Baptist History by Baptists 7.

Baptist History Notebook
Chapter 2
JESUS ESTABLISHES HIS CHURCH

[p. 7]

"We have observed the persecution of truth, first of Israel and secondly of the church.

"Satan persecuted the churches of Jesus Christ first by the Jews.

"This persecution is recorded in the book of Acts.

"It is also mentioned in some of the Epistles of the New Testament.

"Next, Satan used the Roman Empire to persecute the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"There were at least ten severe persecutions beginning with Nero and ending with Diocletian.

"We will devote space to these in the next chapter.

"These persecutions resulted in the death of a very large number of Christians.

"Satan used the Roman Empire to persecute the Lord's churches while he was establishing a church of his own with which to oppose and persecute the true churches of Jesus Christ.

"Much of this Baptist History Notebook will deal with the development of Satan's church (the synagogue of Satan) and its persecution of the churches of our Lord.

Christ's Church was Built.

JESUS ESTABLISHES HIS Church.

"He built His "kind" of assembly.

"That which distinguishes His from all the rest are the doctrines He gave to it.

"Those doctrinal peculiarities make it His kind of church.

"What are those marks or doctrinal peculiarities? See below.

[p. 7]

"We have observed the persecution of truth, first of Israel and secondly of the church.

"Satan persecuted the churches of Jesus Christ first by the Jews.

"This persecution is recorded in the book of Acts.

"It is also mentioned in some of the Epistles of the New Testament.

"Next, Satan used the Roman Empire to persecute the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"There were at least ten severe persecutions beginning with Nero and ending with Diocletian.

"We will devote space to these in the next chapter.

"These persecutions resulted in the death of a very large number of Christians.

"Satan used the Roman Empire to persecute the Lord's churches while he was establishing a church of his own with which to oppose and persecute the true churches of Jesus Christ.

"Much of this Baptist History Notebook will deal with the development of Satan's church (the synagogue of Satan) and its persecution of the churches of our Lord.

Christ's Church Built

" Doing this, we must begin with the church which Jesus built and observe how Satan sought to corrupt it from within which resulted in a separation by the pure churches from the corrupt churches.

"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" (Matthew 16:18).

"The word "church" means assembly.

"The Lord said He would build "His" (My) church.

"This was to distinguish it from all other kinds of assemblies.

"He built His "kind" of assembly.

"That which distinguishes His from all the rest are the doctrines He gave to it.

"Those doctrinal peculiarities make it His kind of church.

"What are those marks or doctrinal peculiarities?

"Dr. J. R. Graves in his book "Old Landmarkism" lists seven.

"Dr. Clarence Walker, in his introduction to the "Trail of Blood" (page 5) lists seven.

"Dr. D. B. Ray, in his "Baptist Succession"
lists seven.

"To these could be added or subtracted, depending on the historian and what his purpose might be.

"Where one would list two doctrines under one head the next may list them separately.

"I will list eight but treat primarily three in this Notebook.


(1) The church's Head and Founder is Jesus Christ
(Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:18).


(2) Its only rule of faith and practice is the Bible
(II Timothy 3:15-17).


(3) Its members are to be only saved people
(Acts 2:41).


(4) Its government is congregational
(Acts 1:23-26 - equality).


(5) Its teaching on salvation is that it is by grace
(Ephesians 2:8-9).


(6) It has but two ordinances; Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and these are symbolic
(Matthew 28:19-20;
I Corinthians 11:24).


(7) Its commission is inclusive (Matthew 28:16-20).


(8) It is independent
(Matthew 16:19; Matthew 22:21).

"Wherever, in history, in whatever age, you find churches teaching these doctrines, you have a Baptist church, no matter what name it may go by.

" It matters not if we cannot, from church to church, trace it back to the First Baptist Church of Jerusalem.

"The succession is there but records may hinder or stop our search.

"What it teaches is the important thing.

"Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church so He guaranteed perpetuity."

Con't at link:
http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/hisel.bapt.hst.ntbk.chpt2.html