What does an Independent Fundamental Baptist

hey, CrazyCat,
what does an independant fundamental Baptist mean to me?
well, i am an independant fundametal Baptist. we are very conservative. we use the kjv Bible. onley, the women ware dresses, and we listen to hymns.
i guess to me, an ifb would believe the basic Bible truths. we don't have a part in conventions, and wwe suport local missionaries.
my pastor's definition for an ifb is this :"indapendant fundamental baptists today are like 1940's southern baptists."
dose that help any? thanks for taking time ta read this,
abby

 

<Sob>!

 

you're welcome, crazycat. i'm glad that helped some.
your sister and friend in our Savior,
Abby

 

It means that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and rose again on the third day. It means that the only way to heaven is through the shed blood of Jesus which was made possible by His amazing grace. It means that the scriptures are the word of God, true and inerrant. (KJV) And, we take them at face value. What they say is what they mean. As for wearing dresses, not listening to rock music, boys keeping their hair cut, not coddling to the world and so on, savedbygrace1999 has the right idea.
You will find that there are not too many of us here on this board that can be defined truly as Independent, Fundamental Baptist... however, I for one am. Have been for 34 years. The world makes it tough but the Lord makes it worth it!
In the service of the King
Stan

 

That's right, counselor! i don't think i could have put it much better myself.
crazycat, there is also an arcticle about what ifb believe at www.psalm118.org.
saved by grace 1999

 

Legalism

 

ugh...thank goodness I go to a baptist church that is free....

karen

 

It is some of what I saw at this site that makes me embarrassed to have the IFB label. From this site it appears an IFB'er is 99% hung up on KJVO issue.

 

It seems to me that the title IBF stands for essentially three broad areas truth:

Independent - autonomous and self governing and thus not controlled by a convention or organization above the church. The local church is the final authority under Christ

Baptist - holding to the historic position of NT biblical Baptists including the Baptist distinctives (BRAPSIS OR BAPTIST acrostic)

Fundamental - a separatist holding to the fundamentals of the faith as defined over the past century by biblical Christians.

GH you might want to do some further study of Galatians 3 where Paul defined a "legalist" as someone who believes that works save us or keep us saved. It has nothing to do with a Christian who has standards of personal separation.

"Beloved, when I gave all dilligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto yiou, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

 

CR,
Grasshopper's remark is a common reaction against some in today's IFB movement.

They are very careful not to ascribe any value toward salvation to any earthly actions or rituals, but they do equate separation and sanctification with their own list of regulations and bylaws.

The quote goes something like this.
"I don't think that a Real Christian would listen to that Southern Gospel group, I mean, they are nothing more than Rock Music with an Accent!"

or

"When you grow closer to Christ and mature a little you will understand why that behavior is not consistent with your Christian walk."

And we are not talking about important issues here, it could very well be whether skirts should be 2 or 3 inches below the knee, or whatever ridiculous extra-Biblical standard is the flavor of the week

IMO they are walking the edge of the cliff of legalism, and sometimes they are even waving one foot around in empty space.

Unfortunately, on many issues. IFB's are being painted with a broad brush, when like Dr. Bob said, the lunatic fringe is creating these misconceptions. Although I would say probably a larger percent than 20%, at least around my area.

what does being IFB mean to me, it means I can believe whatever I want to

I say that a little tongue in cheek, but really, My church simply does not answer to a denominational hierarchy, and we make decisions as a church body, or at least that's what the constitution says we do! We do hold to Historic Baptist Distinctives, and we are very conservative, (when I say we I mean my church, I did hear all those chuckles out there. Or was it a SOB )

 

I'm an Independent/Unaffiliated Baptist (fundamental - not watered-down fundamental). I was saved in 1980. The precious Word I held that evening was KJV. I use nothing else. Why should I? One author's book title states it well: "Things That Are Different Are Not The Same" by Pastor/Dr. Mickey Carter. I am in full-time service, sent out by my local church, not by a mission board or other para-church / extra-biblical org. I received my training for the ministry through my home churches Bible Institute. I am only interested in pleasing God through observing / following his scriptural plan. An Independent / Unaffilated Baptist Church is a great place to start. I highly recommend such churches.

 

SD, every movement has it fringe (did I say radical fringe?? ). While there are some who take the truth beyond its biblical balance, true believers are not legalists and are simply trusting the work of Christ for their salvation. While Jesus judged the pharisees for their external legalism, they were unbelievers who rejected Jesus Christ. Rather than going along with the new evangelical, compromiser who calls all fundamental baptists legalists, we need to keep our use of terms in keeping with biblical truth.

"...received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

 

Could you please point out to me just what makes it "legalism"?

Thanks

B.T.

 

I think grasshopper's comment is uncalled for. And just because most of the IFB churches I know of use the KJV, doesn't mean we look down our noses at those who don't.

IFB means to me that our church just wants to be left alone. We have a very small church in the 2nd biggest city in New England, & we like it small. We don't want to answer to a chain of command.

We just want to serve our Lord until he calls us home.

 

Dr. Bob Griffin said that psuedo IFBers had hijacked the name and added a lot of things to the doctrines traditionally taught by Baptists. I would tend to agree with the Brother. I had a beard at several of the different IFB churches my wife and I attended, and I was told I had to shave it off before I could sing in the choir, work as an usher, drive a bus, etc. My wife was told that she would have to wear skirts at work (she worked in fast food at the time and they required slacks) or she could not work in the nursery or childrens church. When did we raise these things to the status of a doctrine?

 

I'm IFB, I sing in the choir, I have a beard, I also play giutar & trumpet in some of the services.

I have never heard anything like those accusations, at least at my church. Perhaps you could visit more IFB churches before you make a decision that they are all bad.

www.invitation.org

 

Our assistant pastor has a beard, the pastor's son has a beard, some of the other men have beards so beards are not an IFB issue it is a local church issue, which it should be. That is why churches are independent local assemblies; so they can answer to God for their practice, not some governing body.

Each church is free to extablish their own standards. Why can churches with standards be condemned, while contemporary churches are comended? Think about it!

Genesis 6:5 Could this be part of the answer?

Ernie

[ June 19, 2002, 07:21 AM: Message edited by: Ernie Brazee ]