About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

The Bible and Slavery

(Article for publication week of 6-11- AD 2015)
 
"Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ;" (Ephesians 6:5).
 During the months of April and May we wrote a series of articles for the Narrow Way about the Great Revival in the Confederate Armies. We stated that our purposes for the articles were to give glory to God for the salvation of sinners, encourage the Lord's people to pray for revival, urge the lost on to Christ, and to defend the honour of our Southern Forefathers. We shall keep these purposes before you as we commence a new series of articles in defence of the institution of domestic servitude.
Now, I can hear the mob crying out for my blood already. And my few friends are likely to enquire, "Floyd, why in the world do you want to write on that subject? Don't you have enough enemies as it is?"! Our answer is we care not for making friends and influencing people. We will leave that to people pleasers and politicians. The desire of the true man of God is not to win friends and influence people, but to declare the whole counsel of God. And there is no part of Biblical Truth from which a true man of God will shy. And some other well meaning people, perhaps some who are true Christians will say, "Floyd, how will you ever get any African-Americans to come to your church if you write on this subject?" To which we answer, anyone who wants to worship Christ in Spirit and in Truth is welcome to come to church with us, but we are not in the business of worshipping any man or any group of men or any ethnic group. So we just say as we introduce this subject that true preachers must preach all the Bible, not just pet or favourite texts or subjects. We must preach things that are unpopular and the truth is always unpopular, and always will be.
The subject that we introduce this week is vitally important for at least three good reasons. First because we must define sin by the inspired scriptures, not by political correctness. This generation of worldly minded church members are "ashamed" of their forefathers who were slaveholders, but they are not ashamed of their children becoming sodomites and fornicators. Whole denominations have "apologised" for slavery, while tolerating unbiblical divorce in their churches. I John 3:4 says that "sin is the transgression of the law" (of God), not the transgression of political correctness. But the modern "church" wants desperately to be politically correct rather than Biblically correct.
Secondly, we will defend the institution of domestic servitude from the scriptures because the race-baiters, liberals, and modern day abolitionists continue to stir up hatred between the races because slavery was practised in this country for 245 years, though it was ended as an institution 150 years ago. Certain agitators continue to cry for reparations (so-called) to the descendents of slaves, and the liberals continue to agitate class warfare and encourage our African-American citizens to self pity and to think of themselves as "oppressed," because many of their ancestors were servants. We as Christians, both black and white need to rise above this fray and view all of this from a Biblical standpoint. All I am asking is that professed Christians learn to think Biblically, not as the world.
Thirdly, we will defend the institution of domestic servitude to defend the honour of our Christian forefathers. Actually there were only about ten per cent of the Southern People who ever owned slaves, but that is another subject. Actually, domestic servitude was practised in all the original thirteen states, including the northern ones, but that is another subject.  My great-great-great grandfather owned eight slaves according to records I have. He was also a faithful member of the Baptist Church in a day when you had to have a credible confession of faith and live a holy life to be a member of the church. I refuse to try to put my great-great-great grandfather in outer darkness when the scriptures do not. So I end this article by urging you to read my text and look up the word "servant" in your Strong's Concordance and Lord willing, we will continue next week.
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