According to the BB, what's a Baptist?

It's probably not my call to make, but I would suppose agreement with the Baptist Faith and Message would be a minimum requirement. It's detailed in the "Statement of Faith" which can be found at the very bottom of the page.

CJ

 

I hadn't read the BB's statement of faith before, a lot of BBers don't qualify for being baptist if that is the case.
Just like CJ, I don't know for sure, but to me personally to start with it means being a member of a baptist church. Especailly for the purposes of the BB. A person may say they have baptist beliefs, but if they aren't a member of a baptist church how can they be baptist? Fro what I've seen here no one can agree exactly which beleifs are needed for a baptist to be baptist, much of what is listed is beleived by other chrictians too. If other christiasn are beleiveing something, not just baptists it can not eb the only test of who is baptist and who is not. If you say your baptist and beleive whatever people agree on that baptists need to believe in order to e a baptist, then why wouldn't that person be in a baptsit church. Thats like saying I beleive what baptist beleive therefore I am baptsit even if I go to a different denominations church. Nope, you are a different denomination.

 

That would ALSO be a good place to start!!

 

Here's a symmary I find helpful - notice the acronym (acrostic?) B-A-P-T-I-S-T-S in the list.

Any htoughts appreciated!

Biblical authority. (2 Peter chapter 1, verse 21)

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We believe that the Bible is the absolute authority in all matters of faith, practice, history, science, etc. No council or ruling of man can supersede it.


Autonomy of the local church. (Matthew chapter 18, verse 17)

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

We believe that each local church is independent from any outside authority. We are accountable only to our Lord.


Priesthood of believers (1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We believe every believer may go directly to the Lord without any human mediator. Jesus Christ is the only mediator.


Two church ordinances. (Acts chapter 2, verse 41 and 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 23-25)

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

We believe that only two ordinances are taught in scripture: baptism and the Lord's supper. These are symbolic and without saving grace.


Individual soul liberty (Romans chapter 14 verses 5 and 12)

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We believe that God gives to every man his own free will. Therefore, no unbeliever can be forced into salvation and no believer can be forced to accept any doctrinal statement or confession of faith.


Salvation by grace though faith alone. (Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We believe that salvation comes only to those who put their faith in the finished work of Christ alone. Man’s works all fall short of salvation.


Two church offices. (Acts chapter 20:, verse 28 and 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 13)

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

We believe that God only gave two offices to the church: Pastor and Deacon. There is no Biblical basis for any hierarchy of office. All are equal in God’s sight. There is no Biblical basis for a division between "clergy" and "laity"


Separation of church and state. (Matthew chapter 22, verse 21)

They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

We believe that the church and the state are two separate, distinct entities. Neither one can, or should control the other.

 

timothy,

If you scroll down to the bottom of the paga, there is a choice for the SOF.

 

"Baptist" is just a name, BUT the beliefs that we hold to as Baptists are what make us distinctive. Being a mamber of a baptist church should be one of the requirements. Agreeing to, and abiding by, the Statement of Faith (or whatever it is called) should be another.

Until I joined the Board, I thought all Baptists were pretty much the same. Since then I have discovered that even the basic beliefs that I know are not held by many that are called Baptist. Outside Jesus being the Messiah and faith in Him and His finished work, everything appears to be up for grabs around here.

Welcome to the world of today, I guess.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Obviously, agreement on general Christian basics -existence and triune nature of God, authority of Scripture - but what marks us apart from others in my judgment is simply "Salvation before service" - a personal experience of repentant faith in the finished work of Christ FOLLOWED BY believer's immersion, membership in an autonomus local congregation of like faith and order, almost always with the actual name Baptist, but certainly with these basic ideas. Salvation by grace implies "security" and the necessary evidence - "fruit meet for repentance" - to follow. Possibly the "nexus" is this statement:
In the New Testament, which is our rule of faith and practice, baptism was ALWAYS and ONLY the brief immersion in water of a person who was already a believer in the finished work of Christ as personal Savior. Thus any group practicing OR RECEIVING anything else as "baptism" invalidates itself. Authority for baptism is important, but it is based in truth; doctrinal error (even in historic congregations) can cancel authority. (As Jesus said to the best of the 7 in Rev. 1-3, "Watch out! I could take away the lampstand!"

--R. Charles Blair - Ro. 8:28

 

Dear Christ4Kildare and all.
Hello. I agree and please do not misunderstand, I do believe in faith alone (found out the hardway) (grin), but why do we use the word "symbolic" for "communion and baptism"?
I find that no where in Scripture, and that word puzzles me. Why can't we use the word "spiritual" instead?
Just wondering.
Thanks.

 

A Baptist simply is a member of a Baptist Church of which there are 143 seperate denominations thereof.

Defining who is and who isnt a Baptist outside of this is extremley difficult, because Baptists genrally have freedom of thought on issues and the local church is genrally autonomous, which will naturally lead to different opinions.

 

According to webmaster, membership in a Baptist church is the 'minimum' requirement to post in the "Baptist Only" Forums.

Blessings,
§ue