HISTORIC BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES

Try these on for size:</font>

• Bible the only rule for faith and practice.</font>
• Regenerate Immersed church membership.</font>
• Autonomy and Independence of the local church.</font>
• Priesthood of the Believer.</font>
• Seperation of Church and State</font>
• Immersion of Believers and Lord's Supper only two ordinances</font>
• Seperation</font>
  • </font>
  • Ethical and</font>
  • Ecclesiastical</font>

 

As I have come to understand it, we stand against a sacralist state.

 

For "our" views to be 'dictated' by any set of statements (scripturally derived or not) is creedalism. I don't like anyone telling me some facsimile of "You're a Baptist, so you believe this:..." Nothing or no one dictates my beliefs.</font>[/QUOTE]That is your right and priveledge. However, if a person holds to a position contrary to one of the distinctives, that person probably should not call themselves a Baptist. And please note: these are called Baptist Distintives. Thus, they are not germane to one's salvation.

 

"However, if a person holds to a position contrary to one of the distinctives, that person probably should not call themselves a Baptist."

I generally would agree. The distinctives have generally defined Baptists, and to depart significantly makes the designation meaningless. Of course, there is no trademark on the word Baptist®, so it is impossible to enforce, which is probably just as well.

I would generally endorse the lists of distinctives above, with some reservations. Baptists have at times espoused more than two ordinances (some still do) and I do not consider them less Baptist for it. Some Baptists also have had more than two offices (the old Generals in England come to mind) and have adopted somewhat different ecclesiology — whether purposely or inadvertently (the roles of elders and deacons is a case in point.) I would add a non-sacramental view of the ordinances as part of the distinctives.

Some of the distinctives relate to Baptist history and no longer make Baptists distinctive. The Reformers preached Sola Scriptura; Luther understood the priesthood of the believer and soul competency ("Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me, Amen!"), but he shrank from its practical application. Immersion is no longer as distinctive as it was; Pentecostals, Restorationists and a host of others have adopted the same mode.

Separation of church and state is, to me, the most Baptist of the distinctives, historically (although it flows naturally from the priesthood of the believer and soul competency).

The distinctives are heavily weighted toward polity, not doctrine. Baptists have frequently disagreed on doctrine, with soteriology being a prime example. Eschatology is another garden of disagreements.