No Animosity For
Baptists
I would like to say
in the beginning that I have no animosity whatsoever against Baptists.
Personally, I have no reason for leaving the Baptist church, but quite
to the contrary, if personal reasons counted, I would never have left
the Baptist Church, because personality is in their favor. Especially is
this true of the congregation of which I was a member in Phillips,
Texas. I believe that the Baptists are, for the most part, splendid
people. I believe that most of them are honest and sincere. I believe
that, if there are Baptists here tonight, most of them want the truth,
and will consider the things that are said honestly and open-minded.
However, some times, out of a sense of loyalty to that which we have
become members of, we are prone to cast aside lightly any charges that
might be made against us. I sincerely hope that that will not be the way
you will do tonight. I beg you to hear what I have to say, study it
carefully with an open Bible in hand, then, out of honesty to your own
soul and to God Almighty, to embrace all that you find to be in harmony
with the Bible. Believe it, not because I said it, but because you found
it in the word of God. That is the only thing any of us would have you
believe--the Bible, the word of God. In spite of all the accusations
made to the contrary, we still preach only the Bible. Such expressions
are idle, I suppose, in view of the fact that all "churches" claim the
same thing. We know that all
of them do not preach "only the Bible" for they are
many and the Bible is
one. The Bible does not
teach contradictory doctrines. The Baptists hold the Bible up and say,
"We preach the Bible". That is what we do.
So, what have I
gained by telling you that we take the Bible and nothing but the Bible?
Nothing, I suppose. I will just have to prove to you that we do actually
stand on the Bible and nothing else, and that the Baptists do not. If
they did, I never would have left them. I want you to consider the
things that are said as honestly as you know how, tonight.
When I came into
this world, I found it divided religiously. When I was old enough to
notice things, I found a church on every hand. Here was one and there
was another, all claiming to preach the Bible, yet wearing different
names and teaching different doctrines. This sentiment prevailed, "It
doesn't make any difference what church you are a member of, or what you
believe, just so long as you are honest and sincere about it." Having
grown up in an atmosphere like that, most of us just seem to accept it
as the truth--as axiomatic, but it isn't. The Bible doesn't teach that.
If so, where? Nevertheless, that is what we heard every day. Another
thought akin to this is that everyone ought to go to church; everyone
ought to be a member of some church. These things are preached by all
denominational preachers. Hence, the general conception in religious
circles, and the basis for all resentment toward the church of Christ,
because we deny it.
Baptist Preach Some
Truth
I do not believe
that everything they say is a falsehood or a lie. I believe that they
preach a lot of truth. The part that they preach that is true, I am glad
to accept, but the things they preach which are not the truth made me
leave them. Let me illustrate my point. You will recall that in the
Garden of Eden the devil preached truth along with a lie. He said, "Thou
shalt not surely die." That is false doctrine. He also said, "For God
doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." That is the truth. This
made the lie more deceptive. Did Adam and Eve sin when they believed and
obeyed that? Why, certainly they did. It was half a truth and half a
lie. If you say, "Well, I only stand for the things that are the truth",
then I will reply, "Maybe that was what Adam and Eve thought too."
"We'll just stand for half of it, and we'll tell the Lord that we did
not believe the other half." But it led them into error and condemnation
just the same. Hence, what truth the Baptist Church preaches is
perverted by the false. Then, too, they many times preach more against
sin, moral sin or immorality, than gospel preachers do. I do not mean to
say that we do not preach against immorality, but that they preach on it
almost altogether, and we spend some time preaching doctrine and
pointing out false doctrines. And we need to do that.
Upon attending the
Baptist Church, one hears the Baptist preach against sin, and recognizes
the fact that he is a sinner-- that he is lost. Then being convicted of
sin, and desiring to be saved and do what is right, we join the Baptist
Church, or some other church. A person convicted of sin is ready to do
anything he is commanded. For example, when I first became a member of
the church of Christ, I wished that the Lord had left baptism out of the
Bible. I said to myself, "Everything that the church of Christ teaches
is fine, and I believe that most of the people in the denominations
believe exactly what the church teaches, but when they come to baptism,
they just seem to resent that. If the Lord had just left baptism out,
then everything would be all right." I have learned since that that
wasn't the trouble. People do not mind being baptized when they are
convicted of sin. People wanting to obey God do not mind being baptized.
They do not mind doing anything that God commands them to do. It is a
matter of surrendering whole-heartedly one's own will to God's will.
When that's done his attitude is simply, "Lord, whatever you want me to
do, I'm willing to do it." Many, not realizing this, go on in rebellion
against God, believing all the while that they are pleasing to Him.
Hence, we join some church because we are convicted of sin, realize that
we are lost, and because we believe that it is the right thing to do.
That is the reason I joined the Baptist Church.
Early Experience
I attended Sunday
School at the Baptist Church in Caddo, Oklahoma, when I was a little
fellow. After we moved to Texas, I didn't go much, if at all. By and by
my mother started attending the church of Christ at Banger, Texas, so I
began attending Bible study there. I attended there several months and
was impressed with the way they studied the Bible. Then I took pneumonia
and was out for about six weeks, so I lost interest and did not go back.
After some time, I was encouraged to go to Sunday School at the Baptist
Church by some of my friends. I became regular in attendance and made
100 in Sunday School right along. Our class was good to win the Banner.
