what is a Baptist?

Baptists, historically (all the way back to the original English Successionists), are a group of people who believe in baptism by immersion after faith in Jesus Christ.

Now another aspect of Baptist polity which differs from other denominations is the belief in autonomy of local NT church from a more authoritative body.

Also, and this is probably stretching it and really only applicable for the American version of Baptist polity is the idea of separation of church and state. (Of course this is more to do with the idea that the church should never become an established national religion than the more strange developments in our contemporary society.)

I guess another would be the belief in only 2 sacraments/ordinances for the church and that they are symbolic confessions of faith with no measure of grace or salvation being imparted through them.

That would be it. For what it's worth historical Baptist belief never took a stand on inerrancy or dispensationalism or eschatology for that matter.

 

Baptist? There are so many different beliefs among us, I would say: One who goes to a Church with the word "Baptist" on the sign out front. But preachinjesus had some good definitions also.

 

For what it's worth, theopedia.com has a good article on this:

http://www.theopedia.com/Baptist

 

Anyone who agrees with my beliefs.:thumbs:

 

Way to go, Brother, way to go !!:thumbs: :1_grouphug:

 

preachinjesus has it pretty much right. Let me add a couple more.

A Baptist is identified principally by his views on baptism.
1. Baptism of regenerated believers only
2. Baptism by immersion
3. Baptism as a picture of the gospel and of one's conversion.

Then, his views on the Lord's Supper
1. Not sacramental (as preachinjesus has pointed out)

Then, the Baptist view on salvation:
1. By grace through faith, not of works.
2. Salvation is eternal--that is, a believer cannot lose it.

preachinjesus has mentioned the ecclesiology, particularly the autonomy of the local church. I think you can add basicaly a congregational style of church government.

If you tell someone you believe all these things I've mentioned, he'll probably say, "why, you're a Baptist."

 

When we bought this house four years ago, one of the neighbors ask me if I was a Baptist. I told her yes and asked her how she knew.

She said, "You always take your Bible to church." :laugh:

 

In my case, the reason I'm a Baptist is because only a Baptist ever asked me if I was saved. I got saved and joined a Baptist church, and I haven't seen much reason to change except for being judged and condemned when I divorced my adulterous wife. My second wife divorced me because she found I wasn't perfect like she was.:laugh:

 

Smyth and Helwys were Arminians (17th century). Your statement implies that the whole General and Free Will movements weren't and aren't Baptists; or, at least, that they never held "the" Baptist view.

 

rsr has given a pretty good list of what are called the Baptist distinctives. He did, however, leave out one of the most important ones (just as you suspected, rsr :smilewinkgrin: ): "The Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice." This list varies slightly as rsr noted concerning the two offices of the church (pastor and deacon). I personally prefer to leave that one in, but the modern day "elder rule" advocates I'm sure want to leave it out.

These Baptist distinctives are what are used by most Baptist historians to identify Baptists throughout history. However, those who consider the Baptist faith to extend back to NT times would be much less strict on this in order to include somewhat aberrant groups as the Paulicians.

And that is my two yen worth. :thumbs:

 

Hummmmm, bickering and complaining seems to be a common element in many churches.

Disagree with you there John. Those Baptist churches that are elder-run place the elder (or overseer) and the deacon as the two "Baptist" offices. The pastor would be a specific type of elder. Rob This formatting right today, uggggh.

 

Okey dokey. But there are several different kinds of elder rule.

One kind has the elders make all the decisions, and that disagrees with another Baptist distinctive, congregational rule. Once again, though, not all would list this one as a distinctive. I would.:type:

 

How about missions, evanglisim, and spreading the Gospel as Baptist distinctives.

 

In the first volume of his Systematic Theology: Ethics, James William McClendon, Jr. has a section on defining the "baptist vision". He lists five points:

1. Biblicism, understood not as one or another theory of inspiration, but as humble acceptance of the authority of Scripture for both faith and practice. (Related themes are restitution and restoration.)

2. Mission (or evangelism), understood not as an attempt to control history for the ends we believe to be good, but as the responsibility to witness to Christ - and accept the suffering that witness entails.

3. Liberty, or soul competency, understood not as the overthrow of all oppressive authority, but as the God-given freedom to respond to God without the intervention of the state or other powers. (Related themes are intentional community, voluntarism, separation of church and state.)

4. Discipleship, understood neither as a vocation for the few nor an esoteric discipline for adepts, but as life transformed for service by the lordship of Jesus Christ. (Signified by believer's baptism; a related theme is the regenerate or believers' church.)

5. Community, understood not as privileged access to God or to sacred status, but as sharing together in a storied life of obedient service to and with Christ. (Signified by the Lord's Supper.) [quoted from p. 28]


He then asked whether there is a "genuine organizing principle" that ties these elements together. He cites the work of German theologian and philosopher Ernst Troeltsch who, in his studies cited liberty expressed by three Christian principles: (1) the separation of church and state; (2) voluntarism as the form of the church itself; and (3) individual liberty of conscience over against the state. [quoted from p. 29]

I see this as a good straightforward summary of what it means to be baptist. McClendon basic approach was as a narrative theologian exemplified by his use of the phrase "a storied life of obedient service" in #5 above. A great part of my baptist experience has been shaped by the story of my life in a personal relationship with Christ within a community of faith. For that reason, McClendon's vision of being baptist resonates very strongly with me.

Tim Reynolds

 

Hey, personally I think this ought to be in there, but historically it wasn't. I would consider it a Fundamentalist distinctive but not a Baptist one. The reason is that the early English Baptists (early 1600's) did not do any missions or much evangelism for a long time until Andrew Fuller's (1754-1815) teachings produced the likes of William Carey (1761-1834), the "Father of Modern Missions."

In fact, the Baptists of Carey's day at first actively opposed his ideas on foreign missions! As one old Calvinist famously said to Carey, "Young man, sit down. When God is ready to save the heathen He will do it without your help." That man later became a Carey supporter, by the way.

 

I've not read McClendon, Tim, but this is a very interesting approach. It is not the traditional "Baptist distinctives" approach but seems to include most of what such a list would have.

One of those more traditional lists is by Edward Hiscox in his famous Principles and Practices for Baptist Churches (1859, 1894; pp. 16-19; I'm paraphrasing him):

1. Autonomy of the local church
2. Baptism by immersion
3. Baptism only for believers (no babies baptized)
4. Communion only for baptized believers
5. Regenerate membership
6. Congregational rule
7. Two offices, pastor and deacon ("bishop" and "elder" both meaning pastor)
8. Fundamental doctrines in common with other evangelical Christians. (Here is where most modern lists say "The Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice.")