Pastor Jerry Rockwell WHY WE ARE BAPTISTS


Pastor Jerry Rockwell

 

WHY WE ARE BAPTISTS

Introduction: The name “Baptist” has a long history and is very misunderstood. Most, who do not understand religious nomenclature will make mistakes in understanding and trying to explain what a “Baptist” is and how they function. Some try to connect the current use of “Baptist” with John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1; 11:11; 14:2; 16:14; 17:13) and that is not where the current and historical Baptists get their name and meaning. John was called that in scripture because he practiced baptism for those who came to him in the wilderness where he preached. Jesus connected him with the “forerunner” Elijah (Elias) in Matthew 11:11-15, yet he was not Elijah. Had the Jews received Jesus as Messiah, John the Baptist would fulfill the role of Elijah as prophesied in the Old Testament in Malachi 4:5-6. Charles Spurgeon made this statement about being a “Baptist.” He said, “If I thought it was wrong to be a Baptist, I should give it up, and become what I believed to be right.” Being a “Baptist does not verify one’s access to heaven. One has access to heaven and the presence of God by what is stated in, Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV), “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Some denominations and church organizations claim to “preach the same gospel” as the Apostle Paul. However, a closer examination reveals significant differences from what the Bible teaches. For instance, Calvinists assert that unless you consistently demonstrate Christian behavior and always show evidence of your belief in Jesus Christ, you are not saved. This doctrine, known as “Lordship Salvation,” is primarily taught by Calvinists, although other church organizations, including some Baptists, have similar beliefs. That seems simple enough, but when I first started preaching, I would listen to Pastor MacArthur via “cassette tapes.” In one of his sermons, he told of a staff member who had served the church for 8 or 9 years, had an affair with a lady in the church, divorced his wife, and started living with the woman. Pastor MacArthur made the statement in his illustration that the man was not saved, for if he had been saved, he would never have engaged in the affair to begin with. We believe in salvation by grace through faith alone (Eph.2:8-9; John 3:16; Acts 8:37). Some teach that to be saved, one must be baptized, join a certain church, or be a part of their church organization. Even the Roman Catholic Church teaches that one must be baptized and actively participate in their church to go to heaven. In fact, they teach that taking the bread of their edition of “communion” involves “receiving Christ.”

In 1 Timothy 4:6 (KJV), Paul told his young friend and pastor Timothy, “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” The goal of this study of “Why We Are Baptists” is to demonstrate what the Bible teaches as “good doctrine.” It is knowable and understandable. It is false to think we have the truth but cannot discern it or determine its origin. If we believe that the Bible has been preserved for us “from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:6-7), then we have what God promised and can understand what God wants us to know in good doctrine. The word “doctrine” is not limited to the New Testament. Moses had some last words for the people of Israel just before they entered the land of promise and his coming death. He told them in Deuteronomy 32:1-3 (KJV), “1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.” With this said, it is incumbent on us to consider what we believe and why. We will start with the word of God since that is the source of what we believe as Baptists. 

I will give you some history of the Baptist movement in this introductory study. Most churches are divided into two categories: Protestant and Catholic. Yet, there is another group of churches and Christians who call themselves “Baptists.” The churches in the Baptist movement were not part of or participated in the Reformation. According to most Church Historians, the Reformation began when Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic Priest, nailed his “95 Thesis” to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. This document was an “objection” to the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and disputed the matter of “indulgences” practiced by the RCC. These where a way people of the church could gain partial or total forgiveness and remission of sin. According to some sources, this had an application to the person’s current sin and to forgiveness of sins after death. These “protests” gave name to the movement which developed as “Protestants.” They also became what is called today “Reformed” believers or churches, most of which adhere to the teachings of John Calvin, an adherent of the Protestant movement. It is to be noted that people who eventually became “Baptists” existed prior to the Reformation and many suffered death in many ways administered by the Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Phil Stringer makes an interesting statement about this period of martyrdom. He says, “On April 11, 1612, Edward Wrightman was burned at the stake in Litchfield, England for declaring that baptism of infants was an abominable custom. His death was the last execution of someone in England for being a Baptist!” Many deaths of people considered to be “Baptists” were enacted by burning at the stake, torture, drowning and other creative methods of execution of those who would not accept infant baptism, the bread of the Eucharist being Christ’s body taught by the RCC, and other doctrinal issues recorded long before Edward Wrightman was burned at the stake. There were groups such as the Novatians, Donatists, Paulicians, and Waldenses who followed the New Testament teachings as best they could from the early stages of history following the first century—from these groups developed what is known as “Anabaptists” who became major targets for persecution and eventual death for their beliefs. The primary source of the persecution was the RCC. Church historians call the period from about 380 bc to 1600 the “Dark Ages,” when the Roman Catholic Church dominated and demanded religious practice. 