Those of you who know the Baptist grading system know that I had to stay
for church to make 100. It wasn't long until I began to realize that I
was lost and in sin, and needed to be saved. I wanted to be saved, so
one Sunday night when the preacher was making propositions with folks,
he invited any who knew that they were lost and "desired the prayers of
the church" to hold up their hand. I knew that I was lost, so at this
suggestion I raised my hand. It was difficult at first. It took all the
strength I had to make that arm move, but after I got it started it
wasn't so hard. As I held my hand up my face burned and my heart came up
to my throat. When the preacher said, "God bless you, son," my face
burned more and I was very self-conscious. Afterwards, several came to
me and told me how proud they were of me and encouraged me. Then I felt
more confident and was proud of myself. Of course, my Sunday School
teacher and a few others encouraged me to join the church. I talked to
my mother about it and was persuaded to wait awhile. She felt that I was
being persuaded and didn't realize what I was doing. After some time I
began to visit the Methodist Sunday School and church occasionally with
a friend who was a Methodist. Finally I quit attending at all.
A little over a year
later I made a speech at the Annual Boy Scout Father and Son Banquet.
After the Banquet the Methodist preacher came by and asked me if I went
to Sunday School or church anywhere. I told him that I didn't, so he
urged me to come to the Methodist Church. Later the Baptist preacher
approached me and was equally as urgent in his invitation as the
Methodist preacher. (They had changed preachers at both places since the
incident mentioned before). After some delay I began attending the
Baptist Church. It wasn't long until I was under conviction again I
remembered the time before, so the Sunday morning I went up during the
invitation and asked the preacher to pray for me. I felt just as I had
before. I spent the afternoon trying to decide what to do. Late in the
afternoon, some time before B. T. U. was to begin, I gathered up a
change of clothes and went to the church building to see the preacher.
He was in the auditorium talking with one of the men. I asked him if he
would baptize me that night. He asked me, "Are you saved, Grover?" I
said, "Well, I don't know; I guess I am." He took me into his office
where we talked quite a while. When he heard of my former experience, he
told me that I had been saved back then. I accepted that for I
remembered how I had felt after they had prayed for me. That night I
confessed that "God for Christ's sake has saved me from my sins, and I
want to join the Baptist Church." Upon hearing that confession, they
voted to receive me, and I was baptized into the Baptist Church that
night. It was April 24, 1938.
Zeal in the Baptist
Church
I took a personal
interest in the work. I worked diligently. I was instrumental in leading
several people to what I honestly thought was Christ, and they joined
the Baptist Church. I was given a Sunday School class, made the
assistant director of the B. T. U., and was licensed to preach. I
preached once a month for a little congregation in Sanford. Texas, about
twenty miles out, and filled in for our local preacher when he was away.
I had been preaching
and working for some time, and nothing had challenged my attention
pertaining to Baptist Doctrine. Then, one day my mother and oldest
brother, who had been attending the church of Christ, told me how the
church of Christ preached the Bible. They urged me to attend a meeting
starting in a few days. What I had heard about the church of Christ was
told with contempt, so I had learned to feel that way toward them--at
least, a little. However, I made up my mind that I would attend the
meeting, listen to what was said and accept all that I could. I was
determined to "give the devil his due." I wanted to learn what was
taught whether I believed it or not.
A. G. Hobbs, Jr.,
was doing the preaching. Brother Hobbs is a very plain preacher. He is
very kind, but he never leaves a doubt as to what he is talking about. I
went home and looked up some of the scriptures and found them right
there. On many points I would say, "You know, I believe he is right
about that," but on others, "Now, he just missed it there. If I could
show him a few things in that connection, he'd see differently." I know
that many of you will feel that way toward me before this lesson is
over. You will think, "I wish I could tell him something." I wish you
could, too, because I would like to remove every objection so that you
could see your way to obey the truth. I learned that when I offered my
objections to his position, that it was even more evident that he was
right. That's the reason that the denominational preachers "don't
believe in arguing." They do believe in arguing their side of it, but
they don't believe in allowing a gospel preacher to examine their side.
Suffice it to say that if I cannot sustain every point in this or any
other lesson, I will apologize for it and retract it. Isn't that fair? I
wish I knew everything that will come into your mind tonight, and I had
the time to reply to it. I will do the best that I can out of a
consciousness of what turned over in my mind as I listened to these
things being presented. Maybe I can deal with the most of your
objections.
My Attention Challenged
The first thing that
challenged my attention as I listened to Brother Hobbs was that there
was just one church. I suppose there is nothing in the Bible more
plainly taught, yet more disavowed. The Bible says that the church is
the body of Christ (Eph
1:22, 23).
It says, "There is one body" (Eph. 4:4). The church is the body;
there is one body; therefore, there is one church. Along with other
proofs, I saw that there was just one church. Which one? So I began to
study.
Other things
challenged my attention as I studied. I wondered about God calling all
preachers to preach. Does God call all preachers, then cause them to
preach conflicting doctrines? Does God call Baptist preachers to preach,
and then cause them to preach that immersion is the only kind of
baptism, that only ordained Baptist preachers have the authority to
baptize, the impossibility of apostasy, the miraculous operation of the
Holy Spirit, and numerous other things? Then does God call a Methodist
preacher to preach that sprinkling is baptism, and that you can fall
from grace? Does God call both of them to preach these contradictory
doctrines? John 17:20-23
and I Cor. 1:10-13
teach that he does not.
