What makes a Baptist?

Being a member of a Baptist church, and adhering to the Baptist disctinctives one a Baptist, methinks.

Sure, we have a lot of varying beliefs, but most of the stuff that's debated/discussed on this board usually doesn't involve these.

 

Baptist

A member of an evangelical Protestant church of congregational polity, following the reformed tradition in worship, and believing in individual freedom, in the separation of church and state, and in baptism of voluntary, conscious believers.
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A Baptist MUST be a member (current member) of a Baptist church, in my humble opinion. If not a member, I would consider them to have Baptist beliefs but not a Baptist. I don't think 'I went to a Baptist church forty years ago' denotes a Baptist.

They also must believe 'What Baptist's Believe'. NOTICE: Before I get attacked... I did not say they have to affirm the SBC Faith and Message but the general beliefs of all Baptist churches.

Here's a link with some good info about what Baptist believe in general.

http://www.ntbt.org/Our_Beliefs.htm

 

Our belief in Jesus as our Lord and Savour.Our rejection of infant baptism. Our belief in adult baptism as a profession of faith. Our Bible based teaching. As well as the Church membership which John has already mentioned.

 

There are so many flavors of Baptist, that it is somewhat hard to define what is a Baptist if you consider all the different strains of it.

I guess in my own mind, if you were raised Baptist and were or currently are a member of a Baptist church, then I'd say you could call yourself a Baptist. Even though I am not a member of the Primitive Baptist Church (and probably will never join--among other reasons, they require re-baptism), I don't consider anyone less of a Christian if they aren't a member of a church.

I've referred to myself as a former Baptist, since I've attended and been a member of another denomination (although very similar in beliefs). Basically, though, my roots are Baptist and always will be. Generally speaking, MOST Baptists do not believe in a works-based salvation. They usually don't believe that baptism saves anyone nor do they adhere strictly to any form of legalism (although some groups are more conservative than others).

I am happy to say that a lot of Baptists that I've known don't believe that salvation is something that can be lost on a daily basis or that you can be lost later. I really do believe that God knows the person's heart more than anyone else and it isn't our good works that saves us. If you ask most Baptists, they would agree.

 

Amen Katie, I have known people who turned away from God to other things who were brought up in Chrisian homes as well. They say the strongest Satanists usually come from excessively strict religious backgrounds. I find that heartbreaking.

Can a person be a Baptist if they observe the Baptist distinctives and do not hold membership in a Baptist Church? I would say yes. But what do you think?

A good question is what distinctives are peculiar to Baptist as opposed to the broader umbrella of Christian?

God Bless You,
Charlotte

 

A very similar topic came up in the history forum a couple months ago:

http://www.baptistboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000258

 

So then my non-denominational friend (with N.T. Baptist beliefs) should be allowed to post openly instead of justin the 'Other Christians' thread?

I'm confused.........
But that's nothing new... LOL
Diane

 

All the different Baptist denominations still adhere to the Baptist distinctives, regardless of variations of belief or severity of adherence. What it comes do to it is, it's those distinctives that make Baptists who they are.

 

The term "Baptist" in it's true form is a derogatory term meaning "Baptised Believer".
History shows that a Man by the name of "John Smyth" realised that infant baptism alone would not save a person. He found another believer and believed that to have a church you must have 2 or more baptised believers. These two baptised each other. Interesting though the baptism was not by immersion since the issue was not immersion but "believers baptism."
Baptist in America came about as a mix of Seperatist and Puritans. The church of England had a hatred toward these two groups referred to as Baptist and during the Revolutionary war if they found a Baptist Preacher they would persecute him severely to make a statement of their opinion of Baptist. This is not necessarily true of the Episcopal Church in America that developed out of The Church of England.

 

I am not currently a member of a Baptist Church, and attend an Anglican Church most Sundays.

I was ordained a Baptist minister and believe very strongly in Baptist distinctives. I consider myself a Baptist. To call myself anything else would be an outright lie.

There is no Baptist or baptistic church in our area. Since my wife is Anglican and I was brought up in the Anglican Church, I find no difficulty in such attendance. I am even authorized by the local Bishop to preach in Anglican churches and do so.

I am a Baptist.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Jim1999, when the Lord gives you lemons...

We had to attend (were members of) an American Baptist Church for many years up north but I remained SOUTHERN Baptist no matter what the sign said out front. When there is no Baptist option.... I'm just glad you're in church!

Diane

 

I have a friend who keeps her membership with the baptist church in our town, but because of the work her husband does in Germany....(Service) There is no Baptist church where they are. She has to do with what she has.

Sherrie

 

By simple definition, a Baptist is one who believes in believer's baptism. Practically anything else is negociable (just look at the diversity of beliefs in those who call themselves Baptists).

So Baptist is actually a reactionary title against the practice of infant baptism.