Radio Transcript

Denominational Doctrines (09)

The Baptist Church

 Our study of denominational doctrines continues with a look at the Baptist Church. The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia states that, in the United States, Baptists are divided into fourteen major denominations, where they make up two-fifths of the Protestant population. The largest number of Baptists worldwide are in North America (77 percent), followed by Asia (9 percent), Africa (8 percent), South America (3 percent), Europe (2 percent), Central America and the Caribbean Islands (1 percent). The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia goes on to say that the Baptist Church originated in the early 17th century in Holland and England, with John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, English separatists from the Anglican Church, as its leaders.

In order to find out if a church is the church we read about in the New Testament, that is, the church that Jesus built, we can consider those things that church teaches and compare them with what the Bible teaches.

The Baptist church traditionally teaches some things that are in agreement with the scriptures. Baptists generally adhere to a high view of the inspiration of the Bible. Baptists generally believe in the virgin birth of Christ and his bodily resurrection. Baptists teach that water baptism only is done by immersion and they rightfully oppose infant baptism.

But the Baptist church teaches many things that set it apart from the New Testament church. Before going any further, I must say that it becomes somewhat difficult to speak of what the Baptists believe, since they are divided into a number of different groups with varying beliefs. It should be understood that the statements I make concerning the teachings of the Baptist church are representative of the Baptist church as a whole, although particular groups within the Baptist church may differ in their beliefs.

One of the things that set the Baptist church apart from the New Testament church is their method of becoming a member of the Baptist church. The following quote is taken from "The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches," by Edward Hiscox: "It is most likely that in the Apostolic age when there was but one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, and no differing denominations existed, the baptism of a convert by that very act constituted him a member of the church, and at once endowed him with all the rights and privileges of full membership. In that sense, baptism was the door into the church. Now, it is different" (end of quote). Friends, did you hear those words, "Now, it is different." My question to my Baptist friends is, "Who changed it?" The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches admits that the terms of entry into the Baptist church are different from the terms of entry into the church we read about in the New Testament.

Hiscox goes on to say, "The churches therefore have candidates come before them, make their statement, give their experience, and then their reception is decided by a vote of the members. And while they cannot become members without baptism, yet it is the vote of the body which admits them to its fellowship on receiving baptism" (end of quote). Friends, why don’t we read in the New Testament about people being "voted on" before becoming a member of Christ’s church? Why don’t we read about those on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two being "voted on" before becoming members of Christ’s church? Why don’t we read about the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter eight being "voted on" before becoming a member of Christ’s church? Why don’t we read about the jailor in Acts chapter sixteen being "voted on" before becoming a member of Christ’s church? Because friends, the terms of membership into the Baptist church are foreign to what we read in the Bible. When a person is saved as a result of his obedience to the gospel, the Lord adds him to his church (Acts 2:47).

By establishing their own terms of membership the Baptist church makes it harder for a person to get into their church than it is to get into heaven. The Baptist church teaches a person can be saved from his sins, and thus be in heaven, without being baptized. Yet they will not let that same person be a member of the Baptist church without being baptized.

By teaching that a person is saved and then joins the church, the Baptists admit that the Baptist church is not essential to salvation. After all, the Baptist church teaches a person can be saved from his sins without being a member of the Baptist church. Yet the Bible teaches that the church Jesus built, the church we read about in the New Testament, is most definitely essential to our salvation (Ephesians 1:3; 1:23; and 5:23).

A second thing that sets the Baptist church apart from the New Testament church is their teaching concerning what a person must do to be saved from his sins. The following quote is taken from the web site of the Southern Baptist Convention. "Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right now? If it is your sincere desire to ask Jesus to come into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, then talk to God from your heart through the Sinner's Prayer:"

Friends, there’s not one example anywhere in the New Testament of anyone being saved from his sins as a result of saying the sinner’s prayer. Doesn’t this seem rather odd, considering the fact that the Baptist church teaches a person can be saved by saying the sinner’s prayer? When those present on the day of Pentecost asked what they must do in order to be saved, why didn’t Peter tell them to "repent and say the sinner’s prayer?" Because, of course, that’s not how a person is saved from his sins. Peter told those present on the day of Pentecost to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. If a person wants to be saved today, he still must repent and be baptized for the remission of his sins.

The Baptist church teaches a person is saved by faith only, yet my Bible teaches that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone (James 2:24-26). James could not have meant we are saved by works of the old law, for the old law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Make no mistake about it friends. We are not saved by works of merit. That is, there is nothing we can do to merit, or earn our salvation. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves apart from God’s grace. But there are works, or acts, of obedience involved in our salvation. Jesus called faith itself a work (John 6:29). Paul taught that we are to "work out our own salvation" (Philippians 2:12). James wrote that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only (James 2:24). John wrote that the dead will one day be judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12).