Why belong to a
church? I told you that people, when convicted of sin will join one
church or another, even though they do not know what it teaches or
stands for. It is a church, they tell the story of Christ, and they were
convicted of sin there, so they become members of it without
questioning, or even knowing anything about its doctrines. When somebody
criticizes it, the members of it resent it. Why? Because the criticism
was true or not true? NO, we just don't like for people to criticize the
church we are members of. Because of a sense of loyalty we resent it.
That is human nature. We must overcome feelings like that and be ready
to face facts.
Why become a member
of a church? Because of parents, friends, relatives? Because of a nice
building? Because it is conveniently located? Because they do a lot of
good works? Because they teach some truth? Are these reasons we become
members? For the most part, yes. The large majority of the people in the
denominations join them without knowing what they teach, or stand for,
hence they could not have joined because of their doctrine. I would say
that 85 per cent or 90 per cent of the people in the Baptist Church do
not know what the Baptist Church teaches. Some people say, "I know that
they teach such and such a thing, but I don't believe it." Now look,
first, you are a member of something that you do not even know what it
teaches, and second, you are supporting a doctrine that you do not
believe. If I were supporting a doctrine that I didn't believe, you'd
call me a hypocrite.
The Sixty-Four Dollar
Question
Now here is the
sixty-four dollar question. On the preceding basis, I want to know why
you do not join all the churches in town? You have heard that question
before, but I want you to consider it again. Why not joint the
Methodist, the Baptist, the Presbyterian and the Adventist? I have
friends in all of them. They all teach some truth. They all do many good
works, they raise the fallen and they do benevolence. There are good
people in all. They stand for morality. The reasons we give for
belonging to one church could be given as reasons for belonging to all;
so, why not join all of them? I'll tell you why. It would make me a
hypocrite to be a member of more than one church. If you are a member of
the Baptist Church, and you go next Sunday and join the Methodist
Church, and then the following Sunday join the Presbyterian, folks will
begin to say that you are not sincere, or that you are "not all there."
At a place where I was preaching once there was a family that joined
every church in town during the big meetings. The town and the churches
were considerate--they just overlooked it. Their name is a synonym for
being "a little off." Hence, joining all churches will give you a
reputation for being a hypocrite or insane.
If it will make you
a hypocrite for belonging to the Methodist Church and the Baptist Church
at the same time-- then why? Is it because of the good people in it? No.
Is it because of the truth or the good they teach? No. Is it because
they do a lot of good works? No. What is it then? The conflicting
doctrines! The Baptist Church stands for immersion only, impossibility
of apostasy and close communion. The Methodist Church stands for open
communion, sprinkling for baptism and the possibility of apostasy--just
the opposite. We are told that it is all right for one person to stand
for Baptist doctrine and another person to stand for Methodist doctrine;
but it is not all right for one to stand for both the Methodist and
Baptist Doctrines at the same time. To do so will bring the charge of
hypocrisy or insanity upon you. If it will make me a hypocrite to belong
to more than one because of the contradictory doctrines, then answer
this question: Is Jesus
Christ a member of all churches? Is
he? Is Jesus Christ
a member of the Baptist Church? If so, is he a member of the Methodist
Church, too? Is he a member of both of them tonight--now? Is the Son of
God standing for Baptist Doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy now,
and at the same time over in the Methodist Church, is he standing for
the possibility of apostasy? Is he doing that tonight? And if it will
make me a hypocrite to do it, WHAT DOES; IT MAKE THE SON OF GOD? IS HE A
HYPOCRITE? Does he endorse any conflicting doctrines? Is Jesus Christ a
member of the Baptist Church, the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the
Episcopal, the Adventists, the Mormons, and all of the different
churches? Is he a member of all of them?
There is a good
question in the Bible along this line, I Cor. 1:13. "Is Christ
divided?" Just three words, "Is Christ divided?" The apostle Paul asked
the question in condemning division. What is the answer to it? Will you
answer it? Is Christ divided? The answer is in the question. It is a
rhetorical question. "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptized in the name of Paul?" It was after considering things
like these that I began to see that something was wrong--that the
Baptist Church is not altogether the New Testament Church. Then I would
try to justify the Baptist Church by looking to all the good they did,
and the splendid people I had learned to love. I couldn't stand the
thought of facing my friends and what they would have to say. It never
occurred to me to rejoice in the truth and tell others who did not know.
I guess I realized that they would not be glad to learn it.
I remember one day
that one of the Baptist Deacons came to me in the store. We went back to
the wareroom where we could be alone. He said "Grover, I heard that you
are about to join the 'Campbellites'." There was that tone of contempt
in his voice. He made it sound like that was the worst thing in the
world. I stammered a little and said, "No, I have been attending their
meeting, but I am not about to join." He said, "Well, I knew that you
had better sense than to be led off by that bunch." I told him that they
really knew and preached the Bible. He explained their ease in handling
the Bible by telling me that the "Campbellites" only have ten sermons
that they memorize and preach everywhere they go. He told me that the
church was started by Alexander Campbell, that it was the most
narrow-minded and bigoted bunch of people in the world, and they thought
everybody was going to hell that didn't belong to their church. When he
finished he left such a stigma that I thought, "Well, surely a fellow
would be insane who would go with that group."
