What is a Baptist?
WHAT IS A BAPTIST?
An Introduction to Baptist Distinctives and Baptist History
Notable Baptists:
History of the Name “BAPTIST”
- The name Anabaptist was given to them by others for their practice of re-baptizing those from other denominations. Anabaptists (and Baptists) only believe in one baptism, but they believe in believer’s baptism rather than infant baptism or baptismal regeneration as being scriptural baptism.
Even amongst Baptists, there can be a great variety of differences between them in areas of both faith and practice.
BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES
Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice
Autonomy of the local church body
Priesthood of all believers
Two Church Ordinances – Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Individual Soul
Separation of Church and State
Two Church Officers – Pastor/Elder and Deacon
Saved Church Membership
1. Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice
Baptists view the Bible as being a divine revelation given of God to men, that it is absolute truth without any mixture of error, and that it is our complete, infallible guide and standard of authority in all matters of faith and practice. On any issue, decision or question of conduct or doctrine, one is to search the scriptures to determine the whole counsel of God on the matter and then conform their life and faith to its teachings.
Baptists insist that no other authority should be allowed to supersede that of the Bible, whether it be church tradition, religious or secular powers, the teachings of men, human reasoning, or religious experience (2 Peter 1 :16-21). Any teaching or instruction or religious experience is to be brought under the authority of scripture, and if it does not conform to the teachings of scripture it is to be rejected (Galatians 1:8; 1 John 4:1).
Each person has the right, the privilege and the responsibility to study the scriptures themselves and come to his or her own conclusions as to what it teaches without dictation from or dependence on any other person, recognizing he or she is personally responsible to God for rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
2. Autonomy of the
4. Two Church Ordinances – Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Because Baptists view Baptism as symbolic, they also maintain that the use of the proper symbols is important, and thus they insist that only the total immersion of a person adequately symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection or Christ (physically) and the believer (spiritually).
The bread was given to represent Christ’s body that would be broken for us, and the cup was given to represent the blood of Christ that he would shed for us. As Christ was to serve as our sinless sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:18,19), and as leaven in Scripture is representative of sin (Exodus 34:25; 1 Cor. 5:6-8), Baptist insist that the bread used be unleavened and the grape juice used be unfermented.
Otherwise referred to as the liberty of the conscience or soul competency, this is the belief that each person has been given the ability and the freedom by God to choose what he or she believes or practices, and each person bears the responsibility for the choices they make. This freedom is to be respected, and one is not to be forced or coerced to believe or practice anything contrary to the guiding of his or her own conscience and the Scriptures as they understand them.
This applies in various ways and circumstances in the Christian life. The following statements are taken from Edward Hiscox’s “Principles and Practises for Baptist Churches”:
“Religion is to be free and voluntary, both as to faith, worship and service; neither conformity to, nor support of, religion in any form, should be compulsory. Christian faith and practice are matters of conscience and personal choice, and not subject to official dictation; and for either civil or ecclesiastical authority to enforce conformity, punish dissent, or compel the support of any form of worship, is a crime against the rights of man, an assumption of divine prerogatives, and treason against Christ, the only Lord of the conscience and sovereign of the soul.”
Individual soul liberty does not mean that someone can believe whatever they want, as the truth of God’s word is absolute, not relative; rather, it is the understanding that the ways of God are beyond the comprehension of fallen man, and so there is no person on this earth that has perfect knowledge of spiritual things, and therefore no one has the right to coerce or force anyone to conform to his or her beliefs. If a person is mistaken, the fruit of his or her incorrect doctrine will manifest itself in time (Matthew 7:15-20), and God, not man, will hold him accountable for his mishandling of God’s word (Rom. 14:12).
6. Separation of Church and State
7. Two Church Officers – Pastor/Elder and Deacon
Baptists believe that while all members of Church are of equal importance for the proper functioning of a church, God has instituted two specific offices to minister to the needs of a church – pastor and deacon (Baptists believe that the Bible uses three words for the same office – Elder, Bishop and Pastor; and that each title indicates different functions of the same office).
Baptists do not believe that ordination gives a person any greater power or status before God; it simply serves to indicate to other churches and the world that one has been counted worthy to be a pastor of deacon.
