"Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." I Peter 1:8
BAPTIST CHURCH
Brief History:
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The first known Baptist church was organized in 1607 by John Smyth in (South Holland/ Lincolnshire, 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 content 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. 2531-2532) at Providence, Rhode Island. The Baptist Encyclopedia says this occurred in March, 1639, thus making the date of the oldest Baptist church in America (Vol. II, p.1252. V.C. Vedder in 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, Christians or 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).
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Generally, Baptist today (there are some 28 different bodies among them in the United States 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 Baptist 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 Calvinistic, the New Hampshire document is only "mildly" Calvinistic - it is the most popular confession among Baptist. (See W. J. McGlothlin's Baptist Confessions of Faith, p.299; also Hiscox, The Standard Manual For Baptist Churches, p.56-57.)
Although the Baptist 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 21,500,000 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 out Baptist Convention U.S.A.., Inc., and the Southern Baptist Convention. Baptists through the Encyclopedia, 1966).
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1. Creeds
Members who are received into fellowship "are not required to subscribe or pledge conformity to any creedform, 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)
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2. Divine Election, Predestination (American) Baptists are decidedly Calvinistic. A person is dead in sin and cannot do one things 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).
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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).
[Free Will Baptist do not believe this.] "Such as are truly regenerate will not utterly fall away." (Hiscox, op.cit., p.67).
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4. The church was established during the days of John the Baptist. (Landmarkism: What is it? , p.121).
[Some say it was at the calling of the 12; others only affirm it was sometime during the personal ministry of Christ.]
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5. Faith Alone Saves "...solely though faith." (Hiscox, op.cit.,p.62. This is contradicted on p. 61: "wholly of grace" ???)
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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).
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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 member. Now it is different! Must now vote! Read entire page 22, Hiscox.
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8. Use instruments of Music in Worship
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9. The name Baptist Church; The name non-essential.
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10. Lord's Supper (non-immersed (baptized) not allowed to commune. (Pendleton,p.89,90,97). Observed monthly by Baptists.
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WRONG TIME: 1607 A. D.
WRONG PLACE: Holland
WRONG FOUNDER: John Smythe
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1. Scriptures alone tell man how to behave in the house of God, the church. 1 Timothy 3:14-17.
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2. Why should the "church" adopt or subscribe to a man made creed and its members "be expected' to agree substantially thereto? Matthew 15:7-9; Revelation 22:18-19.
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1. 2 Peter 3:9: God does not will that any perish.
2. 1 Timothy 2:3,4: God would have all saved.
3. Hebrews 5:9 Christ saves all who obey.
4. Colossians 3:25: God no respecter or persons
5. Ephesians 1:3-7: God ordained that all who are saved shall be saved in Christ. Not that He picked individuals and omitted individuals before the world began.
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1. Acts 8:13: Simon believed and was baptized and continued for a time.
2. Hebrews 10:26: Some sin willfully.
3. Hebrews 6:1-6: Once saved, some later were lost.
4.Galatians 5:4: Some did fall from grace.
5. 1 Corinthians 9:27: Paul saw danger of falling and being rejected.
6. 21 books of New Testament written to Christians, much of which is warnings of danger of being lost.
7. Luke 8:13: Some believe, then fall away.
8. John 3:3-5: None in the Kingdom except the regenerated, but some of these will be cast out of Kingdom into lake of fire. Matthew 13:41,42,43
9. John 8:31: IF ye continue...
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1. Matthew 16:18: I will build; nothing prevail against establishing it.
2. Church spoken of as in existence AFTER Acts 2, the Day of Pentecost.
3. Kingdom came with power, Acts 1:8;Mark 9:1
When Holy Spirit came.
4.John was already dead.Matthew 14:1-10;Mark 6:14-29
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.1. James 2:17:Faith without works is dead.
2. James 2:18: Faith shown by works.
3. James 2:19: Faith alone characterizes devils
4. James 2:24,26: Faith only not enough.
5. Galatians 5:6 Faith working through love.
6. Mark 16:16: Faith plus baptism equals salvation
7. Read Hebrews 11: Faith in ACTION avails not just saying you have faith.
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1. Matthew 16:16: This is correct confession.
2. Acts 8:37: This is the correct confession.
3. Matthew 10:32: Confess Christ
4. Acts 2:38: Baptism is "for remission of sins"; thus Baptists ask candidates to confess an untruth.
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1. Mark 16:16; baptism proceeds salvation.
2. Acts 2:38: for remission of sins
3. John 3:5: birth of WATER and SPIRIT essential to entering the Kingdom of heaven.
4. Galatians 3:27: to enter Christ (saved without Christ?)
5. I Peter 3:21: baptism saves...The Bible says this, there is not one scripture that says "baptism does not save".
6. Acts 22:16: sins washed away at baptism.
7. Romans 6:3-4; baptized into Christ's death and into HIS body, the church. I Corinthians 12:20.
8. Galatians 3:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 12:20. Baptism ushers one (1) into Christ and at the same time (2) into His body, His church (not any man made church started after the Day of Pentecost,
9. Acts 8:26-39:No church vote or ordinance here.
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Not in Christian worship as revealed in Testament. Leading Baptists have opposed it, including Charles Spurgeon. See principle of exclusion in Pendleton,p.81, above
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1. Not in Bible. "Baptists" not in Bible. 2 John 9-11.
2. Acts 4:12: no other name.
3. Romans 7:1-4: Now married to Christ. Why wear John's name; he is only the friend of the Bridegroom.
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1. I Corinthians 11:28: Examine self
2. I Corinthians 5:12: God judges those without. Matthew 7.
3. Acts 20:7: first day of the week. (See I Corinthians 16:1-2) Acts 2:42.
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