That helped for a
while, as it eased my conscience to disregard what I had learned. It,
very likely, was responsible for my not obeying the gospel before the
meeting closed. However, the day the meeting closed, Sunday, that
afternoon Brother Hobbs came to see me. He took my Bible, sat down
beside me, and as I asked questions, he turned in the Bible and had me
read the answers. When I didn't ask a question he had plenty of things
to show me. We'll notice some of them in just a moment. He offered to
talk to me in the presence of the Baptist preacher, or to talk to the
Baptist preacher in my presence. He asked me to invite the Baptist
preacher to meet with him or Brother Thomas McDonald, the local preacher
for the church of Christ in my hometown. I didn't want to ask him
because I knew that he wouldn't. He took my Church Manual and showed me
where Baptist Doctrine contradicts the Bible. I saw the truth very
plainly. That night he insisted that I come and hear him. I made every
excuse I could but he wouldn't hear them. I told him that I had a part
on the B. T. U. program and couldn't get to Borger in time after that.
We got out at 8:00 and his services started at 8:00. I thought that
would end it, but it didn't. The only reason I could think of for not
wanting to go is that I hated to face the Baptists and explain my
absence from church which they would surely notice. Brother Hobbs said,
"I'll be in front of the Baptist Church at 8:00 o'clock and take you to
town." He preached on church history that night. He explained the origin
of denominations and showed how the church of Christ stands for New
Testament Christianity free from all denominations. When the invitation
was extended I wanted to go. As I thought on what I should do, and what
my friends in the Baptist Church would say, my head just whirled. I
managed to stay in my seat, however.
The meeting ended
and I settled down to a long, hard study of things all by myself. I read
the New Testament through and underlined the passages on baptism, the
Holy Spirit, the plan of salvation, apostasy, etc. I copied each verse
into a notebook on a sheet for each subject. When I had them all I
studied them together. The more I studied, the more I realized that the
Baptists were wrong, and the more it bothered me. I couldn't keep my
mind on my work. I couldn't sleep. Phillips is a big oil field, and
there is a big torch that burns day and night. I lay in bed and watched
that torch and the lighted sky. The clouds reflected the red from its
flames. I would lie there, sometimes till daylight, thinking, praying,
studying, and wishing that something would happen. I prayed for the Lord
to guide me. I asked the Lord to show me his will, the way He would have
me go.
I struggled on until
time for the Southern Baptist Convention that met that year in Oklahoma
City; then, I decided to go to the convention and forget about the
church of Christ. Here I was successful in forgetting my troubles and
getting better established in the Baptist Church. I went with the local
preacher and registered as a delegate. I returned, feeling much better,
but not for long. Every time that I read my Bible I noticed those
passages that I had marked. I still had my notebook, too. It wasn't long
until I found myself spending sleepless nights again. I begged the Lord
to show me what he would have me do. I prayed, "Thy will be done." This
continued for nearly three months. Then one Sunday afternoon as I was
studying and thinking, it suddenly dawned on me that the Bible is God's
way of revealing his will to us. I realized that I had been praying,
"Thy will be done," and as honestly and earnestly as I knew how, but
that subconsciously I had been holding out on the Lord in my desire to
remain a Baptist. MY WHOLE STRUGGLE WAS REBELLION TO WHAT GOD WAS
TELLING ME TO DO. The Lord was trying to guide me through the light of
His word, but it didn't shine in the direction I wanted it to. Most of
our struggles between right and wrong are not what is right and what is
wrong, but surrendering our desires for what we want, to what we know is
right. The Bible is God's way of telling us His will. He is doing
everything He can to guide us by the Bible. When we refuse that, we
"have not God." (II John 9).
After considerable
study and prayer that afternoon, I gathered up my clothes and went to
services at the church of Christ. When they offered the invitation, I
went forward, confessed my faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized into
him the same hour of the night.
The truth is what
made me leave the Baptist Church. I now invite your attention to some of
those truths. My first point is the most fundamental, and is the
ultimate conclusion of every point I shall make.
The Baptist Church is
not the New Testament Church
The Baptist Church
is not the church you read about in the Bible. Baptist preachers, and
all other preachers, take the Bible and read the word "church," but they
do not comment on it. They leave the impression that it refers to
"their" church. The Baptist preacher will read a passage with the word
"church" in it, and apply it to the Baptist Church. The Methodist
preacher will read the same passage and apply it to the Methodist
Church. The Presbyterian preacher will read the same passage and apply
it to the Presbyterian Church. It cannot refer to all of them. If these
passages refer to the Baptist Church, it cannot refer to the Methodist,
because they are two different institutions. To which one does it refer
then? I am affirming that out of the 112 times that the word "church" is
used in the New Testament, not one time does it refer to the Baptist
Church, or to any other denomination. It talks about "the church," "the
church of God," "the church of the first-born," "the churches of
Christ," etc., but most of the time it just says "the church."
Which church? Which
one is it? When the Bible uses the word "church" it just refers to one.
Now which one is it?
Church the “Called-Out”
First, the word
"church" means "called out." "Called out" of what? What does it mean?
