NOTES AND QUOTES FOR TODAY:
What We Believe II
I am A Christian by Conversion and A Baptist by Conviction !
I-Individual soul liberty: (Romans 14:1-23). Baptists believe that each individual stands or falls before his or her own Master, who is Jesus Christ. We read in Romans 14:4 “….Who art thou that judges another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” and recognize that on matters in which the scripture does not speak expressly the conscience of one saint may differ from that of another in these doubtful matters. In such cases every individual has the freedom and the responsibility to make his own decision according to the dictates of his own conscience for which he or she will answer directly to Christ when they stand before Him at the judgment seat (Romans 14:10). Each believer is to be accorded this privilege and be free from the censure of others whose positions differ while exercising that freedom with the greatest regard and concern for how the exercise of that freedom impacts the faith of his or her brothers and sisters in Christ. Furthermore each saint retains the right and the obligation to continue to assemble freely with those who are like-minded.
S -Saved, baptized church membership. We read in Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls…” Baptists restrict church membership to those individuals who give authentic public testimony of a vital personal relationship with Jesus Christ by the confession of their mouth, accompanied by the evident alteration of their conduct and displayed by their subsequent submission to baptism by immersion after they are converted. The church holds the keys that Christ has committed to it (Matthew 16:19-20) and these saints are the ones that are given the responsibility to affirm the heavenly citizenship of one another in this manner. Those who claim to be followers of Christ must be able to profess a good profession (1 Timothy 6:12), show fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and submission to Christ’s command in their manner of life (Philippians 3:21, Titus 2:12), and have declared their faith in Christ by means of the ordinance of baptism after they have been born again. Church membership is individual and not familial and there is no other means or method of being joined to the church.
T -Two offices (pastor and deacon): We read in Philippians 1:1, “Paul, and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ , to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippii, with the bishops and deacons...” In Timothy 3:1-13, it is clearly delineated that Baptists recognize only two offices or leadership roles in the church, that of pastor(s) who are given primary responsibility for the spiritual aspects of service to the people of God, primarily in their praying for the saints and ministry of the Word to them both publicly from a pulpit in an assembly of the saints and privately from house to house, and that of deacon(s) who are spiritual men primarily responsible for the material needs of the same group of saints. Baptists acknowledge (recognize) no other human authority structure of hierarchy.
S -Separation of church and state: We read in Matthew 22:21, where our Lord said, “….. render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” We have Romans 13:1-7 where have a clearly set forth the relationship between the church and the government. Baptists affirm that God has ordained and established both the church and civil government and delegated to them authority. The church has been entrusted with the keys to the kingdom and the commission of Christ to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) while civil government has been invested with the sword to maintain societal order and exact vengeance on evil doers (Romans 13:4). Each is to function distinctly and independently of one another in their own separate spheres and the authority of each is to be recognized and submitted to when it is exercised in the realm that pertains to them (Romans 13:1,5)
In 1st Peter 2:17 we have this clear command, which reads, “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king.” Churches are not to dictate policy, foment rebellion, implement laws or impose sanctions on citizens of the nation in which they meet but to submit to and support the government that God has ordained over them. The civil government is not a recognized authority over the church in matters of service and obedience to Christ and, therefore, will not be submitted to when that institution seeks to dictate manners and modes of worship, appoint church leadership, influence doctrinal positions or forbid the gospel of Jesus from being boldly proclaimed. The Dear Pastor concluded his letter by stating, “……. I sincerely pray that the Lord will use it to be a help and to clarify the things that make me a Baptist by conscience and conviction based on my understanding of the holy and precious and powerful and authoritative Word of God. May the Lord bless you and keep you brother ……… I tried to keep it relatively brief and manageable in terms of the length and content but it does get technical at times I will confess…… I require no citing or credit for any of this.”
Notes from the Editor:
Friends, some who read this may be upset. The truth is always unsettling to some people, but it needs to be proclaimed just the same. If a person can prove himself right, he should have nothing to be upset about; and yet if he is wrong he should be willing to change. A great majority in our day, including a good many Fundamentalists have adopted the philosophy that we are to tone the truth down so as not to offend anyone. While there may be times to be silent, our goal is not to appease and get along with everyone. It was not the goal of our Lord! What we need is the truth! We are not saying there are no Christians in other churches. There are other churches which have some truth and there are some Baptist churches who err from the truth which we would not want to be associated with. However, it is Baptist churches that adhere most clearly to the Word of God.
There is a growing trend among those who call themselves “Baptists”, to abandon the historic doctrines that Baptists have stood for down through the ages. Some of them are manifesting that desire, by dropping the name Baptist from their Church name. Others continue to use the name Baptist, but have retreated from Baptist doctrine. These churches drop the name “Baptist” “in hopes” to bring more people through the doors. They say, they we will stay Baptist in doctrine, only that the denomination will no longer be part of the church’s name.” This more or less is becoming a national trend!
These people are ashamed of the name Baptist, and of the doctrines that Baptists have historically believed and preached. Now they are ashamed of those doctrines and of that name. They stand out for nothing, and that is exactly what these churches stand for, nothing! Yes, they are selling Out The Truth ! More and more of such apostasy is sweeping our land.
These religious apostates are willing to do anything that it takes to get people to come to church. They will compromise to any degree, if that will keep their religious machine rolling. Of such apostates the Apostle John by inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote in 1st John 2:19 which reads, “…. they went out from us, but they were not all of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out from us, because they were not all of us.” Those of us who are determined to stand true to historic Baptist doctrine, and historic Baptist separation, have a fight on our hands. We have to fight the good fight of faith. We cannot hold the fort, and be silent. It will be unpopular to speak the truth on these issues, but we must do so. To fail to cry aloud and spare not, will be tantamount to surrender. Already the termites are eating at the foundation and structure of Independent Baptist churches. If we are silent, we will be surrendering.
One who sells principle for popularity, he is morally bankrupt!
May God help us!!
To be continued………………
From The Staff of The Peoples Gospel Hour
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The Bible reveals two ways which people are following to get into heaven. One way, the true way, is God’s way. God’s way into heaven is the way of peace and truth and righteousness. It is the only way approved of God. This way centers in the Lord Jesus Christ who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). The Bible declares that there is another way. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12).
There are so many popular ways today filled with lost multitudes all over the land, such as the way of morality, the way of respectability, the way of religion, the way of churchianity, the way of baptism, the way of christening, the way of confirmation, the way of penance, the way of confession, the way of “doing the best I can”, the way of self, the way of education, the way of philosophy, the way of false isms and cults that crowd the street. Little wonder then when we speak to people about the way of salvation, that so many have asked, “How can I know which is the true way? There are so many different ideas and so many religions.”
But there is ONE difference between God’s way of salvation and man’s way, and that difference is found in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. You will notice that man leaves Christ out of the center of his way. You will discover that the modern false cults and isms demote Christ to a mere man and add something to what He has already done for your salvation and mine. We become children of God through a supernatural birth. Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus also said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7)
“May the Lord bless you, and make you a blessing!” – The PGH Staff.
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