Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 14
December 20, 1962
NUMBER 33, PAGE 2,10b

Holt-Kirkland Debate - (No. 4)

Carl Allen

It was obvious from the arrangements of the discussion that Mr. Kirkland did not want to affirm the Apostasy question nor that baptism was not essential to salvation. Even though he did not affirm, he certainly did not better himself in the negative. His speeches consisted of hedging and twisting the word of God. Like a squirrel that suspected a hunter to be in the woods, Mr. Kirkland very cunningly made his way through the debate. His arguments for the most part were as follows:

1 John 3:9 is always used by baptist debaters to show that A Child of God cannot sin. Mr. Kirkland argued that the Child of God was born again; hence, cannot sin; therefore, could not be lost. Brother Holt showed that if this were true John contradicted himself and that, within three chapters of his Epistle, for in 1 John 1:8, 'John said, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." To this Kirkland paid no attention. Brother Holt showed that the man talked about in 1 John 3:9 sinned not, because of the seed in him, but Luke 8:11 says that the seed is the word of God, and Luke 8:12 says, "And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved." This seed can be removed; hence, this person talked about in 1 John 3:9 CAN SIN. Brother Holt also showed that the expression "doeth no sin" merely means that a Child of God cannot continue in sin. It is not his nature. He used the example of a Christian's being invited by a friend to take a drink of beer, to which the Christian replied: "I cannot." It did not mean that it was impossible for him to drink, but that he could not, and it be in harmony with the life he was living.

But you note that we are kept THROUGH Faith. It will be well to note that our faith may be: (1) Shipwrecked, 1 Tim. 1:19; (2) May deny it, 1 Tim. 5:8; (3) Fallen away from, Luke 8:13. Brother Holt pointed out that salvation has a Divine and Human Contract. (1) "Saved by Grace through Faith," Eph. 2:8-9; (2) "Kept by Power of God through Faith." 1 Peter 1:4-5. BOTH ARE CONDITIONAL!

1 Cor. 11:32 was introduced by Mr. Kirkland to show that God would not allow his children to perish, but would chasten them that they should, (May, A.V.S) not perish with the world. Brother Holt pointed out that because one was chastened that did not mean that he WOULD repent or turn. Jeroboam was chastened of God but he repented not. In Rev. 3:19 the church at Laodicea was encouraged to repent because they had been chastened, but did that mean that they did? Brother Holt tried to get Mr. Kirkland to tell us who was chastened; the outer man or the inner man. Note: If it was the outer man, God would be whipping another man's child inasmuch as he believes that the outer man is a child of the devil. But if it was the inner man, Mr. Kirkland was in the position of saying that the inner man could sin. The chastening is a result of sinning, but according to Mr. Kirkland, the inward man cannot sin, hence, not chastened. Paul said in Heb. 12:8 that if ye are not chastened then are ye bastards and not sons. Mr. Kirkland will have to accept one or the other. Which will it be?

Heb. 3:14, according to Mr. Kirkland, shows that a child of God cannot fall. Brother Holt just read the passage and said, "This is mine not yours." "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end...."

1 John 5:18 was used to show that the Child of God could not sin. Brother Holt reminded Mr. Kirkland that that very context shows there is a condition on the part of man. "We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God KEEPETH himself, and the evil one toucheth him not."

Galatians 5:4 was a masterpiece, Mr. Kirkland thought. He introduced a syllogism to show that it was impossible for a Child of God to fall from Grace. (1) He that is justified by the law is fallen from Grace. (2) But no one can be justified by the law, Galatians 3:11. (3) Therefore, no one has fallen from Grace. Brother Holt then said that he had a syllogism that he wanted Mr. Kirkland to consider. (1) Ye that WOULD be justified by the law are fallen from Grace, Gal. 5:4. (2) There were some that were trying to be justified by the law, Gal 5:4. (3) Hence, there were those who had fallen from Grace. This was an effort on the part of Mr. Kirkland to twist the meaning of the scripture, which I am sure was obvious to all.

Jno. 5:24 states: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that, heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not (shall not, K.J.V.) into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life." Brother Holt replied by saying that in Jno. 3:36, it states that the unbeliever SHALL NOT see life. Now if that "shall not" in 'no. 5:24 means that it is impossible for it to come to pass, then the "shall not" in Jno. 3:36 shows that the unbeliever cannot come to life. My, my.

2 Pet. 2:20-22 was used to show that these people were never converted to begin with; Kirkland. Brother Holt showed that these people were described as "having escaped the pollutions of the world." (1 Pet. 2:20) They then went back to the world and again entangled therein, and were overcome. (1 Pet. 2:20) Their condition described was that "the latter end is worse than the beginning." The result of the matter is stated in verse 22; "It is happened unto them, according to the true proverb." Mr. Kirkland says, "CAN'T HAPPEN." God said, "IT HAS HAPPENED" Mr. Kirkland is a disbeliever.

1 Peter 1:5 shows that we are kept by two things. (1). Power of God, (2) Faith of man, hence, conditional. This passage deals with man's part and God's part, but Mr. Kirkland would have it the Power of God ONLY.

John 10:27,28: "All the verbs in this passage are in the same tense." (Kirkland) Brother Holt denied it.

He pointed out that this was not so. He noted that the verbs relating to the SHEEP were (1) "Hear my voice," (2) "Follow me," and that both were third person singular and in the present tense, CONTINUING ACTION. But the verbs that related to JESUS were (1) "I know them," (2) "I give Eternal Life," and that they were in the second aorist and future perfect aorist. Then brother Holt raised the question, "Give Eternal Life to whom?" It had to be to the sheep that followed. Kirkland says, "Give life whether one follows or not!"

Prov. 29:25: "The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be saved." Kirkland said this proved that a child of God could not be lost. Brother Holt showed that it is possible for a man to cease trusting in the Lord. What then?

Rom. 7:18 was introduced to show that the body was sold to sin. (Kirkland) Brother Holt showed that the body that Kirkland was talking about was being misrepresented. The Bible shows that: (1) We are to glorify God in our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20); (2) The body is for the Lord (1 Cor. 6:13); (3) We are to be holy both in body and Spirit (1 Cor. 7:34); (4) Bodies are living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1); (5) Christ was magnified in the body (Phil. 1:20); (6) The body is to be preserved blameless. (1 Thess. 5:23) The conclusion to the whole matter is that the Christian is to control the body (Rom. 6:12), and mortify the deeds of the body. (Rom. 8:12,13) The inward man is to control the outward man.

Heb. 6:4-6 was used by Kirkland to show that a child of God could not fall. Brother Holt showed that the description of the people demanded that they be children of God, "once enlightened," "tasted of heavenly gift," "partakers of Holy Spirit," "tasted of the good word of God," "tasted of powers of age to come." But what happened to them? "They fell away," "crucified Son of God afresh," "put him to an open shame." Their condition was: "Impossible to RENEW them to repentance." Brother Holt then presented Mr. Kirkland with this argument. (1) Those who do not repent will be lost (Lk. 13:3); (2) But children of God can fall to the extent that they cannot be renewed to repentance (Heb. 6); (3) Hence, a child of God can so sin as to finally be lost in hell!

Jer. 32:40: "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." (Introduced by Kirkland) The A.S.V. says, "That they MAY not depart from me." Hence, conditional. (Holt)

Brother Holt did a masterful job of defending the truth. May the Lord bless men like this who are not afraid of public opinion or slander, but are willing to take their stand with the Lord and defend the truth. (Phil. 1:17)

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