A Warning against the New IFB.

I just learned about a group calling themselves The New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB). While on the surface there are many points in which we would agree with, there are aspects of this group which are in error.

Firstly, The New IFB Movement rejects dispensationalism. Fundamental Baptists have regarded Dispensationalism as a fundamental truth.

Secondly, The New IFB Movement rejects all five points of Calvinism. Really? All 5 points? While I do not consider myself to be a Calvinist, there are 2 points which I do agree with. Man is totally depraved and in need of a Savior and the Preservation of the saints.

While anyone is free to agree or disagree with Calvinism, Independent Fundamental Baptists actually agree with these two points. We do, however, reject the other 3 points which are:

Unconditional Election Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement) Irresistible Grace

Thirdly, The New IFB Movement rejects Zionism. This is both an understandable position and unbelievable one at the same time. According to their website: "The modern day nation of Israel is a total fraud. The Bible teaches that saved people are God's chosen people and not the physical Jews."

This is simple not true.

Romans 11:11-31 King James Version (KJV)

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

NOTE! Bold and Underline not in the original but used for emphases.

It is apparent from the above Scriptures that God is not finished with Israel. Paul tells us that a partial hardening has happened to Israel. This is so the Gentiles can be included in the covenantal faithfulness of God in his redemptive work. This was prophesied in Genesis 12:3 and reiterated in Galatians 3:8. In those two verses, God says that in Abraham all the nations will be blessed. Paul quotes Gen. 12:3 in Galatians and calls it the gospel.

Obviously, God in his great and sovereign plan has worked all things after the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11) so that the Gentiles would be saved. When the time of the Gentiles is over, God will move upon Israel. They will accept Jesus as the Messiah, and they will become a great and powerful nation used by God.

Fourthly, The New IFB believes: "The Bible teaches that the rapture will take place after the tribulation but before God pours out his wrath upon the earth. The pre-tribulation rapture, which is commonly taught today, is not found in scripture."

The vast majority of Baptists, including the Souther Baptist Convention believe in a Pre-Tribulation rapture. While this is not an issue of Salvation and they are free to believe in Pre-trib; mid-trib; post-trib; pre-wrath etc. It simply goes against the current teachings within the IFB movement.

Many people try to claim that Morgan Edwards came up with the idea of a pre-trib rapture in 1744 however....

EPHRAEM THE SYRIAN (AD c. 303-373) had this to say:

“For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins”

The following are areas in which they (the New IFB) and we (IFB believers) do agree:

*FAITH ALONE FOR SALVATION *ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED *KING JAMES BIBLE ONLY

*TRINITY *SOUL-WINNING *HARD PREACHING

*ANTI-WORLDLINESS

However, do not let the few things we do agree on lead you into doctrinal error in other areas of our Baptist heritage and faith.