# The sermon that saved me from liberalism



## RamistThomist (Jul 21, 2007)

I went to a liberal arts college, minus the arts. Let's put it this way: Karl Barth would have been too conservative for some people there. N.T. Wright was a bible-thumping fundamentalist. 

I had no intellectual ammo to respond to these attacks. I wasn't new to the faith, but I was new to really serious bible-reading. I initially bought into the higher-criticism and faith-history dichotomy. But at the same time, I saw that such teaching gutted any real kind of preaching.

By accident I found the sermons of the late Dr W.A. Criswell. I was immediately blessed by his rich, Texas baritone and his ability to speak to the heart and mind (I would later understand this is why preaching is a "means of grace"). 

I probably listened to the following message 100 times in those first few years (that was about 5 years ago). It is 19 minutes long. It is an address to the Southern Baptist Convention.
http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=172

(I think it is the one that says 1975 address).

This, too, is a good resource.


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## Herald (Jul 21, 2007)

The preachers message should be:

Authentic

Authoritative

Absolute

Good stuff. I'm glad you shared this message.


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## RamistThomist (Jul 21, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> The preachers message should be:
> 
> Authentic
> 
> ...



Now it is available on mp3. It used to be available only on streaming. Now I can put it on my ipod. 

One of the most moving parts for me was when he said,

"I am to take my stand [which he made into a 2 syllable word  ] on the absolute, authoritarian word of God and when I do, though my feet may tremble the rock on which I stand is unmoved."


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## Ivan (Jul 22, 2007)

Criswell wasn't a perfect man, none are. He was a great preacher. Of course, he wasn't reformed, but he was a Godly man. Southern Baptists are proud to claim him.


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