Beyond the name what makes you a Baptist?

Baptism is an adoption of the Hebrew mikveh, a cleansing bath which ceremoniously symbolizes prufication, typically done prior to temple services. Leviticus 16:4 describes priests undergoing purification rituals in preparation for service in the temple. The Mikveh was so much a part of Jewish custom that that below the temple mount in Jerusalem there was built a "bath house" that housed several ritual pools where pilgrims could stop for purification on their way to temple services.

Today, as well as back then, if you were to convert to Judaism, you would undergo a ceremonial Mikveh, and if you're male, you'd undergo a ritual circumcision. In Jewish tradition, the Mikveh symbolizes the grave, the womb, and a change of status from death to life.

I suppose that wold be a case by case thing, but Id venture to include anyone in a wheelchair, or with any physical disability that would make it difficult to hold one's breath or be immersed, such as severe enough cerebral palsey or brain damage, paralysis, or, in some cases, hydrophobia (I know of a person who is being treated for an irrational fear of being submersed. When she was baptised in an SBC church, water was poured on her head while she stood in the font, rather then being immersed fully.

 

Thanks JohnV and rsr, I will take a look at the links provided.

In the description, this seems to be different than immersion, but i will read the sources, as a good baptist, I must.

Bro. Dallas

I can understand the breathing problems, or even in extreme cases fear of submersion, however, Grace is still Grace.

Any one of these things can be overcome to follow the Lord in baptism, I would think.

 

What makes me Baptist besides the name? Well the simple fact it's scripturaly right to be immersed. Since reading more and more about church history, specifical Baptist history, I'm amazed at what those early Christians went through. They were willing to die for what they believed, and often did. I heard a preacher awhile back who had knowledge in embalming did some kind of math problem with the amount of blood in a human body, and the number of recorded martyrs. He esteemated that 29 million gallons of blood at least, were shed.
Twenty nine million gallons! Well my soul, if they bathed my heratige in their blood, if they gave their lives so eventualy I'd know about Christ, and have the privalidge to be a Christian, I think I'll stick with my name "Baptist". It's not just a name to me. It has a history that shocked me, and broke my heart. A history I think we all need to remember and know. We study American and world history in school. If it's important to know about our country, then it's even more important to know about our faith.
Yes, first I am Christian, but I am proudly a "Baptist", and may God give me the kind of courage those early ones had.
~Miss Abby
Proverbs 31:30 KJB

 

In my circles, we would refer to it as a "pot-providence" t'aint no such thing as luck

 

I wonder if the choice morsels demanded by Eli's sons was really by their choosing

I think Baptist distinctives are established very well by Scripture, I am satisfied with Headship of Christ, first and foremost, this one alone commands obedience to all others, including scriptural baptism which is one and only one.

I do like fried chicken, but prefer country ham
Bro. Dallas

 

Yes, I've heard of your sect.

HankD

 

We don't even use pot-providence since the term 'pot' has the appearence of evil. As in 'wacky-tabacky'. So we just call it dinner-on-the-grounds. But then again folks might accuse us of eatin' dirt or coffee beans.

Jim

 

Well, in the past I have eaten dirt and coffee beans! Sometimes we have what is known as a eatin' meetin', but not inside where we assemble.

Hiya Miss Abby, love your post!

 

Another Baptist Paradox is seen in this thread. Among the 'Baptist Distinktives' some refer to, "Individual Soul Liberty" indicates we have freedom to choose what we consider to be right... yet if someone considers individual soul liberty to be wrong and that person still insists he is a Baptist-- is he?

 

Careful this would appear to be borderline legalism to some.



HankD

 

No, Individual Soul Liberty gives one the right but not necessarily the reality of the statement.

HankD

 

Hey, that's the first thing I thought of!

Since we are talking about Soul Liberty...

 

If you believe that book then you're a Baptist.