Baptist
Brief History
The first known Baptist church was organized in 1607 by John Smyth
in London (David Benedict, History of Baptists, p.304). The early
history of Baptists is obscure, and adherents to that denomination
are divided among themselves concerning their history. Some contend
Smyth re-baptized himself by pouring water on himself; others contend
he was baptized by John Morton in 1606 in the Don River at midnight
(Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p.2202). The group started
in America when Ezekiel Holliman baptized Roger Williams; Williams
then baptized Holliman and several others (Ibid., p.2531-2) at Providence,
RI. The Baptist Encyclopedia says this occurred in March, 1639, thus
marking the date of the oldest Baptist church in America (Vol. II,
p.1252. V. C. Vedder is his Short History of the Baptists, p. 291,
gives practically the same account, except he records that Ezekiel
Holliman had formerly been a member of his church at Salem before
he baptized Williams in 1639).
The name Baptist was not at first adopted by them. They preferred
to be known as Brethren, Disciples of Christ, Christian Believers
(A. H. Newman, History of the Baptist churches in the United States,
p.1). The name Baptist was first claimed in 1644, and these people
have worn it ever since (W. H. Whelsitt, A Question In Baptist History,
p.93).
Generally, Baptists today (there are some 28 different bodies among
them in the U.S. alone) have no confession of faith and are congregational
in their form of government. In their earlier history they did follow
human creeds and they required each congregation to subscribe to them.
One was written in London in 1677 and was adopted by the Particular
Baptists in 1689. It was later accepted by the American Baptists in
Philadelphia in 1742, known from that date as the Philadelphia Confession
of Faith. J. Newton Brown of New Hampshire wrote a confession in 1833
which was adopted by the New Hampshire Conference; it became known
as the New Hampshire Confession of Faith. While the Philadelphia Confession
is strongly Calvanistic, the New Hampshire document is only "mildly"
Calvinistic - it is the most popular confession among Baptists (See
W. J. McGlothlin's Baptist Confessions of Faith, p.299; also Hiscox,
The Standard Manual For Baptist Churches, p.56).
Although the Baptists do not conform to their manual like the Methodists
do to their Discipline, it is nevertheless an accurate statement of
their beliefs. Primitive Baptists, Missionary Baptists and then Free
Will Baptists were the first to appear in America, of course followed
by various other branches. By 1966, their 28 bodies in America had
92,000 churches with over 21 million members. Most Baptists in this
country belong to one of four major groups: The American Baptist Convention,
The National Baptist Convention of America, the National Baptist Convention
U.S.A., Inc., and the Southern Baptist Convention. Baptists throughout
the world belong to the Baptist World Alliance (W. H. Porter, "Baptists,"
World Book Encyclopedia, 1966).
Belief System
Baptist Belief 1 -
Creeds - Members who are received into fellowship "are not required
to subscribe or pledge conformity to any creed-form, but are expected
to yield substantial agreement to that which the church with which
they unite has adopted." (Hiscox, Standard Manual of Baptist
Churches, p.56, American Baptist Association). The Bible is the supreme
standard for all creeds, etc. (Hiscox, p.58)
Word of God 1 - Scriptures
alone tell man how to behave in the house of God, the church (1 Tim.
3:14-17). Why should the "church" adopt or subscribe to
a man-made creed and its members "be expected" to agree
substantially thereto? (Mat. 15:7-9; Rev. 22:18-19).
Baptist Belief 2 -
Divine Election, Predestination - (American) Baptists are decidedly
Calvinistic. A person is dead in sin and cannot do one thing to rescue
himself. If one is saved, it is because God elected to save him before
the foundation of the world (Standard Manual, Hiscox, p.57).
Word of God 2 - (2
Pet. 3:9) God does not will that any should perish. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4)
God would have all men to be saved. (Heb. 5:9) Christ saves all
who obey. (Col. 3:25) God is no respector of persons. (Eph. 1:3-7)
God ordained that all who are saved shall be saved in Christ. Not
that He picked individuals and omitted others before the world began.
Baptist Belief 3 -
Eternal Security - "We believe that such only are real believers
as endure to the end". (Church Manual Designed For Use of Baptist
Churches, J. M. Pendleton, p.54). Note: Free Will Baptists
do not believe this. "Such as are truly regenerate will
not utterly fall away". (Hiscox, op.cit., p.67).
Word of God 3 - (Act.
8:13) Simon believed and was baptized and continued for a time. (Heb.
