When I call it easy believism, I mean that they are practically believing nothing, only the intellectual ascent that Christ existed, died, and rose again. But not as the holy God, who cannot tolerate sin in His presence (Psalm 5:4), and who is Lord over all, worthy of all the praise for our salvation, sanctification, and glorification. The fact is that by the “free grace” definition the final act and decision in salvation is our own, and God can only wait and hope we will make the right one.
Conclusion
Because I don’t want to make this terribly long, and there is not definite place to start and end, I will leave it with those beginning thoughts. But if considered in the fullest and studied, you will see the devastating consequences of such beliefs. To not repent, in the Biblical sense, is to never see your own filthiness, to never clearly see the grace of God, and the need of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of those sins. If that happens, then what will follow is a negligence to see any importance or need for showing thankfulness and love through the obedience to His commands. Do not take this warning lightly if you attend that church. The things J.B. and his apprentices put forth as truth are nothing more than mixed up terminology, a misunderstanding of God’s grace, denial of the holiness of God, and un-logical reasoning. But that’s just my thought, for a better, more thorough and convicting statement about the practices such as those of Countryside Baptist go Here.
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