A Few Thoughts on Baptists

This month's devotional comes from Mr. Joshua R. Walter from Clays Mills Baptist Church in Lexington, KY.   

A course of study regarding Baptist history could effectively be inaugurated by a lesson regarding the first chapter of the book A History of the Baptists, Vol. 1. The book starts with Jesus’ earthly ministry when He established His church with the disciples and gave them the Great Commission to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” - Matthew 28:19-20a. Because of its founding, the Baptist church is different from all other so-called “churches” that Satan has instituted and propagated throughout history, if for no other reason than that the Founder and Sustainer of the church was and is Christ.

Baptists are distinct from others such as the Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Anglican churches (and particularly the Lutherans) for the single reason that those and others are Protestant churches, meaning that they were originally a part of the Catholic Church and subsequently came out of it (i.e. during the Protestant Reformation which began in 1517). The Baptist church, being founded by Christ during His earthly ministry, was never a part of the Catholic Church and thus could not have come out of that which they were never a part. Also, of the Protestant churches that formed, many still hold to various Catholic functions, traditions, values, or ceremonies; and it is interesting to note that Martin Luther, who started the Protestant Reformation, did not leave the Catholic Church to go to a Baptist church that followed Christ, and actually did not leave the Catholics because they were not following God. He left the church because of what he viewed as abuse of the pope’s power. He left and established the Lutheran church (which denotes pride that he named it after himself) which went on to become the state religion of multiple countries through history, and this acts counter to the Bible teaching that every individual is to choose for their own selves who they will serve, God or Satan.

 Joshua 24:15 says “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” This would teach that there is not to be a state-enforced church, but that each individual is to choose whether or not they will serve God. For this reason when the king of Holland offered to make the Baptist church the established state religion of Holland, it is recorded that he was soundly turned down on the grounds that such a position is antithetical to Biblical principles.

Following along similar lines, Baptists are clearly different from Catholics for a myriad of reasons. A major difference is the Catholic worship of Mary who they view, mistakenly, as a deity or some sinless person. Of course, neither is true “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” - Romans 3:23. Another is that Catholics believe they have access to God only through a Pope and that what the Pope says is as it came from God. This is wrong on every point. John T. Christian says it well that the church as Christ founded “remained independent of all outward control, and was responsible to Christ alone, who was the supreme lawgiver and the source of all authority.”

Continuing along the theme of an introduction to Baptist history, the next topic could very well be the subject of denominations as opposed to associations, and autonomy contrasted with outside controls of the church. Again, quoting from the book “such a church” as Christ founded “was a voluntary association and was independent of all other churches.” This would mean that, Biblically, there should be no official governing body over the local church that would seek to establish rules or parameters over the church as this would run counter to what Christ instituted. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ clearly stated that He would establish, build, and govern His church without the need for an external governing body attempting to run it. A church is to be its own entity operating under Christ’s oversight and governing hand, influenced only by the Holy Spirit’s leading and not a denominational head. “The church, in the Scriptural sense, is always an independent, local organization.”

On the other hand, an association of like-minded churches coming together is wholly acceptable, Biblical, and helpful to the spirit of spreading the Gospel as it encourages the Christian to realize that there are many more who also seek to serve God. As Elijah learned in I Kings 19:18, sometimes it may seem that one stands alone for God, but there are always more who are serving Him. An association of like-minded churches and Believers who come together to encourage one another, without having outside controls or external authorities over the church, can help open the eyes of discouraged Christians to this fact.

Another major difference in the beliefs and practices of the Baptists and other religions is the practice of baptism. Following Christ’s example recorded in Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1(one instance recorded four times), Baptists believe and practice baptism by full immersion as “an outward confession of faith in Christ” as Saviour. Of course, Christ was not baptized after that faith as He is God, but was baptized as an example to us that we should be. So then, for a person to rightfully and Biblically procure church membership, they must first be saved by faith through grace in Christ alone, and then be baptized by immersion in a Baptist church. This baptism must be in a Baptist church because of the differences in belief regarding baptism. Some, like Catholics, believe in Baptismal Regeneration that teaches that merely being baptized is enough for a person to go to Heaven.

Another false belief, and these being commonly connected together, is that baptism is not by full bodily immersion in water, but by simple sprinkling. This is easily refuted by John 3:23 where John was baptizing in Aenon “because there was much water there.” If baptism is by simple sprinkling then the Bible lies when it says that baptism requires “much water.” A third false belief regarding baptism is that of infant baptism, or Pedo-baptism. This teaches that, because of the false belief of Baptismal Regeneration, an infant without the ability of comprehension and understanding can be baptized by sprinkling and go to Heaven. Yet “there is no account or inference implying the baptism of an infant by Jesus or his apostles.”

An infant should never be baptized because, Biblically, “In the preaching of the apostles repentance antedates baptism.” In Acts 8 Philip is preaching in the city of Samaria and many were saved and baptized. Verse 12 says “they were baptized, both men and women.” Certainly nothing is here said of infants being baptized. The same is true all throughout Scripture, that baptism comes only after an understanding of sin and a faith in Christ to forgive sins. A child newly born is incapable of this comprehension and thus is not to be baptized.

 Much could be said for a prolonged period about the matter, the method, and the meaning of baptism (whether it be a symbol of grace or a conveyor of grace). However, there have been books, essays, reports, and papers written on the subject that are more to be trusted than this one. One last thought on this chapter is that John T. Christian makes the case that, first, “the footsteps of the Baptists of the ages can more easily be traced by blood than by baptism,” but that, secondly, “in every age since Jesus and the apostles, there have been companies of believers, churches, who have substantially held to the principles of the New Testament as now proclaimed by the Baptists.”

In Matthew 16:18 Christ said that “upon this rock I will build my church.” The church was founded on an unmovable, unchanging Rock that is the Word of God, and as we know from John 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Satan has launched the armies of Hell against the church, he has ordered the marches of evil in an attempt to subvert and destroy it, and he has commanded full-scale assaults against it. He worked with Nero to attempt to defame it, he works with Communists to attempt to silence it, and he works with compromisers to attempt to self- destruct it; yet down through the eons of time and pages of history the truth is revealed time and again that what God said in His Word stands firm.

Christ established and rooted the church. What He has built will not be taken down except at His bidding, what He has grown will not be shrunk except by His allowance, and what He has condemned as inferior will never be able to gain an upper hand over what has been declared to be superior. Satan has and will tempted, enticed, and allured weaker Christians away. He has lied, deceived, and turned others against the church. He has attacked, defamed, and done all that he can do to destroy the church, yet it stands still today as it did in the days Christ walked on the earth, triumphant and victorious against the gates of Hell as it is held in the hand of God.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE

1. Carrol, J. M., The Trail of Blood, Emmaus, PA: Challenge Press, no publication date given.

2. Christian, John T., A History Of The Baptists, Vol. 1, Texarkana, AR: Bogard Press, 1922.