The chances are, if it has not happened already, that you will be labelled a 'fundamentalist' for living a consistent Christian life or for holding to a particular Bible truth. How do you respond to that? What do you say?
Our first reaction might be to recoil in horror that such a word would be used about us. Being described as a 'fundamentalist' seems to put us in the same category as those who use violence and bloodshed to further their religon, and we want to be very careful to distinguish ourselves from them (and rightly should we want to make such a distinction). However, I want to suggest that when someone calls us a fundamentalist for being a Christian, we can respond by saying, "Thank you very much."
Indeed, the Bible urges us to "...continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel..." (Colossians 1:23). Paul urges Timothy to "...continue in what you have learned..." (2 Timothy 3:14). We vare called to be those who stand immovably on the truth of the gospel. Not only that, but we are also called to "...contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3). We are to fight for the gospel when it is under attack.
Christian leaders are to be those who "...hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it." (Titus 1:9). That is, they are to hold firm to the gospel as revealed in Scripture so that they can faithfully teach it and correct those who teach another gospel.
So, if a fundamentalist is someone who holds firmly to the gospel, the truth which leads to godly living (Titus 1:1), then I am not ashamed to be a called fundamentalist. Why? Because I am not ashamed of the fundamentals. I am not ashamed of the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16-17). If a fundamentalist is someone who refuses to move from the gospel, but who faithfully proclaims it and lives it, then give me more fundamentalists please!
