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Reformed Baptists
- Thread starter SGO
- Start date
Reformed Baptist Church Manual, link here: Reformed-Baptist-Church-Manual.pdf
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Calvinism (also called the Reformed tradition, Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, or the Reformed faith) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calvin and other Reformation-era theologians. It emphasises the sovereignty of God and the authority of the Bible.
Calvinism - Wikipedia
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"Can anyone define concisely and/or list distinctions with bible verses?"
If I was Calvinist I would have said the entire bible. (I'm not Calvinist/Reformed but this should be the proper answer)
I'm upset at our Calvinist Brothers "subconsciously" for NOT Presuming Calvinists are CHRISTIANS.
They should have just gave a bible verse identifying a Christian/disciple of Jesus Christ and stick to their guns on the premise that the Reformed Baptist IS the bona-fide genuine Christian.
"Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else." Spurgeon.
Calvinism (also called the Reformed tradition, Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, or the Reformed faith) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calvin and other Reformation-era theologians. It emphasises the sovereignty of God and the authority of the Bible.
Calvinism - Wikipedia
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"Can anyone define concisely and/or list distinctions with bible verses?"
If I was Calvinist I would have said the entire bible. (I'm not Calvinist/Reformed but this should be the proper answer)
I'm upset at our Calvinist Brothers "subconsciously" for NOT Presuming Calvinists are CHRISTIANS.
They should have just gave a bible verse identifying a Christian/disciple of Jesus Christ and stick to their guns on the premise that the Reformed Baptist IS the bona-fide genuine Christian.
"Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else." Spurgeon.
pdf means pretty dim file, right?
Thanks Austin for the link and the others for leading the horse to the water but a pencil must be lead.
I looked for Reformed Baptist Churches in my area and
I got:
an American Baptist
a Conservative Baptist
a Southern Baptist
So Google has a loose interpretation of what Reformed Baptist means?
From the above document Chapter 1 number 10:
"The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved."
Means that all translations are good if delivered by the Spirit and tested by the believer? They make the parameters but do not dare say if any are specifically God's word translated. It's all scripture then if the Spirit delivers even if each passage is stated in different ways?
This Confession deals with how man gets revelation of God himself (scripture) and aspects of salvation.
I could not find anything specific about how to interpret other than using the bible itself and or how to look at what Christ's kingdom is now or future.
Pardon me, I thought Reformed Baptist might lean towards amillennialism but I could find no such statement in this Confession.
Well, I can see now even without your comments I bit off more than I can chew.
Thanks Austin for the link and the others for leading the horse to the water but a pencil must be lead.
I looked for Reformed Baptist Churches in my area and
I got:
an American Baptist
a Conservative Baptist
a Southern Baptist
So Google has a loose interpretation of what Reformed Baptist means?
From the above document Chapter 1 number 10:
"The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved."
Means that all translations are good if delivered by the Spirit and tested by the believer? They make the parameters but do not dare say if any are specifically God's word translated. It's all scripture then if the Spirit delivers even if each passage is stated in different ways?
This Confession deals with how man gets revelation of God himself (scripture) and aspects of salvation.
I could not find anything specific about how to interpret other than using the bible itself and or how to look at what Christ's kingdom is now or future.
Pardon me, I thought Reformed Baptist might lean towards amillennialism but I could find no such statement in this Confession.
Well, I can see now even without your comments I bit off more than I can chew.
what city and state are you in...? I can find a few places for you to visit
Thank you but this is for future reference.
My wife and I attend an Independent Baptist church.
It is dispensational but we have found a niche and are fairly happy.
That "future theology" plus me (not the wife) loving my specific translation are not the right things with which to break fellowship.
I have been told, more or less unofficially, to believe what I like about those things but not to create dissension.
And both of us are beginning to cement personal relationships with some of the members after attending for six years.
For a crank like me that has not happened much.
My wife and I attend an Independent Baptist church.
It is dispensational but we have found a niche and are fairly happy.
That "future theology" plus me (not the wife) loving my specific translation are not the right things with which to break fellowship.
I have been told, more or less unofficially, to believe what I like about those things but not to create dissension.
And both of us are beginning to cement personal relationships with some of the members after attending for six years.
For a crank like me that has not happened much.
Bassoonery
Active Member
You'll find that the Baptists over at Puritan Board are generally Reformed Baptists. I learnt about them when looking into the required beliefs there. I expect there will be some Reformed Baptists on this board too who can do a better job of explaining and I apologise in advance if I misrepresent them.
