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What are the distinctives of "Reformed Baptist"?

Martin Marprelate

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
The term 'Reformed Baptist' is as recent as the 1960s. Before that, Baptists who held to the Doctrines of Grace and the 1689 Confession (like Keach, Gill or Spurgeon) would have called themselves 'Particular Baptists.' The term was coined by Walt Chantry and Welshman Geoff Thomas when they were studying at Westminster Theological Seminary and were being told by other students that they shouldn't be there because they were not 'Reformed.' "Yes we are Reformed," they replied, "We are Reformed Baptists."
Those who have compared the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Congregational Savoy Declaration with the 1689 Confession will know that there are huge areas of agreement between them, but on baptism and church polity, the Baptists ploughed their own furrow.

One other point: elders (Gk. 'presbuteroi') are biblical, and the word means the same as 'overseers' or 'bishops' (Gk. episkopoi'). This is easily proved. First of all, there was a plurality of 'episkopoi' in the church at Philippi (Phil. 1:1). Secondly, when Paul came to Miletus in Acts 20:17, he 'Sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.' Then in verse 28, he tells them, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers ('episkopoi'), to shepherd (or 'pastor.' Gk. 'poimaino') the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

So 'episkopos' and 'presbuteros' have the same meaning, and there were a plurality of them. Moreover, 'poimen,' meaning a shepherd or pastor also has the same meaning. Therefore the idea of a single monarchical pastor, supported only by deacons is not the Biblical model, though it may be unavoidable in very small churches.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
The term 'Reformed Baptist' is as recent as the 1960s. Before that, Baptists who held to the Doctrines of Grace and the 1689 Confession (like Keach, Gill or Spurgeon) would have called themselves 'Particular Baptists.' The term was coined by Walt Chantry and Welshman Geoff Thomas when they were studying at Westminster Theological Seminary and were being told by other students that they shouldn't be there because they were not 'Reformed.' "Yes we are Reformed," they replied, "We are Reformed Baptists."
Those who have compared the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Congregational Savoy Declaration with the 1689 Confession will know that there are huge areas of agreement between them, but on baptism and church polity, the Baptists ploughed their own furrow.

One other point: elders (Gk. 'presbuteroi') are biblical, and the word means the same as 'overseers' or 'bishops' (Gk. episkopoi'). This is easily proved. First of all, there was a plurality of 'episkopoi' in the church at Philippi (Phil. 1:1). Secondly, when Paul came to Miletus in Acts 20:17, he 'Sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.' Then in verse 28, he tells them, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers ('episkopoi'), to shepherd (or 'pastor.' Gk. 'poimaino') the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

So 'episkopos' and 'presbuteros' have the same meaning, and there were a plurality of them. Moreover, 'poimen,' meaning a shepherd or pastor also has the same meaning. Therefore the idea of a single monarchical pastor, supported only by deacons is not the Biblical model, though it may be unavoidable in very small churches.
The issue (why I pointed out that Reformed Baptists today are really not traditional Baptists) is not the use if the word "elder" to mean "overseer" or "pastor" but how many use elders as members (plural) as leaders in the church ("elder leadership").

Reformed Baptists are "baptists" who hold a blend of Reformed doctrine and Baotist doctrine (not quite congregatiinalists, mot quite traditional Baptists, not quite Presbyterians). They typically look to Presbyterians for doctrine (older Presbytetian ministers).

They are badically Presbyterian lite (Presbyterians who hold to an independent church, believers baptism reject part of the Doctrines of Grace, but accept most of it).

They are "buffet Baptists" in that their doctrine is a mixture of teachings they like from various theologies.
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
The term 'Reformed Baptist' is as recent as the 1960s....The term was coined by Walt Chantry and Welshman Geoff Thomas when they were studying at Westminster Theological Seminary
No, the term Reformed Baptist was used by both Campbellites and Hardshellers to describe themselves in the 1800s, before they settled on 'Churches of Christ' and 'Primitive Baptist', respectively. And for a time in the 1900s the term Reformed Baptist was used by an Arminian group that eventually merged into the Wesleyan Church.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
No, the term Reformed Baptist was used by both Campbellites and Hardshellers to describe themselves in the 1800s, before they settled on 'Churches of Christ' and 'Primitive Baptist', respectively. And for a time in the 1900s the term Reformed Baptist was used by an Arminian group that eventually meged into the Wesleyan Church.
I think people forget Calvinism, Arminianism, and Methodist are all reformed churches (if any deserve the title it would maybe be the Lutherans....who are not considered "Reformed" as we use the word).

I hate the term. The first question that comes to mind is "reformed from what?", and the answer is Roman Catholicism (many of thr doctrines reformed should have been abandoned all together, and many simply carried over shoukd have been left behind).

So, "reformed" to a non-Catholic traditioned oriented guy is another way of saying "lipstick on a pig".
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Those who have compared the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Congregational Savoy Declaration with the 1689 Confession will know that there are huge areas of agreement between them, but on baptism and church polity, the Baptists ploughed their own furrow.
Reformed Baptists should know that the 1689 London Baptist Confession they claim to 'hold to' specifically rejected the descriptor 'Reformed' that Westminster and Savoy employed:

Tabular Comparison of 1646 Westminster Confession (Presbyterian), 1658 Savoy Declaration (Congregationalist), & 1689 London Confession (Baptist)
 
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