Mark
9:38-40 KJV
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out
devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he
followeth not us.
But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do
a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
For he that is not against us is on our part.
It has been a conviction of Baptist people since, I
suppose, the speaking of these words, that a man must be able to worship God
according to the dictates of his own conscience.
We know nothing of this man. It is commonly supposed that
he is either one of John the Baptist's disciples or perhaps one of the seventy
but not of the twelve. In either case this one was doing what he believed was
for the cause of Christ. He is not, as the seven sons of Sceva, an unbeliever
using the name of Christ as a magical phrase for his own purposes. But he is,
without question, lacking doctrine. Permission to continue as we are is not an
endorsement to do so. That we are not forbidden to worship Christ imperfectly in
no way contradicts the injunction to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
As a Baptist I stand ardently in support of freedom of
conscience.
But I stand to preach fervently the whole doctrine of
God's Word.
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