The Theology of Alonzo Nunnery

The following is an attempt to stitch together some of the theology of Alonzo Nunnery, based on his writings and debates.

Bible

• The Bible is our standard, rule or law of our faith and practice, [the] judge in all matters of controversy...We have no judge, no authority, no law on earth but the Bible. Every man and everything should be tried by the Bible. This is the faith of the Baptist worker. Here we take our stand... The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, December 19, 1928, p. 4

Salvation

• There is not a place in the Bible where we find that the term remission of sins is used exclusively for salvation...Jesus saved people while he was here on earth, before and apart from baptism...baptism was never intended to be administered in order to the salvation of any one. (Commenting on Acts 2:38) The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, January 27, 1926, p. 4
• John taught as Baptists teach today, that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, January 11, 1928, p. 2

Grace and works

• We rejoice in the doctrine of grace as much as anyone could, but would be ashamed to claim the doctrine of grace for our hope of Heaven and then refuse to work for the Lord what few days we are permitted to live on this earth. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, November 13, 1929, p. 4

Easy-believism

• When the fashionable preachers and the so-called revivalists departed from the old-time Bible doctrine of repentance and the new birth, we might naturally expect them to substitute modern  play grounds and game, moving picture shows, many organizations, jazz and funny anecdotes for preaching of the Gospel. Of course they get the crowds—but hell is getting the crowds, too. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, January 27, 1926, p. 2
• …the preachers on the day of Pentecost preached the Gospel and did not make ‘Billy-Sunday-Jumping-jacks’ of themselves nor did they have the sinner ‘sign a card’ or ‘hold up three hands,’ but they taught the sinner that he must repent, neither did the preacher get hold of a penitent sinner and urge or pull him up from his knees in prayers but let the sinner make his own confession. We are glad to admit that there are exceptions to the rule, but as a rule these big modern revivals, where several hundred have been counted as converts, the greater number of the so-called converts have been deceived, made to believe they were saved when they have never repented hence will die deceived and be lost. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, August 2, 1916, p. 2

Security of the Believer

• Brother Nunnery showed the man born of God cannot sin, and if he cannot sin then he cannot be lost, and that God had sworn by two immutable things in that He could not lie, giving a strong consolation. We have fled for refuge, and laid hold of that hope that anchors the soul sure and steadfast. Nunnery-Cowan Debate

Church

• The church or kingdom of Christ was set up during his personal ministry on earth. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 14, 1917, p. 1
• The Scripture teaches that the Church of Jesus Christ was set up, formed, or established during the personal ministry of Jesus Christ. Nunnery-Cochran Debate, 1932
• …Christ established the Baptist churches for the purpose of having them preach His gospel, and that all other churches are man-made institutions. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, February 7, 1917, p. 6
• Opposition to union meetings with other denominations. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, February 7, 1917, p. 6; Wednesday, March 14, 1917, p. 8
• He knew that men would teach the doctrine of church salvation, and for this reason Jesus placed in the first church an unsaved man – not that he would have us knowingly receive unsaved people into his churches, but that we may know that the church and the saved are not necessarily the same. Baptist and Reflector, Thursday, April 23, 1903, p. 7

Ordinances

• The viewpoint supported by Nunnery and The Baptist Worker is that there are two positive commands that rest on the Lordship of Jesus Christ – baptism and the Lord’s supper. First salvation, then baptism by immersion by the authority of the church, church membership, and then the Lord’s supper. For example, The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, July 14, 1926, p. 6
• Acts 20:4-12. There were present at this communion brethren from seven different countries and they all partook of the communion…we have an example of inter-communion in the Bible [that is, he believed in restricted communion, but not local-church-only communion] The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, February 17, 1926, p. 2
• The first question that appeared [at the 5th Sunday meeting of the Beech River Association] was “Foot washing as a church ordinance.” The subject was completely demolished by Elder A. Nunnery, of Lexington, showing first that there was no Scriptural authority for it, and second, that the command to lay down our lives for the brethren was just as binding. Baptist and Reflector, Thursday, May 9, 1895, p. 13

Pulpit Affiliation

• It is thought by some, and perhaps by many, that the Baptist General Assembly of Oklahoma should have an added article to our statement of agreement, to the effect that no church will be received or retained in our cooperative fellowship who practice pulpit affiliation or engages in so-called union meetings or that receives alien baptism. If no one else offers it I think I shall at our next meeting. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, February 3, 1926, p. 8

Conventions and Associations

• The Scriptures teach that the people who do their mission work through Conventions, by means of Boards, are the regular Baptists. Nunnery-Crawford Debate, 1916
• We are for the Conventions heart and soul; but if there is a thing wrong either in constitution or practice, we want to know it. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 14, 1917, p. 8
• Nunnery suggests the Board is helping some churches pay large salaries to their pastors while other churches have once a month preaching or no preaching at all, and that he opposes this. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 14, 1917, p. 8

Freedom of Association

• The house of worship cannot be taken away from a Baptist church because said church votes to discontinue supporting the General Convention. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 9, 1927, p. 2
• Baptist churches are self-governing, and are no compelled to support any convention in order to be a valid Baptist Church. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 9, 1927, p. 6
• If the convention had a law to help them they would cheerfully close the mouths of every man who dares speak against them. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, March 9, 1927, p. 6

These quotes are related to the Scullin church house case (J. J. Cape, et al. vs. Jim Moore, et al. Supreme Court of Oklahoma) in which the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma supported the minority taking the church house from the majority because the majority voted to leave the Convention.

Cessationism

• Nunnery opposed the teaching that men receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and have the same evidences as in apostolic days – as well as opposing faith healing. Nunnery-Nevel Debate, 1929

Tithing

• …we would be glad if some tither would write The Worker and point out just one place in the Bible where any man ever did or was ever commanded to give a tithe of his money at any time or for any purpose. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, February 17, 1926, p. 4

Socialism

• Socialism teaches atheism, infidelity, and free love, as well as many other abominable things. The Socialist Antidote, August 15, 1916, p. 4

Creation and Evolution

• …even the wool on the sheep’s back is indisputable proof that God made this world, and that life and matter did not come about by the slow process of evolution or by mere chance…Can anyone be so dull as to think the fire was latent in this rock and steel by happen so, or by the slow law or process of evolution? Is it not more reasonable to believe as the Bible declares that God made everything? And that He, knowing that we need fire, placed fire latent in even rocks and steel?
• The water in the earth and on land, without which we could not live, likewise prove that all life and matter come from god. The lumber that makes our houses, and our ability to utilize it, proves that everything was made by an all wise maker. The grain that makes our bread, and the cotton that makes our clothing, all prove that life and matter came from God. The nights to sleep in, and the daylight to work in, prove the Bible to be true, and that life came from God. The Baptist Worker, Wednesday, July 7, 1926, p. 4

Other

• It seems to be a new “fad” with many Baptists to point to their success as an evidence of God’s approval of their work or methods…Stick to the Bible, brother, and don’t worry about success. Baptist and Reflector, Thursday, May 24, 1906, p. 7