Reformed Baptists

Good question there Rich, but I think I'll leave it for some of our Reformed Baptist brethren to answer. There are quite a few here.

 

It is a Calvinist who believes in believers baptism by immersion. They consider themselves Protestants whereas most baptists dont.

 

Baptists don't consider themselves Protestants????

 

The "Reformed" term is a loaded term and people mean different things when they use it. The two most dominant strands are

1) You are a Calvinist. In that respect, there are lots and lots of Reformed Baptists on this board. Dr. Bob proudly identifies himself as a Reformed Baptist, though the rest of his theology follows pre-trib pre-mill Dispensationalism which is the competitor of tradinational Presbyterian theology, who originiated the term Reformed.

2) You in some way or another subscribe very closly to covenant theology in that you are calvinist, do not see a distiction between Israel and the Church (except for perhaps in time in the unfolding of salvation history), have creeds from the 1600's, and are probably more attached to the law and epecially the sabbath (still believe we should honor the sabbath). Or, you can be a little looser on the law, etc. Either way, you are pretty much identicle to your presbtyerian brothers except for infant baptism and all the baggage that brings, such as being able to be in the new covenant yet not elect. There are only a handful of Reformed Baptists of this type on this board. Check out www.puritanboard.com/forum to see were these guys hang out and have at it with their presbyterian friends. Reformed in this more stricter sense is usually amill with a few post-mill and a few historic premill. Reformed in this more stricter sense also does see its roots in the reformation, though I don't know if I would say "most" baptists don't.

MacArthur is reformed in the first sense, in that he believes strongly in the five points of calvinism. He is not Reformed in the second sense as he is also dispensational. Spurgeon was definitly a Reformed Baptist. Most reformed free thinking pastors, writings, teachers, laymen, etc probably find themselves along a huge spectrum of beliefs between dispensationalism and covenant theology etc, and share the common characteristics of being calvinist and baptist.

 

I think that would be a very good idea and very helpful to a lot of members

Blessings

Sheila

 

Check out the London Baptist Convention of 1689, it gives the Reformed Baptist theology: http://www.vor.org/truth/1689/1689bc00.html

Presbitarians will say Reformed Baptists are not really Reformed becasue they don't hold to stict Covenant theology, Reformed Baptists will say those Baptists that are Calvinistic but dispensational are not Reformed. I say if you hold to the 1689 you can call yourself a Reformed Baptist. Sorry Dr. Bob

Bryan

 

If interested here is James White's web site. He is the consummate reformed baptist and the smartest man I know.

http://www.aomin.org/

 

James White is a very good example of a Reformed Baptist of the second type.