What makes a "Baptist"?

Baptists, whatever order they are, are a peculiar people. Now, I don't mean that in the sense that the scriptures apply the word peculiar to God's people, okay ?
Baptists were never Protestants, that is because before the Protestants came and before the Reformation, there have already been Baptists which were people looked upon with suspicion by the Papist pre-Reformation age.
Many of those who were labeled witches and burned at the stakes or skinned alive during the Dark Ages were actually Baptists.
Baptists hold a wide variety of doctrines, but all will agree in what is called the Distinctives, which are doctrines and beliefs that is shared by the great majority of Baptists.
As you can probably see in this board, there are Baptists who hold to the Sovereign Electing Grace of God, and there are those who don't. There are Baptists here who say that the gospel is not necessary to be heard by the elect, there are those who hold that it is an essential part of the elect's regeneration.
Baptists argue with each other and with everybody
(I say that with no disrespect for my PB Brethren and other Baptists).

What are the Distinctives ? In a nutshell, let me present them here as best I can:

• </font>
• B-eliever's baptism and that only by immersion, administered by those authorized by the church;
  </font>
• A-utonomy of the local church. No church may dictate on another in the matter of administration, finances, or doctrine. The Pastor is responsible only to the Chief Shepherd, and the congregation.
  </font>
• Priesthood of all believers. That is, every believer is a priest and is able to come into the presence of the Lord and petition for himself and others.
  </font>
• Two ordinances and only two. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The former a figure of the believer's death, burial, and resurrection in the Lord, and the latter a memorial to be observed until the Lord comes, with some Baptists also observing feet washing at the end of the communion. Both ordinances to be administered only by those so authorized by the local church.
  </font>
• Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. That the Bible, comprising of the Old and the New Testaments only (66 Books) are God's very word given to man thru various writers in various times.
  </font>
• Security of the believer. What some derisively call the OSAS (once saved, always saved).
  </font>
• T wo officers and only two, both called Elders, the Pastor, sometimes called Bishop, and the Deacons.
  
  Of course, Baptists being peculiar, I am sure there won't be a lack of Baptists in this board who will jump in and at my throat probably for getting some of the Distinctives wrong.
  
  God bless, and His peace be with you and yours.

 

Ya im not to sure if i would consider myself a "Baptist" but i do attend a baptist church and plan on getting baptised. I feel comfortable going to most other churchs and can usualy conect with what they are preaching. I do consider myself a Christian thats for darn sure, but i dont like all this seperation it only drives a wedge between christians, for example the situation that has been going on for years in ireland.

 

New members,
Don't be discoraged. The ruffling of feathers is about the large number of Idependent fundamentalist on the board. We do have some diversity. WE have 4 types of people.
1 type are the conservatives who are always suspicious of other's theology.
2 There are those who are conservative but welcome hearing the views of others. These folks will not consider you a non Christian for having different views.
3 Then there is Joshua, that should be enough said if not just read through some of his threads.
4 The fourth group is the one I belong to it falls somewhere between those in 2 and Joshua. Generally closer to the folks in 2 than to Joshua.

In my opinion all of them are thinkers and fellow believers. I only have a difficult time with the 1st group. It seems there is sometimes a competition to see who is the smartest and who has the correct interpretation in this group.

Any way just my humble opinions

Mark

 

Dear Lauren:

Sometimes threads here disappear because they are not in the correct forum for that thread, or because, in the discretion of the administrators, they contain things which should not be in any part of the board at all.
All boards, christian or otherwise, have their rules, so don't worry about it. Concentrate on the posts which have things to learn from, and which you can contribute to.
As for the atheists, good riddance to them !
Most of them came here not in the interests of learning and discussion, but to taunt us. That is not to say there are those who are honestly seeking an in-depth discussion of beliefs and faith. Atheism is after all, a faith system.
But woe to these types of atheists, their taunting brethren have caused them to be pulled down and out of the board also. Nothing much we can do about that.
What could be more boring than everybody saying yes to each other and patting each other in the back, eh ?