Baptist Distinctive
BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES
B – Biblical Authority (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)
Baptists hold or believe that the
Bible is the final authority for Christian faith and practice. The Bible is authoritative because it is from
God and about God. It is supernaturally
inspired by God’s Holy Spirit which, contain and convey the very Word of God. It is also totally true and accurate in its
history, science and theology, physical, material and spiritual (John 17:17,
Mathew 4:4, John 10: 35). Lastly, the
Bible is God’s complete revelation to man (Revelation 22: 18-19).
A
– Autonomy of the
The word “autonomous” means
self-governing or self-directing which, comes from the two Greek words that mean
“self” and “law”. Hence, an autonomous
church governs itself without the control and supervision of the outside human
world. Moreover, the selection of
pastoral leadership, the determination of its worship form, the decision on
financial matters and the direction of other church-related affairs are
controlled by the church alone.
P
– Priesthood of all Believers (1 Peter 2: 9)
Being a priest involves both an
opportunity and responsibility. It is an
opportunity because Baptists have a direct access to God. Baptists can go directly to God in prayer, confession,
praise and worship. Thus, a human
mediator is not anymore needed. But
being a priest carries also a responsibility.
Baptists are responsible in evangelism, mission, ministry and social
actions to benefit others.
Furthermore, each believer has a
God-given competence to follow God’s will.
Baptists are responsible to share Christ through word and deed, and be
committed to Him. This also involves
Christian fellowship with other believers.
T
– Two Ordinances of the Church: Baptism and Lord’s Supper
Baptists
accordantly declare that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are symbols and are not
necessary for salvation. Baptism
symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that has made possible for
our salvation. Baptism also symbolizes
that a person through faith in Christ has passed from death to life and that
this person has identified with Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6: 3-5;
Colossians 2: 12). Thus, only the total
immersion of a person in water adequately symbolizes this death, burial and
resurrection. Valid Bible baptism has a
proper candidate (A believer), proper method (Immersion in water), proper
motive (to confess faith in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection), proper
formula (the Father, Son and Holy Ghost), and proper authority (the
In
partaking of the bread and the cup, Christ’s disciples are to remember his
sacrifice on the cross of
I – Individual
Soul
Baptists had a God-given freedom and ability to know and
respond to God’s will. Baptists believes
that God give the people competency – the ability to make choices. Each individual soul is accountable to God
and only him alone is responsible for his or her actions and relationship to
God. The Bible taught the people to be
accountable to God for their choices (Romans 14: 12) and after which the
judgement before God follows (Hebrews 9:27).
People are judged according to what actions they’ve chosen. With the acceptance or obedience to God’s
will the blessings they will get, but the rejection or disobedience they done
the punishment will follow.
S – Saved and Baptized Members (
A church is a fellowship of people living in different
locations. Baptists believe that the
Bible teaches that only saved persons should be a member of a church (John 3:
1-21). Church is made up of persons who
experienced salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as the
New Testament describes it (Acts 2: 47).
The membership in Baptist Churches is always to be voluntary. They are not constrained or forced to be
members. But the person seeking
membership is asked both to make a profession of faith in Christ and to be
baptized.
T – Two
Church Offices: Pastor and Deacon
Baptists believe that the Bible teaches that all
Christians are called to serve and minister to others in Christ’s name, but
some are called and gifted by God to function in specific roles of ministry,
such as pastors and deacons. The Bible
uses three words for the same office of the pastors: elder, pastor and
bishop. All of them have different
functions but not different persons (Acts 20: 17-28; 1 Peter 5: 1-5). Baptists hold the Bible teachings on the
qualifications for the person to serve as pastor (1 Timothy 3: 1-7). He functions as a ruler, a shepherd, an
overseer and is ordained for this work (Titus 1:5; Acts 14: 23). He is also described as a teacher-preacher.
Deacons literally means servant. They are selected from within the
membership. Thus, in selecting them it
involves the entire congregation. The
Biblical qualifications for a deacon (1 Timothy 3: 8-13) focus primarily on
character and relationships within the church, family and community. Some of the duties of deacons supposed to
perform are: looking after the finances of the church, assisting in the
administration of the ordinances, ministering to the poor, exercising watchcare
over the congregation, giving attention to discipline and taking a leading part
in all the activities of the church.
S – Separation
of Church and State
Baptists believe and practice the congregational form of
church government. In a dictionary,
congregation is defined as an assembly of persons brought together for common
religious worship. Thus, for Baptists it
is an assembly of believers. Governments
are ordained by God to provide law and order (Romans 13: 1-5) as the Bible
indicated. Government officials and
leaders are to act for the benefit of the citizens (1 Peter 2: 13-14). Baptists are to honor and pray for them (1
Timothy 2: 1-3), pay taxes (Mathew 22: 17-22) and obey the government except
when obedience would be contrary to God’s will (Acts 4: 19-20; 5:19).
Baptists teach that the nature of the “church” is to
spread the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1: 8), to teach doctrine and develop
believers (Mathew 28: 19-20) and to minister in Christ’s name (Mathew 25:
31-46). As Jesus said in Mathew 22: 21
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the
things that are God’s.” Baptists believe
that each separate and individual church is independent under the authority of
Christ.
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