The Baptists teach that you can be a Christian--you can be saved, and
not be a member of any church, including the Baptist. Let us see. The
word "ecclesia" translated "church" refers to the "called out" --to that
body of people that have been called out of the world, out of sin, into
Christ. That is the meaning and significance of the word "church" in the
New Testament. It does not mean denomination. It does not have reference
to the Baptist Church, not the Methodist, nor any of the rest of them.
It simply means "the called out." The point is this: if you can be saved
without being a member of any church, then it follows that you can be
saved without being "called out" or a member of the "called out." You
have to be called out of the world into Christ to be saved. The same
thing that calls you out, that redeems you, makes you a member of the
church or "called out;" don't you see? The Baptists do not use it that
way. They talk about a. person being saved and in Christ before he is a
member of the church, and without being a member of any church.
I want to illustrate
this point by substituting the terms "called out" and "redeemed" for
church in a passage of scripture or two. Acts
2:47
says "the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved." The Lord added to the
"called out" daily such as
should be saved. Now, see this body of people over here that are in sin
and in the world, and the Lord added to this other body over here, the
"called out," "such as should be saved." All of those who were saved
were called out of the world into Christ. The process of saving and
calling out are the same.
"The Lord added to the saved
daily such as should be saved." The Lord added to the redeemed
daily such as should be saved.
In Acts 8:1
we read, "And at that time there was a great persecution against the
church that was at
Jerusalem." Now watch it, "At that time there was a great persecution
against the called out
which was at Jerusalem," "a great persecution against the
redeemed which was at
Jerusalem," "against the saved
which was at Jerusalem." Do you see that? I do not see how
you could miss it.
Acts 20:28,
"Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church
of God, which he
hath purchased with his own blood." The
called out of God which he
hath purchased with his own blood," "the
saved of God, "the
redeemed of God. The
church, the redeemed, the saved, the called out. This is the
significance of the word "church," and is a far cry from the meaning
Baptists give it. Remember they claim that a person can be saved,
redeemed, belong to God and not be a member of the Baptist Church. The
church is the Kingdom of God, the body of Christ, the family of God.
When viewing the church as to its relationship to the world, it is the
"called out"--called out of the world--the church. When viewing the
church as to its government, it is a kingdom, the Kingdom of God. As to
its organization it is the body of Christ. With reference to its
relationship to each other, it is the family of God. Don't you see that
the church in the New Testament is not and could not be the Baptist
Church?
“Church” Never Refers
to the Baptist Church
If the word "church"
never refers to the Baptist Church, then the Baptist Church is
eliminated from the Bible. You know, of course, that the expressions
"Baptist Church," "Baptist Churches," "Baptists," or "a Baptist" are not
to be found in the Bible. We have now shown that the word "church" never
refers to the Baptist Church In as much as the Baptists admit that you
can be a member of the New Testament Church, the kingdom of God, before
and without being a member of the Baptist Church, then it follows that
the Baptist Church and the New
Testament church are two different institutions, entered at two
different times, by two different processes. That is exactly
it. This is according to the Baptists, themselves. Therefore the Baptist
Church cannot be the New Testament Church.
Do I have to be a
member of the Baptist Church to be saved? The Baptists say "no." If they
should say "yes," then all the Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. would be
going to hell because they are not Baptists. They say that they would
not be that "narrow-minded." On page 17 of this little book,
Church Manual for Baptist Churches
by J. M. Pendleton, and published by the Sunday School
Board, Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee, we read,
"persons wishing to unite with a church give an account of the dealings
of God with their souls, and state the 'reason of the hope that is in
them'; whereupon, if, in the judgment of the church they 'have passed
from death unto life', they are by vote of the church recognized as
candidates for baptism, with the understanding that when they are
baptized they are entitled to all the rights and privileges of
membership." This simply says that a person desiring to join the Baptist
Church must tell that he is saved. The Baptist Church then votes to
determine whether the church thinks he is saved or not. They, deciding
that he is, receive him into the church after baptism. Hence, he must
confess that he is saved, that he is a member of the kingdom of God
already, and then, he joins the Baptist Church. This being true, then it
follows that a person can be a member of the kingdom of God, or body of
Christ, or New Testament Church, before, and without belonging to the
Baptist Church.
Two Different Processes
of Salvation
You had to confess
that you were saved before you could join the Baptist Church. When I
asked the Baptist preacher if he would baptize me, he asked, "Are you
saved, Grover? We want saved people in our church." Then, at services
that night I confessed that "God, for Christ's sake, has saved me from
my sins" and I went to join the Baptist Church. I was visiting a Baptist
Church one time and saw them do it this way: The preacher asked, "Do you
believe that you were lost and that you are now saved for Christ's
sake?" The reply was "yes." "Do you desire to join the Baptist Church?"
"Yes," again. "You have heard the statement, what is your pleasure?"
Then they took the vote. Once more I say that this proves, according to
Baptists, that a person can be a member of the kingdom of God (saved)
before and without being a member of the Baptist Church.
Hence, to be a
Christian, to be
saved, and a member
of
the
kingdom
of
God, or the church
you read about in the Bible is one thing, and to be a Baptist is
another.
Friends, the
conclusion is inevitable. 'THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND THE NEW TESTAMENT
CHURCH ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES. This argument alone should show
every honest person why you can't afford to be a Baptist.