The people who died for their beliefs were no different from believers today who hold the Bible as the standard for faith and practice. These people had been taught the Bible and believed it to be “inspired” by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and truth without any mixture of error. The Baptist name is one of perpetuity given to people who believed the Bible, accepted Jesus Christ as the only one who could pay the penalty for sin, and believed that He would save them if they believed Him to be “God in the flesh” (John 1:1, 14, 18; Phil. 2:8) and “made the payment for sin” by His sacrifice on the cross (Rom. 5:6-10). From here we want to explore the matter of baptism which is one of the reasons we are called Baptists.

  1. HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AND BAPTISTS. 
  1. The Church. It goes without question when and why the church was established. John the Baptist came preaching, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). This was addressed to the Jewish congregation which had gathered around John in the “wilderness of Judaea” (Matt. 3:1). After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:13-17) and tempted by Satan (Matt. 4:1-11), it is recorded that the first message He had for the nation of Israel was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:13-17). The message Jesus brought to the nation of Israel is that the “kingdom of heaven” (i.e., “Millennium”) was at hand and the one who would rule and reign on the earth had come, and the nation should have been ready for the Messiah, yet they rejected Him. God planned that the Messiah would come, the nation of Israel would accept Him, the nation of Rome would kill Him, He would ascend into heaven, and the Tribulation would begin for seven years. He would return at the end of the Tribulation, defeat those who rejected Him as the Saviour and Messiah, cast the Beast and False Prophet would be cast into the “Lake of Fire” and the Millennium would commence for 1,000 years (Rev. 19:11-20:15). Because the Nation of Israel rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah, initiated His crucifixion, rejected Him the second time in Acts 7, the nation was dispersed again (70 ad), and the Apostle Paul was called to be the “apostle to the Gentiles” after his conversion (Acts 9:1-9) God sent a Jewish man, Ananias, to restore Paul’s blindness which occurred on the road to Damascus. God told Ananias in his reluctance to go and accomplish what he saw in the vision because Paul had the reputation of putting people like him in prison and even at times kill them (Acts 9:10-14). God informed Ananias in Acts 9:15-16 (KJV), “15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” Paul became the “apostle to the Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:1) and was given the revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ of God’s plan for the establishment of the “church” (Gal. 1:10-23). Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 (KJV), “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.” We know that the church was not revealed in the Old Testament according to  Romans 16:25-26 (KJV), “25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” There is a lot more that could be said about the church but that is not the goal of this study. We want to study the next topic, “Baptists.”
  2. Baptists. This group of people has a long and storied history. We cannot cover it all in a brief study here. The objective is to give an overview of how the name “Baptists” came to be known. Most church historians will tell you that the Baptist Church or Denomination began in Holland between 1609 to 1612. That is not accurate. It may be the first time a group of people united and called themselves Baptists. Seeing that Baptists get their name from a practice initiated by the Lord Jesus Christ in His commands to the Apostles, it would be important to explore how baptism became an important aspect of the doctrine and practice of the local church. There is no organization of the churches in the New Testament which would suggest the organization of churches as today into denominations. In the New Testament, there were “local churches” and each one functioned apart from the other churches except for supporting missionaries such as the Apostle Paul and Barnabas. It would be important to see how baptism was developed in the New Testament. 
  1. Jesus’ command to the disciples before His ascension into heaven in Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV), “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” More time could be devoted to this than is currently available. Jesus gave this before His revelation concerning the church through the Apostle Paul, yet this command applies directly to the church since the disciples were the ones who would eventually become involved in initiating and developing the church. Note the things Jesus commanded them to incorporate into their life. “Go,” is the main verb in this passage. The words “teach,” “baptizing” and “teaching them” are all activities connected with “going.” The words “teach” or “teaching” would be the processes of preaching and discipleship. The word “baptizing them” is considered a part of discipleship which involves doctrine and exploring the Bible.
  2. Jesus gave them another command in Acts 1:8 (KJV), “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Here Jesus is giving the involvement of witnessing (“witnesses”) and then He gives the geographical process which can be understood as “Jerusalem” the local city of residence, “Judea” the area of the city of residence, county or state, “Samaria” the surrounding states, “the uttermost part of the earth” meaning the entire world.   
  3. The activity of the church. We find that after Jesus ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-12) the first thing that occurred is the coming of the Holy Ghost promised in Acts 1:8 stated in Acts 2:1-13 when the people of Jerusalem head the Gospel in their own language (a spoken language, tongue). The next event was Peter preaching a lengthy sermon where 3,000 people “received his word and were baptized” (Acts 2:14-41). The activity of the church immediately began to baptize the converts. The next verses explains the result of this actions in Acts 2:42-44 (KJV), “42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common.”
  4. Today the church should emulate what the first church did when people were saved. Be baptized and fellowship together in “doctrine and fellowship” (Acts 2:42). This is why we are “Baptists” is because we “baptize, teach and disciple” the believers who turn to Christ and follow Him.  

BAPTISTS

Biblical authority

Autonomy of the Local Church

Priesthood of Believers

Two Ordinances

Baptism

  1. Lord’s Supper

Individual Soul Liberty

Saved Church Membership

Two Offices

Pastor

  1. Deacon
  2. Separation Of Church and State