10:26) Some sin willfully. (Heb. 6:1-6) Once saved, some later were
lost. (Gal. 5:4) Some did fall from grace. (1 Cor. 9:27) Paul saw
danger of falling and being rejected. 21 books of the New Testament
was written to Christians, much of which is warnings of danger of
being lost. (Luk. 8:13) Some believe, then fall away. (Joh. 3:3-5)
None in the Kingdom except the regenerated, but some of these will
be cast out of the Kingdom into the lake of fire. (Mat. 13:41). (Joh.
8:31) IF ye continue...
Baptist Belief 4 -
The church was established during the days of John the Baptist (Landmarkism:
What Is It?, p.121) Note: Some say it was at the calling of the 12;
others only affirm it was sometime during the personal ministry of
Christ.
Word of God 4 - (Mat.
16:18) Jesus said "I will build; nothing prevail against establishing
it". Church spoken of as in existence after Act. 2, the Day of
Pentacost. Kingdom came with power (Act. 1:8; Mar. 9:1; Act. 2:1-4),
when the Holy Spirit came. John was already dead (Mat.
14:10-12; 11:11).
Baptist Belief 5
- Faith Alone Saves - "...solely through faith" (Hiscox,
op. cit., p.62. This is contradicted on p.61: "wholly of grace"????).
Word of God 5
- (Jam 2:17) Faith without works is dead. (2:18) Faith is shown by
works. (2:19) Faith alone characterizes devils. (2:24, 26) Faith only
is not enough. (Gal. 5:6) Faith working in love. (Mar. 16:16) Faith
plus baptism equals salvation. (Heb. 11) Faith in action prevails.
Baptist Belief 6
- Confession at Baptism - The baptismal candidate is asked to confess
that he believes God "has pardoned his sins", even before
baptism (a common practice).
Word of God 6
- The correct confession can be located (Mar. 16:16; Act. 8:37). Confess
Christ (Mat. 10:32). Baptism is for the remission of sins; thus Baptists
ask candidates to confess an untruth.
Baptist Belief 7
- Baptism is an immersion, but NOT essential to salvation". (Hiscox,
p.20, Note 8). Must be baptized in order to enter the Baptist Church;
baptism is a "church ordinance" (Pendleton, p.65, 90). Must
relate 'experience' then the membership votes whether to receive new
member and allow him to be baptized (Pendleton, p.17, 103; Hiscox,
p.23). Early church quickly received new members. Now it is different?!
Must now vote?! "There is a maxim of law, that the expression
of one thing is the exclusion of another. It must be so; for otherwise
there could be no definiteness in contracts...illustrated 1000 ways...God
commanded Noah to build an ark out of gopher wood...forbids the use
of every other kind of wood". (Pendleton, p.81) (Read entire
page 22, Hiscox).
Word of God 7
-(Mar 16:16) baptism preceeds salvation. (Act. 2:38) for remission
of sins. (Joh. 3:5) birth of water and spirit essential to entering
the Kingdom of Heaven. (Gal. 3:27) to enter Christ. (1 Pet. 3:21)
baptism saves us. (Act. 22:16) sins washed away at baptism. (Rom.
6:3-4) baptized into Christ's death and into his body, the church
(1 Cor. 12:20). Baptism ushers one (1) into Christ and at the same
time (2) into his body, the church. The saved are thus added to the
church (Act. 2:47). It is harder to enter the Baptist Church than
to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, according to Baptist tradition. (Act.
8:26-39) No church vote or ordinance here. God commands baptism for
salvation. Any man can obey without delay or probation. (2 Joh. 9-11)
No change is permitted in practice, precept, or policy. Who changed
and made it different? Man and his traditions which make void the
word of God. This principle if applied would prohibit all the traditions
of the Baptist Church: Name 'Baptist', voting on new members, unscriptural
confession, etc...
Baptist Belief 8
- Use instruments of Music in Worship.
Word of God 8
- Not in Christian worship as revealed in the New Testament. (Eph.
5:19; Col. 3:16) Sing not play. The piano (most popular instrument)
was invented 1700 years after Christ. Leading Baptists have opposed
it, including Charles Spurgeon (See principle of exclusion in Pendleton,
p.81).
Baptist Belief 9
- The name Baptist Church - name non-essential.
Word of God 9
- Not in the Bible. "Baptists" not in the Bible (2 Joh.
9-11). No other name (Act. 4:12). Now married to Christ (Rom. 7:1-4).
Why wear John's name; he is only the friend of the Bridegroom.
Baptist Belief 10
- Lord's Supper - Non-immersed not allowed to commune (Pendleton,
p.89, 90, 97). To be observed monthly.
Word of God 10
- (1 Cor. 11:23-29) Examine self. (1 Cor. 5:12) god judges those without
(Mat. 7). First day of the week (Act. 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Act. 2:42).