Baptists believe that only those who have trusted Christ as Saviour should be permitted entry into a local church body, and that all who have trusted Christ as Saviour should be a part of a local church body so that they can be blessed and strengthened by the fellowship. Baptists do not believe that salvation comes from one’s church membership; joining a Church body is to be done because we are saved, not in order to be saved.
Other Baptist Distinctives
Interpretation of Scripture: Baptists generally take a literal approach to the interpretation of Scripture, comparing scripture with scripture to determine the meaning of a passage.
Things to Come: Baptist have generally held to a pre-millenial, pre-tribulational view of the return of Christ – that Christ could come at any moment, that his coming will be in two parts (the Rapture, in which he comes in the clouds for the saints, and the Revelation, in which he comes to the earth with his saints), and that after his Revelation he will set up his kingdom in Jerusalem and reign for a thousand years.
Separation: Baptists generally believe that as representatives of Christ we are to be a holy people, separated from sin unto God – we are to be in the world, but not of the world, and we are not to be conformed to the thinking of the world (John 17:13-16; Romans 12:1,2; 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4). Thus, in all areas of our daily lives - our thinking, our speech, our conduct – we are to show ourselves to be a peculiar people unto God, abstaining from sin and all appearance of evil (1 Peter 1;15; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:22). Baptists also generally believe that we are to separate from all false doctrine, especially when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 John 1:9-11; Galatians 1:6-11). Thus, one is obligated to separate from any individual or any church which they believe teaches false doctrine, so as not to provide any confusion as to the truth.
We must, be aware, however, that in zeal this thought can be taken too far:
-if our doctrine becomes reactionary, focused on proving that another person, church or doctrinal position is wrong rather than just teaching the plain truth of scripture, and we become constantly negative and condemning rather than exhibiting the love of Christ (Luke 9:49,50; John 13:35)
View of the Church: Baptists generally do not use the term “the Church” to refer to all believers through all ages, preferring to use the terms “Family of God” or “Household of Faith” (Ephesians 2:19, Galatians 6:10). While Baptists would view such an all encompassing entity as “the Church” to exist in heaven, in terms of an institution functioning upon this earth, the Baptist view is that there are individual, autonomous, local assemblies, or churches, made up of baptized believers who have been organized to carry out the Lord’s work – the preaching of the gospel, the baptizing of converts into the church and the edifying and perfecting of the saved. Each church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth in its local area, serving as a beacon of truth and an example of holiness to those around it.
An Introduction to Baptist History
“Baptist” Groups prior to the Reformation
Even amongst these there are varying beliefs, which makes sense, for if the churches are autonomous of each other they will not necessarily be in full agreement in all areas. As we study some of these groups we will find that they may have held to certain doctrines and practises which we may not agree with, but we need to keep the following in mind:
2. Some had views which were based on a reaction (or overreaction) to another’s views which they deemed to be in error
3. History books are written by the ones who are left behind; some groups may be falsely accused of holding certain doctrines in order to lend justification to their persecutors (1 Peter 3:15,16; Matthew 5:11,12)
The Montanists - 2nd Century,
Notable Montanists: Montanus, Tertullian
First group known to have taken a stand against ritualism, the rise of the clergy class and the lack of personal holiness and spirituality amongst establishment churches.
“Montanists believed that salvation through faith in Christ was a prerequisite to church membership. They believed that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers not just the church hierarchy, as may erring churches were teaching. They baptized only believers and never baptized any babies. They believed the tribulation would come before Christ set up his earthly kingdom on the earth.”
The Novatians – 3rd - 5th Century,
-Separated from other churches in
Possible errors: Clinic Baptism, overly strict church discipline
The Donatists – 4th -7th Century,
-Refused to become a part of the state church, or to accept the emperor as the leader of the church. Held to believer’s baptism (rebaptizing those from other churches), church autonomy and freedom of conscience. Insisted on holiness amongst church members, especially amongst bishops.