A third thing that sets the Baptist church apart form the New Testament church is the fact that the Baptist church is a denomination. The following quote is from the web site of the Southern Baptist Convention, "Having said this, we believe that it is a wonderful thing to be a Southern Baptist, and commend the denomination to you" (end of quote). But the church that Christ built is not a denomination. When Christ said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18), he was not talking about building a denomination such as those which exists today.

A fourth thing that sets the Baptist church apart from the New Testament church is their false doctrine of eternal security, or "once saved, always saved." The following quote is taken from Article Five of the Baptist Faith and Message. "Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."

Friends, the Baptist church teaches that a person can fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieve the Holy Spirit, and bring reproach upon the cause of Christ; and yet it is impossible for that person to fall from grace. But this doctrine of "once saved, always saved," contradicts a number of passages in the Bible. In John 15:1-6, Jesus spoke of a man who is in Christ (verse 2) but does not bear fruit (also in verse 2). This man, rather than remaining in Christ, is cut off, is cast forth, withers, and finally is burned (verse 6). The text plainly teaches the man was in Christ but did not remain in Christ.

Peter wrote that when a Christian is overcome by the entanglements of the world his latter end is worse than the beginning (II Peter 2:20). He goes on to say that it would have been better for them not to have known the truth than to have known it and then turn away from it. Some will say this man was never saved to begin with. But notice Peter is referring to those who have escaped the defilements of the world, that is the pollution of sin (verse 20). They knew the way of righteousness (verse 21). There’s no doubt they had been saved. But in turning back from the right way, their latter end was worse than their beginning. Peter knew the doctrine of "once saved, always saved" isn’t true.

Paul knew it was possible for the Christians at Galatia to fall from grace. In Galatians 5:4 Paul wrote, "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Paul understood that if he fell into sin through neglect and temptation he would be a castaway (I Corinthians 9:27). The word translated "castaway" means one who is rejected, and is so translated by the American Standard Version. Paul warned that we are to take heed lest we fall (I Corinthians 10:12). James taught that one could err from the truth, later be converted, and thus be saved from death (James 5:19-20). How could this person’s erring condition be described as death if it is impossible for him to fall from grace and be lost?

Some will say these people cannot lose their salvation because they are kept by the power of God. Peter wrote, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:5). But how are they kept? Through faith! It is obvious that if they lose their faith they will be lost.

In order to defend the false doctrine of "once saved, always saved," some people make the point that, just as a physical birth can’t be undone, a spiritual birth can’t be undone. The point they try to make is that, just as a person who is born physically is always a child of his parents, a person who has been born spiritually is always a child of God. A physical birth can’t be undone, and a spiritual birth can’t be undone. There’s a problem with this analogy. While it is true that a person cannot be "unborn" physically, he can be disinherited, or taken out of the will. Likewise, it is possible for a Christian to fall from grace and lose his inheritance.

A fifth thing that separates the Baptist church from the New Testament church is their teaching concerning water baptism. The Baptist church teaches that water baptism is not necessary in order to be saved. That is, a person is saved without being baptized. But I would like for the Baptist preachers who teach this to do something for me. Write these two sentences on a piece of paper. Sentence number one, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Sentence number two, "He that believeth and is saved shall be baptized." Next, circle the sentence that most accurately states the meaning of Mark 16:16. Friends, the first sentence; "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," is what Jesus said in Mark 16:16. But the second sentence, "He that believeth and is saved shall be baptized;" is what the Baptists teach. The difference is obvious, isn’t it? Friends, the Bible teaches that baptism saves us (I Peter 3:21). Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism washes away sins (Acts 22:16). Baptism puts a person into Christ (Galatians 3:27) where all spiritual blessings are located (Ephesians 1:3). There is not one example of anyone since the day of Pentecost being saved from his sins without being baptized. The Bible teaches that baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-4). We all know we bury dead people, not those who are alive. But the Baptists, believing a person receives eternal life before he is baptized, bury live people.

There are many other things that set the Baptist church apart from the New Testament church. They use mechanical instruments of music in their worship, even though there is no scriptural basis for doing so. They fail to observe the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis, even though those in the New Testament church do so (Acts 20:7). Baptists err in the name they wear, calling themselves Baptists rather than simply Christians (Acts 11:26). Many Baptists teach the false doctrine of premillennialism, although admittedly there are groups within the Baptist church that do not.

Friends, the Baptist church is far different than the church we read about in the New Testament.