The “Visible and
Invisible” Churches
Baptists teach that
the church is used in two senses a visible sense and an invisible sense.
They claim that when you are saved, God adds you to His church, the New
Testament Church, which is the invisible church. If you are regenerated,
you are saved; God knows it, and you know it, but nobody else should
pass judgment on you--that is, nobody except the Baptists; they vote it,
you know. That makes you a member of the kingdom of God or the New
Testament Church, which is the
invisible church--to
them. Then, you can go to the Baptist Church, relate your experience
(tell them you are saved), let them vote on it to decide if you really
are, then by baptism you become a member of the Baptist Church which is
a visible church. They
claim that all denominations are
visible churches. They look upon the church of Christ as
being just another "visible church" or denomination. That is the reason
they think we are so narrow, that is, because they look at us as a
church v'. .'. their
denominational, NARROW .., and erroneous conception of what the church
is. They will say, "I think there are saved people in the church of
Christ. I think their doctrine is wrong, but I think there are saved
people in "their" church. Again, "I disagree with the Methodists, but I
think there are saved people in the Methodist Church." This is because
they think of a person being saved in the "invisible church" and then
joining a "visible" one. This would be all right if the Bible taught it,
but it doesn't.
Friends, the New
Testament Church was a visible church. The Jerusalem church was a
visible church. It met for worship every Lord's day, yet
was no denomination. The
church at Corinth met upon the first day of the week, sang, prayed, had
preaching, took the Lord's Supper, and contributed of their means, yet
it was no denomination. Paul called it, "the church of God" and "the
body of Christ." (1 Cor. 1:2; I Cor. 12:27).
What Makes a
Denomination?
I want to use an old
illustration: Suppose that three denominations, the Baptists, Methodists
and the Presbyterians have a union meeting. In the course of the meeting
400 people are saved. Understand that I disagree with them on the way
that they think they are saved, but we are waiving that point just now,
in order to make another. These 400 persons, being saved, are members of
the New Testament church, the Kingdom of God. When the meeting closes,
they are told to "join the church of your choice." Suppose that 100 go
into the Baptist Church another hundred go into the Methodist, and a
third hundred join the Presbyterians. What made the first 100 Baptists?
Now look, they were saved to begin with, already Christians, members of
the Lord's church, then they joined the Baptist Church that made them
Baptists. What was it that made them Baptists?! It was
the doctrines peculiar to the
Baptist Church.
The doctrines that
differentiate and distinguish the Baptist Church from the Methodist and
all others. These doctrines are given in this Church Manual. If a
Baptist Church didn't measure up to
this doctrine, then it would not be a Baptist Church, but
some other kind. Hence, Christians
plus the peculiarities of the
Baptist Church make
Baptists.
Christians (saved)
plus the Methodist Discipline, the doctrines peculiar to the Methodist
Church, make them Methodists. It is always Christian first, plus the
creed containing the doctrine peculiar to the particular denomination
that makes them members of the second church, the denomination. Two
Churches? Why not? You are members of the Lord's church when you are
saved--church number one; then you join some denomination--church number
two. Hence, to be a
Baptist is something in addition to being a Christian, and belonging to
something in addition to the New Testament church Where does the Bible
teach us to join some denomination, the second church? The Bible
teaches, "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
How Not to be A
Sectarian
But, what about the
other 100? Suppose they couldn't make up their mind which church to
join. As they study about it, it suddenly dawns on them, "we are saved
aren't we? Our sins have been forgiven, haven't they? We are members of
the New Testament church, are we not?" O, yes. "We are members of the
Kingdom of God, aren't we?" Yes. "Well, suppose that we select a place,
meet there upon the first day of the week according to the New Testament
and worship God, and never join a denomination." Can they do that? If
not, why not? Would that make them a denomination? If so, which one?
They didn't join any denomination. They said, "We just want to be
Christians, and Christians only."
This is exactly what
the church of Christ pleads for. We ask people to be just a member of
the New Testament church, and not of any denomination. I preach that a
person must belong to the New Testament church to be saved. So do the
denominations. I preach that a person does
not have to
belong to any denomination
to be saved. Every one
of them teaches the same. When I teach the same thing that they do, they
do not like it. Of course, they teach that you do not have to belong to
any denomination to be saved, but that you ought to belong to one; and I
teach that you do not have to belong to any denomination to be saved and
that YOU OUGHT NOT
BELONG TO ANY because the Lord did
not build them.
Yes, we are pleading with people to be a member only of the Lord's
church, the New Testament church, the kingdom of God, and NOT
to be members of any denomination.
Be a Christian, and a Christian only.
Dividing the
Kingdom of God
Before I leave this
point, I want to examine their claims from another angle. Baptists claim
to be building up the kingdom of God when they, through their preaching,
lead people to be saved. (I do not agree that they are saved, because,
Baptists teach the wrong plan of salvation. We will notice that in a
moment, but we are speaking in Baptist terms in order to make the
point.) They claim that their greatest concern is simply to get folks
"saved," then invited them to join the Baptist Church or some other
denomination, for they are DIVIDING
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. When they lead
you to be saved, that makes you a member of the
kingdom
of God.
Then, when they encourage or allow you
to join a denomination, that divides the
kingdom
of
God into various
denominations, draws
you off,
and fences you in. The very
name denomination means divided.