Holding to the 1689 Confession is the foundation. On first reading it might look like an easy document to endorse, but I soon realised that properly holding to 1689 required holding to other things that I didn't feel ready to accept yet. Perhaps you have no issues with these things, but they may be considered some of the other distinctives of Reformed Baptists. They are not arbitrary points but are entirely derived from the Confession. I would recommend researching each of them in detail:
1. The Regulative Principle of Worship (which can include not only the elements of congregational worship but also whether or not they participate in non-biblical festivals such as Christmas)
2. Covenant Theology (which can influence views on baptism and eschatology among other things)
3. A strict view of the Mosaic law -especially the Decalogue- due to Covenant Theology (keeping the Lord's Day as a strict Sabbath, rejecting any images or portrayals of Christ, including in children's literature...)
Personally, I find the earlier 1646 Baptist Confession (not 1646 Westminster) easier to accept because it is less prescriptive about the above issues, but in the end I realised that it was safer for me to lean on my non-confessional background for the time being. I am still in the process of getting to grips with some of the issues involved.
Holding to the 1689 Confession is the foundation. On first reading it might look like an easy document to endorse, but I soon realised that properly holding to 1689 required holding to other things that I didn't feel ready to accept yet. Perhaps you have no issues with these things, but they may be considered some of the other distinctives of Reformed Baptists. They are not arbitrary points but are entirely derived from the Confession. I would recommend researching each of them in detail:
1. The Regulative Principle of Worship (which can include not only the elements of congregational worship but also whether or not they participate in non-biblical festivals such as Christmas)
2. Covenant Theology (which can influence views on baptism and eschatology among other things)
3. A strict view of the Mosaic law -especially the Decalogue- due to Covenant Theology (keeping the Lord's Day as a strict Sabbath, rejecting any images or portrayals of Christ, including in children's literature...)
Personally, I find the earlier 1646 Baptist Confession (not 1646 Westminster) easier to accept because it is less prescriptive about the above issues, but in the end I realised that it was safer for me to lean on my non-confessional background for the time being. I am still in the process of getting to grips with some of the issues involved.
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I was removed from that Board for bringing up beleivers baptism too strongly, and for seeing the new Covenant as being new too much!
many Baptists would fall under the banner of Calvinist Baptist, as hold to Tulip. but also hold to Eschatology that is not A mil!
Well said!
They are brethren in Christ, but they really do not see Baptists are really being either Calvinist nor Reformed!
Good way to word that!
Many on that board are Presbyterian, ie infant Baptists so they tend to disagree with Baptists who scripturally see Believers Baptism as biblical.
So they banned you because of your Baptist stance... how typical.
Bassoonery
Active Member
Without wanting to deviate from the OP too much, the Board does not exclude Baptists at all if they conform to the confessional beliefs, so there are certainly credo-baptists there, though they are a minority.
On the other hand, I have since remembered that there are other "Reformed" Baptists who would not belong on that board for various reasons. The two in my mind are themselves at different ends of another spectrum - the cessationist Todd Friel and the "cautious continuationist" John Piper. So I would say that SGO is right in finding the Reformed Baptist label very difficult to define.
There is a very adamant TR/Kjv group there, and also are very strong to put down any deviation from the orthodox view"
Whats a bit Ironic though is insisting a believer's baptism makes it a person's choice whereas those who were baptized as infants were done by God's choice?
Like when we look at circumcision Jesus got it on the 8th day of being born. An 8 day old infant isn't expected to make a choice to be circumcised.
Colossians 2
11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Its obvious birthright like circumcision. They call it "the circumcision of Christ"
I can imagine a child paralyzed, or not having mental capacity in the midst of people being baptized. You bringing all these people to be baptized, And everyone gets baptized, and then it comes to that one child who can't respond........
Do you really think when you look at Jesus YOU DON'T EXPECT him to wave him over to his care?
Why would anyone expect this cold-shouldered Jesus?
I rather be in error of expecting Jesus to be TOO KIND, TOO LOVING, TOO MERCIFUL, if there is such a thing.
If on judgment day I get brought up on charges for believing God to be too loving and merciful its going to be the grandest comedy and its going to be Accusers who will put themselves in a hot seat.
Like when we look at circumcision Jesus got it on the 8th day of being born. An 8 day old infant isn't expected to make a choice to be circumcised.
Colossians 2
11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Its obvious birthright like circumcision. They call it "the circumcision of Christ"
I can imagine a child paralyzed, or not having mental capacity in the midst of people being baptized. You bringing all these people to be baptized, And everyone gets baptized, and then it comes to that one child who can't respond........
Do you really think when you look at Jesus YOU DON'T EXPECT him to wave him over to his care?
Why would anyone expect this cold-shouldered Jesus?
I rather be in error of expecting Jesus to be TOO KIND, TOO LOVING, TOO MERCIFUL, if there is such a thing.
If on judgment day I get brought up on charges for believing God to be too loving and merciful its going to be the grandest comedy and its going to be Accusers who will put themselves in a hot seat.