Do you see the Baptist church as a whole, opting for the third way? Or will they remain true and stay the course by saying,
" or " to permit same-gender individuals in their pews?
The problem is no off the agenda for this year, but believe me each year it will knock at the door of all Baptist yearly conventions, and move from asking to come in, to DEMANDING they be let in!
The problem is not about to go away! It is pesky and relentless, and it will be interesting to see if the Baptist church as a whole can stand for the long term!
What do you say about my observation of the problem not going away anytime soon in the future?
Well so far the SBC has held the line.
They have made it clear that there is no third way and ironically even that check prices that there is no third way by it splitting over those who take a stand on homosexuality and those who refuse to take a stand. I think this issue will help purify the church as we will see who will take a stand and who will embrace sin.
The term "Baptist" is a very large generic umbrella term that covers just about anyone with any belief system just as long as they immerse believers.
So, some kind of "Baptist" may embrace same sex marriage.
However, conservative "Baptist" type churches are not even near considering it anything other than sin, and the type of sin that as it increases in the world indicates the coming of Christ is nearer who will pour out his wrath upon such.
How are Baptists, by definition, not a denomination?
(I don't understand how the designation "Baptist" could hold any meaning unless it is descriptive of certain distinctive beliefs).
Thanks, I understand where you are coming from now.
I disagree as I think a denomination is a religious group united by a common belief or practice (not a common organizational structure).
But it is a disagreement of definitions (we could very well have the same understanding of what it means to be "Baptist").
rd2..., as I read your post I understood it to be making reference to churches in general and..., to specifically the Baptist..., as to their acceptance of the homosexual and his/her life style?
How come the argument turned to whether the Baptist are considered a denomination?
Back to those folks..., as I read the Word it does appear to me that "...God GAVE them up to a..."
Can you just imagine what it's like to be GIVEN up on by God?
That would translate to me these folks will never come back.
...course, ya' all understand I ain't got no Yale University Degree in Bible 'cernment but can it be considered that being "given up on " translates to being "Given up on"?
:laugh::thumbsup::tongue3:
Look at your own quote, I don't see organizational structure anywhere in the definition.
There are 100s of Baptist Denominations, but what makes a baptist a baptist is that they believe in baptism upon a statement of faith in Christ. It has nothing to do with structure. Any baptist church that doesn't hold to baptism upon statement of faith is NOT a baptist church, regardless of what else they believe.
Yes, there are some Baptist Denominations. On this we agree. I would say the SBC is a denomination (though many would disagree with me on that). My point is that there isn't a single baptist denomination.
Did the SBC have a choice but to remove the church?If that church wants to teach in contradiction to God's word and has been asked to correct that and chooses to not correct it, what other option does the SBC have but to say "see ya" as they did?
How many churches in your area don't say anything about the gossiping? backbiting? the immodesty? the gluttony? The refusing to honor and respect those God has placed in authority over them?
Sure seems to be a lot of these things going on in the church to the point that it certainly looks like it has been embraced as has the normalization of heterosexual fornication and lust in society.
It's all semantics, and I wouldn't argue too much about it. But the 3rd definition " a general name for a category" definitely means that there is a generic "Baptist" denomination. I mean, when the average person asks what denomination I am, my response is "Baptist". Then if they ask what kind, I'll go deeper.
Again, they would still label all of that as being a sin, but agree with you that e need to make sure that none of us are still active in those things!
But Homosexual sinning is getting big time redefined, agreed?