Denomination and
denominator came from the same root word which means
divide. Division is
condemned. (1 Cor. 1:10-13;
3:14).
Division is carnal, and to be carnal is sinful. Hence for a Christian to
be a member of the Baptist Church, or any other denomination, is to
divide the kingdom of God, and therefore is a sin. Let me plead with
you, friends, to leave the Baptist Church as I have done, and be a
member only of the Lord's Family, the New Testament Church.
Who is that Narrow?
Just here, I want to
call attention to this charge of being
narrow. Usually about all
the enemies of the church of Christ can say against us is "they are
narrow minded." Narrow
means limited, or
circumscribed. We just
noticed how the Baptists make Christians (?), members of the kingdom of
God, then teach and encourage them to separate themselves from others in
the kingdom of God by joining the Baptist Church, thus
limiting and
circumscribing themselves
from all others whom they claim are members of the kingdom of God, too.
Who is it that is narrow?!
Have you ever
wondered just why we
are called "narrow minded"? It is NOT
because we point out and condemn error,
because all preachers do that. The Baptists condemn the
Methodists for sprinkling and infant membership, and the Methodists do
not get mad and call them narrow-minded. Then too, the Methodists
condemn the Baptist doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy, or once
saved always saved, and the Baptists do not get mad and accuse the
Methodists of being narrow-minded and bigoted. Yet, when I condemn the
Methodists for sprinkling, and the Baptists for "once saved always
saved," no more than they do themselves, they both get together and
charge me of being narrow-minded. Why? I think I know why. When the
Baptist preacher finishes condemning sprinkling, he tells them that it
doesn't make any difference what you believe anyhow, and the Methodist
preacher does likewise. But, when I get through pointing out that the
Bible does not teach sprinkling for baptism, infant membership in the
church, "once saved always saved", etc., and instead of telling the
audience that it doesn't make any difference anyhow, I plead with them
to accept and obey the truth, the word of God and turn from these false
doctrines. This is why I am branded "narrow-minded", and it amounts to
this: A denominational preacher
will preach for an hour and "wind up" by saying that it doesn't matter
whether you believe what he has been preaching or not. This makes him
BROAD-MINDED. But after
I have preached for an hour, I "wind up" by pleading with you to accept
it because it is the truth. This makes me NARROW-MINDED.
Isn't that the reason others are considered broad-minded and
we are considered narrow-minded? I wonder what Jesus thinks, do you?
Let's see, Mark 16:15-16 says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED". This is a never
failing test for gospel preaching. When a preacher says that you do not
have to believe what he preaches to be saved, he
is not preaching the gospel,
for Jesus said, "Go preach the gospel
he that believeth not shall be damned."
The Baptist Church is
Unscriptural in Name
We have already said
that the expression "Baptist Church', is not found in the Bible. John
the Baptist, it is reasoned, baptized Christ and others, and since he
was sent from God, that made Christ and all others Baptists. Well, that
made Baptists before they ever had a Baptist Church. Did you ever hear
of a Baptist that was not a member of the Baptist Church? Yet, they
admit themselves that the Baptist Church was not established until the
ordaining of the twelve. John was not called
Baptist in the same sense
that people are called Baptist
today. The expression "Baptist" is found only 15 times in
the Bible. Every time it is "John
the Baptist." Mark
6:14
says, "John the Baptizer." The Greek is "John, he who baptizes " or "the
man who baptizes." There is the passage that tells why John was called
"the Baptist"--because he baptized people. This distinguished him from
all other Johns. Do you know that in the book of John you cannot find
the word "Baptist"? The Apostle John never called John the Baptist, "the
Baptist." It is only found 15 times in the Bible, and every time "John
THE Baptist." The followers of
Jesus
Christ were never
called Baptists. The followers of John were never called Baptists.
Is it
not peculiar that if John's baptizing folks made Baptists out of them
that not one was ever referred to as a Baptist then, or thereafter? Not
one time is anyone ever called Baptist in the Bible except John.
Human names are
condemned. (1 Cor. 1:12). "Now this I say, that every one of you
saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were ye baptized in the
name of Paul?" Again in Acts 4:12:"Neither is there salvation in any
other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved." Look at it,
"There is none other name." Is
it all right to use other names? Listen again,
"There is none other name."
Among human names (those not found in the Bible) I can think of
none greater than that of Paul.
Yet, if I were to present a check for my soul's salvation in
the name of Paul at the judgment bar of God, he would have to say, "Not
in the name of Paul, not in the name of Apollos, not in the name of
Cephas, nor in the name of John the Baptist, for
salvation is in none other name than
Jesus
Christ." This is the
only "name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."
This
name exalts Christ. This is the name that we in the church of Christ are
pleading for. Other names or additional names are sinful. Wear the name
of Christ and none other. (Phil. 2:9-11).
The Baptist Church is
Unscriptural in Worship
They call Sunday the
Sabbath day. Ex.
20:10
says, "Six days labor, but the
seventh call Sunday the Sabbath day. Ex.
20:10
says, "Six days labor, but the
seventh is the Sabbath." That would make Saturday the
Sabbath day. In Acts 20:7 we learn that the disciples came
together to break bread upon the
first day of the week. Baptists teach that people ought to
keep THE Ten commandments. one of which commands the keeping of the
seventh day, Sabbath. Yet, they will meet on
Sunday, the
Lord's day (Rev.
