Are Baptists ONLY the Bride of Christ?

This is a good start. Let's take this a step further. Let's say someone from one of those groups asks for membership in your church. Would you accept them? Would you require them to be baptized? Even if their original baptism was by immersion?

 

Crabtownboy

Are you serious, or just kidding?? Did that guy REALLY SAY THAT??

 

Let me get your opinion.

What non-Baptist groups, if any, would qualify as true NT churches? I'm not looking for an exhaustive list, just a few examples. Would you also give your rationale for their inclusion in your list?

At the same time, what are some groups whose doctrines would disqualify them as NT churches.

DaChaser1 listed some "deal breakers." What are some of yours?

 

This is just so horribly sad and...and to be honest...weird.

I am a happy, contented, "card carrying" baptist, but those views articulated up there are just SOOO wrong.

The truth is that Gods Church is world wide. It is sometimes referred to as the universal church, and I am fine with that description because it is true.

Regarding the issue of "gathering", the scriptures clearly inform us that our Father God wants us to gather regularly...so we joyfully do so.

Where do we do that?

Wherever 2 or more are gathered together as christians...Christ is their in the midst. It can be in a dedicated building , on a beach under a tree or in someones living room.

Its just so sad when man made religious regulations and dictates turn this world wide Kingdom of God into something that is man made rather then Divinely brought into existence.

 

The Anabaptist. By the way do not go to Europe and try to tell Anabaptist they are Baptists. It won't fly either direction.

My guess is that many of the house churches in China would fit in also. There are so many groups around the world that I am unaware of that it seems a bit rediculous to even try to make a list. In fact now that I think about house churches they probably come closest to the early NT church than established churches with buildings and staff, utility bills, parking lots, day schools and political correctness, both conservative, fundamental and liberal.

I feel it is very dangerous to play "god" and say who is and who is not "right with God. Every group, let me repeat every group has mistakes in their beliefs. There is not one group, nor one person who has it all right. So, in a way perhaps there are no NT churches in the scriptural sense of the word.

I certainly am not arrogant enough to say that my particular brand of Baptist is the only one.

By the way, Baptist covers a lot of territory. So, are all Baptist included as the Bride ... or just select Baptist. If select, which ones?

 

It is the very definition of arrogance for one baptist group to consider themselves to have a greater place in the family of God than any one else. It is wickedness. God hates pride; that is an irrefutable fact. Baptist briders will be shocked when they sit at the marriage supper & see the multitude of non-baptists & non-briders between them & the Saviour.

 

I was thinking more about some denominations that we might be familiar with. Such as Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, and the like. Do they qualify as NT churches

I'm not asking about those faith groups which you describe. I'm asking which of them, in your opinion, are fatally flawed.

Oh, I agree, I would not say my brand of Baptist is the only one, either. But I would argue that my brand of Baptist church is a true New Testament Church. And I would argue that some Baptist groups don't qualify as NT churches.

About the Bride, we'll all be part of it in heaven, even if we're in the wrong church on earth.

 

I'm not a Baptist Bride kind of guy, but I've known some and there's not an arrogant bone in their bodies. They are godly people and not prideful at all.

Let me pose a question. You are a member of a Baptist church. Do you believe your church teaches Biblical truth? I doubt if you'd be there if you didn't believe it.

You understand, of course, that some of the doctrines you believe are Biblical truth are opposite from what other churches believe. By definition they are in error, even heretical. Is it arrogant for you to believe that you are right and others are wrong? Is it prideful? Of course not. I suspect you've arrived at your views through diligent study, and have put them to the test many times.

The Baptist Briders I know have done the same. They have approached the scriptures with humility and this is what they have found. They may not even like this view, but they are bound to submit to what they believe is Biblical truth.

 

Forgive me, but this is pure crap.

 

Well, CTB, let's look at a few things.

Before Pentecost, the traveling band of disciples:
Had a Head and it had a treasurer.
It had a Teacher.
Its members were baptized believers.
It had ordinances--baptism and the Lord's Supper
It had two commission: First in Matthew 10, then in Matthew 28:19-20.
It had the gospel.
It had supernatural power Luke 10:17 "Lord, even the demons are subject to us."
Jesus taught about church discipline Matthew 18:15-17 "Tell it to the church."

Ah, one may say, but it did not yet have the Holy Spirit until Pentecost.
Uh, John 20:22 "And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, 'receive ye the Holy Spirit.'" This, by the way, was post-resurrection.

And, of course, it had a business meeting to pick a successor for Judas.

 

I won't. But I'm open to some education. Why do you say that Anabaptists were not the precursors to Baptists?

I'm sure you can cite some authority for that, just as I can find a bunch writers who list the Anabaptists of the 16th century as Baptist ancestors, along with the Waldenses and others dating back well before the Reformation.

And even some Catholic historians say that the Waldenses have their roots in Apostolic times.

I am aware that not all Anabaptist group were the same.

 

IF the person was baptised by say Church of Christ, or RCC, would ask them to be rebaptised, as we would not hold that their original one was "valid"...

This would only be IF they had applied for membership consideration!

Another thing to consider in this is that we tend to see that there are true Christians within group such as even RCC/Church of Christ etc, but that would be DESPITE their official church doctrines...

So would see individuals as being part of the NT church at large, Body of Christ m but NOT their churches setting in!

think also have to realise that in this discussion , that we might disagreein this to some degree due to us seeing that there is a Universal Church of all true believers, and also there are individual assemblies/churches that fit NT church mandate....

So would be NT churches, and individual members of Christ bodies sitting among non NT churches...

 

Aklso would add that any group that denies the Cross, Jesus Only way to be saved, denies the Bible as being inspired/infallible and sole authority....

 

Do you wanna name names?

 

basically, "liberal" Christianity wing, churches/groups that would see all religions getting to god, that we are called to love/accept others period, and have the ole 'social Gospel" agenda going on!

Some also add to the Gospel things "must do" in order to be saved!

Church of Christ
jesus Only
RCC
Emergent movement
word of faith movement/prosperity/health and wealth
"feel good" Gospel of the Schulers/Olsteen etc
Liberal "protestant" wing of the Church

 

Thanks for the specifics. Do I assume correctly that if anyone from these groups who became convinced that Baptists believe correctly, and desire to join your church, you would require him to submit to Baptist baptism?

 

I was thinking more of modern Anabaptist. The European Anabaptist do not want to be associated in anyone's mind as part of the American Baptist community ... especially the SBC. They see the SBC as pernicious and dictatorial, a lack of caring for those in need, an over concern about money [they pick this up from our culture IMHO], and also much too militaristic. I am sure you realize that the Anabaptist are primarily pacifistic.

There are beliefs that Baptists and Anabaptists have in common. Believers Baptism and the symbolism of Communion are examples. The greatest divide is pacifism.

 

Are Baptists ONLY the Bride of Christ?

No. With so many millions of us, I think we are also other things besides that.

 

My goodness brother, what compels you to use sewer language? It is completely uneccesary, and inapropriate.

I am surprised it hasnt been deleted by a mod.