The Paulicians - 7th-13th Century,
Notable Paulicians: Constantine/Silvanus, Simeon/Titus, Sergius/Tychicus
-Recognized only believer’s baptism and believed strongly in the priesthood of all believers. Rejected all Ceremonialism & Image Worship, and strongly believed in Holy Living, especially amongst their pastors. Were also known to be very missionary minded, spreading out into
Albigenses – 11th-13th Century, France
-Rejected infant baptism, separated from the
Waldenses – 12th-16th Century,
-Noted for their memorization of large parts of the Bible, their poverty, their preaching and their evangelistic spirit. Believed the Scriptures should be made available to all, even seeking to translate it into their native tongue. Held to believer’s baptism and separated from the
-Still in existence today in
Names Given to other groups which seem to have had Baptistic beliefs: Bogomils, Peterines, Cathari (“Pure Ones”), Arnoldists (After Arnold of Bresia - 1090-1155), Petrobrusians (After Peter de Bruys -1092-1126), Henricans (After Henry of Lausanne who died 1148), Picards, Lyonists
Anabaptists through the Reformation Period
The name “Anabaptist” was a brand given to people of various beliefs, and often those who were peaceful and sound in doctrine were tarred with the same brush as those who did wrong in order to lend justification to their persecution. Nevertheless we see the heritage of Baptist distinctives amongst some of the Anabaptist groups.
Notable Anabaptist Leaders
Conrad Grebel (1498-1526), Felix Manz (1490-1527), George Blaurock (1491-1529) – Initially followers of Ulrich Zwingli’s reforms, they separated from him over the issue of Infant Baptism and formed the movement known as the Swiss Brethren. Grebel died of the plague, Manz was drowned and Blaurock was burned at the stake.
Balthasar Hubmaier (1480-1528) – Scholar and Professor who preached in
Michael Sattler (1490-1527) Preacher & Missionary in
Menno Simons (1496-1561) – Originally a Catholic Priest, became an Anabaptist in 1531. Ministered in
Jacob Hutter (1500-1536)- Preached in
Dirk Willems (Died 1569) Born in the
Dispersions of the Anabaptists
Persecutions drove the Anabaptists from
Groups which would be considered descendants of the Anabaptists:
Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, Brethren, Baptists
History of Baptists Since the Reformation
In
Prominent leaders – John Smyth (1570-1612) Thomas Helwys (1575-1616), John Spilsbury (1593-1688), John Bunyan (1628-1688), John Gill (1697-1771) Andrew Fuller (1754-1815), William Carey (1761-1834) Charles Spurgeon (1824-1892)
Divided into three groups: The General Baptists, who were Arminian in Theology, the Particular Baptists, who were Calvinistic and the Strict Baptists who were Hypercalvinistic. The General and Particular Baptists joined to become the Baptist Union in 1891, from which Spurgeon separated.
In
Prominent Leaders – Roger Williams (1600-1684), Dr. John Clarke (1609-1676, Hezekiah Smith (1737-1805) Shubal Stearns (1706-1771), John Leland (1754-1841) William Riley (1861-1947), J Frank Norris (1877-1952)
Over time, Baptist Churches formed into associations and conventions.
In
Prominent leaders – Ebenezer Moulton (1709-1783), T.T. Shields (1873-1955), William Aberhart (1878-1943), Ernest Manning (1908-1996)
Note: Three of
The first Baptist Churches in what would come to be known as Canada started in the Maritimes in the 1700’s and spread west, coming west through the 1800’s. Further churches were established in the West, notably in
Present Day Baptist Groups in
Association of Regular Baptist Churches – formed in 1957; fundamentalist and separatist in doctrine; supports the Toronto Baptist Seminary and
Baptist General Conference of Canada - body of evangelical Baptist churches introduced to Canada by Swedish Baptists late in the 19th century; formed 1981; headquarters in Edmonton.
Canadian Baptist Ministries – formed in 1995 as an association of conventions from Atlantic Canada,
Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists – Partnered with Southern Baptist of the
Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada - formed in 1950’s as an outgrowth of the fundamentalist/modernist controversy; Headquartered in Guelph, Ontario; publisher of “The Evangelical Baptist”
Independent Baptists – Various churches of Baptists beliefs with either no formal affiliation or a very loose affiliation (such as the Western Canada Baptist Fellowship, formed in 1992).
