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Documentation of Baptist Distinctives

Discussion in 'Baptist History' started by Gold Dragon, Apr 6, 2005.

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  1. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    What is our oldest available documented list of baptist distinctives?
     
    #1 Gold Dragon, Apr 6, 2005
  2. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    That would depend on what you mean by a "list of baptist distinctives." If you mean the cute acrostic that reads

    B - Bible, The only rule for faith and practice.
    A - Autonomy of each local church.
    P - Priesthood of the believer.
    T - Two ordinances for the local church.
    I - Individual soul liberty and responsibility.
    S - Separation, ethical, ecclesiastical, and political.
    T - Two officers of the local church.

    then I don't have a clue. But if you mean where can we find these same things taught I would suggest two sources. The first, under the name "Baptist" would be the 1677/1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

    If you don't demand the word "Baptist" be included I would direct you to the Bible.

    I. BIBLE THE ONLY RULE FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE.
    2 Timothy 3:16,17; 1Corinthians 2:9 16; Mark 7:7 9; Acts 17:11

    II. AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
    Acts 13:1 3; Acts 15:22 28; Matthew 22:17 21

    III. PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER
    Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 John 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17 21; Romans 8:16 17; John 8:32; Galatians 5:13; 2 Corinthians 5:10 21

    IV. TWO ORDINANCES: BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
    Acts 8:36 37; Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:37 38; Romans 6:4 5; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Matthew 28:19 20; 1Corinthians 11:24; 1Corinthians 11:28 31; Matthew 5:23 24; 1Corinthians 11:25 26

    V. INDIVIDUAL SOUL LIBERTY AND RESPONSIBILITY
    Acts 5:29; 2Corinthians 5:10; 1Corinthians 3:11 15; 1Corinthians 8:9; 1Corinthians 10:29 33; Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16

    VI. SEPARATION
    1 Thessalonians 1:9; Romans 12:1 2; Galatians 2:20; 2Corinthians 6:14 17; 2Timothy 3:5; 3John 11; 2Thessalonians 3:6; 2Thessalonians 3:14 15; Matthew 18:17; Romans 16:17; 1Corinthians 5:11; 1Timothy 6:5; 1Thessalonians 5:14

    VII. TWO OFFICERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
    1. THE PASTOR 1 Timothy 3:1 7; Titus 1:5 13
    2. DEACON 1 Timothy 3:8 13; Act 6:1 4
     
    #2 TCassidy, Apr 6, 2005
  3. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Thanks.

     
    #3 Gold Dragon, Apr 6, 2005
  4. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Here are some older Baptist documents.

    Does anyone know when the Doctrine of Separation (apostacy and erring churches/individuals) was first documented in a Baptist confession?
     
    #4 Gold Dragon, Apr 6, 2005
  5. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    why would you recommend a NEW document when there are much older documents?
     
    #5 El_Guero, Apr 6, 2005
  6. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Which "NEW document" are you refering to? You can't much older than the LBCF77\89 in English and still be on solid ground.
     
    #6 Squire Robertsson, Apr 6, 2005
  7. Kiffen

    Kiffen Member

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    1644 London Baptist Confession

    1655 Midland Baptist Confession

    1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession
     
    #7 Kiffen, Apr 6, 2005
  8. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Welllll - If you don't mind, I will keep me Bible ... the Apostle's creeds

    And I hope you don't mind if I remember the likes of John Smyth ... and Helwys ...

    But, I do not claim Roger Williams ...
     
    #8 El_Guero, Apr 6, 2005
  9. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    The 44, the 55 and other pre-77 confessions are included on the site cited by Gold Dragon. Some even into the sixteenth century.
     
    #9 Squire Robertsson, Apr 6, 2005
  10. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Welllll - If you don't mind, I will keep me Bible ... the Apostle's creeds

    And I hope you don't mind if I remember the likes of John Smyth ... and Helwys ...

    But, I do not claim Roger Williams ...     </font>[/QUOTE]I'm interested in what Baptists have written. Writings of Smyth and Helwys definitely qualify.

    I know Landmarkists may claim that the NT authors were Baptist and you are free to believe that, but let's stick to historically verifyable statements for now, thanks.
     
    #10 Gold Dragon, Apr 7, 2005
  11. Baptist born Baptist bred

    Baptist born Baptist bred New Member

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    If I read the original question correctly, it was the first documentation of Baptist distinctives. Although these confessions of faith do in fact show some distinctions. The first work dedicated to this purpose was J. M Pendleton's Three Reasons Why I am a Baptist. You could go older that that if you limited Baptist distinctives to baptism and restriction from the Lord's Supper you can go back to Booth, Kiffin and others. But in my study, Pendleton is the first to add congregational polity and later the memorial view of the Lord's Supper in his "Three Reasons with a Fourth Added on Communion."

    Please let me know if you know of an older work dedicated to Baptist Distinctives...
     
    #11 Baptist born Baptist bred, Apr 7, 2005
  12. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Wellll

    ... I reckon that I will stick to me Bible; the Historic creeds; and those first Baptists
     
    #12 El_Guero, Apr 9, 2005
  13. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    That is wonderful. I stick to the bible when I'm looking for truth too.

    But when I'm looking for what historically Baptists have written, the Bible is not included.
     
    #13 Gold Dragon, Apr 9, 2005
  14. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Welllll

    If they did not stick to the Bible, they were NOT historical Baptists ... IMHO
     
    #14 El_Guero, Apr 9, 2005
  15. Hardsheller

    Hardsheller Active Member
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    I'd like to reopen this thread with a Question and a comment.

    What is it that makes Baptists different from other groups?

    I find that the average Baptist in the pew doesn't have a clue.

    In fact there seems to be a lot of Baptists who don't think we are different.
     
    #15 Hardsheller, Nov 29, 2005
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