1:10), and teach that Sunday is the Sabbath day. This confuses the
people. It confused me while I was a Baptist. The truth of the matter
is, Sunday is not the Sabbath, nor is it the Christian Sabbath, but the
Lord's Day. The old Law, the Sabbath included, has been "fulfilled"
(Matt. 5:17-18),
"done away" (Ex. 34:27-33;
II Cor. 3:6-14; Rom. 7:1-7),
"nailed to the cross" (Col. 2:14-16).
Baptists use
mechanical instruments of music in their worship. I think a good bit has
been said about that in other lessons, so just suffice it to say that
the New Testament Church did not use mechanical instruments of music.
David used them, but neither Jesus nor his disciples ever did. That is
as good an argument as is needed. They had it to use, but did not use
it. That is reason enough for not using it.
Baptists set aside
the Lord's Supper and say that it makes it too common to take it every
Lord's Day. The same passage that says for us to come together says also
for us to partake of the Lord's Supper. (Acts 20:7). They come
together every first day of the week, they take a collection every first
day of the week, and they have preaching... but to take the Lord's
Supper every first day of the week makes it too common. Why is it not
too common to give
every first day of the week? ? Why is it not too common to
come together every first
day of the week? Why is it not too common to
have preaching every first
day of the week? They read in I Cor. 11:25, where Christ is
quoted as having said, "this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance
of me," and conclude that they are left at liberty to take it when they
are pleased to do so. The Bible plainly states, "upon the first day of
the week . . ." (Acts 20:7). Every week has a first day. When God
told the children of Israel "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,"
they understood that they were to keep
every Sabbath holy. Just so
with us in regard to the Lord's Supper. The Lord said `'Do this in
memory of me," so we meet every first day of the week to remember the
Christ in that humble and simple way, by keeping the Lord's Supper.
They have
unscriptural means of raising money. In the first place they teach
tithing. The Jews gave a tithe but we are taught to "lay by in store as
we have been prospered (1 Cor. 16:2), and as we "purposeth in our
heart" (II Cor. 9:7), which will "prove the sincerity of our
love" (II Cor. 8:8). Baptists will build an elaborate building,
then go around begging the businessmen in town to pay for it. They want
the bank to discount the notes. Various schemes and practices similar to
these have given churches in general a "black eye." One can hardly get a
bank to loan a church any money at all, because if they foreclose on a
note it causes ill will toward the bank, and if they don't, they must
suffer the loss. They just do not want to fool with it. Begging and
hijacking businessmen and professional men to pay church debts is
certainly not following the scriptures. Then too, they will use
carnivals, suppers and other means of amusement to raise the money to
support their churches. Let "every one of you lay by him in store" to
support the cause of Christ and the work of the church.
The Baptist Church is
Wrong in their Plan of Salvation
They teach that a
person is saved by prayer. I could tell several incidents in which
people were saved by prayer according to the Baptists. One Sunday night
three boys, who were alien sinners, a preacher, and myself, all engaged
in prayer until the boys arose and confessed that they were saved.
An alien sinner is
not saved by prayer. John
9:31
says, "Now we know that God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a
worshipper of God and
doeth his will, him he
heareth." It is God's will that we "obey the gospel" (II Thess. 1:8).
The gospel commands us to be baptized into Christ "for the remission of
sins." (Gal. 3:27; Acts 2:38). We have not done God's will until
we have been baptized into Christ. Hear Isaiah, "Your iniquities have
separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from
you, that He will not hear." (Isa. 59:2). We are to pray for the
lost, that's true (Rom. 10:1), but the gospel, not prayer, "is
the power of God unto salvation." (Rom.
1:16).
Paul says in II
Cor. 5:11, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade
men." Some people try to persuade God to save the sinner, but Paul
persuaded the sinner to obey God. God is willing to save all who will
obey. (II Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11; I Tim. 2:4; Heb. 5:9). "God be
thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have OBEYED from the
heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, being THEN made
free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18).
Baptists think that
the "new birth" is a mysterious, mystical, operation performed by the
Holy Spirit that produces some indescribable sensation to the flesh.
They do not know how it happened, but they do know that a change has
been made and their heart tells them that the change is of such a nature
as to have come from God. Their pet passage is John 3:8, "The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one
that is born of the Spirit." In the first place this would be carnal--a
sensation to the flesh. A spiritual birth is of the spirit, not of the
flesh. In the second place, the passage doesn't teach any such idea. It
says, "so is everyone"
not "so is the new birth," but "so
is everyone that is born of the Spirit." MacKnight
translates this passage, "The Spirit breathes where he pleases, and you
hear the report of him, but know not whence he comes, or whither he
goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." We must hear the
"report or Voice" of the Spirit--the inspired word of God. I John 5:1
says, "whosoever believeth is
born of God." I John 4:7 says, "every one that
loveth is born of God."
I John
2:29
says, "everyone that doeth
righteousness is born of him." We must take
all that the Bible says.
John 3:5 is plain enough, "except a man be born of
water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter
into the Kingdom of God." But if you have trouble with it and the others
just mentioned, then the thing to do is to find some examples of how
people were "born again" in the Bible. Nobody would question the fact
that the people of Acts 2 were born again. After hearing Peter's
sermon, they were pricked in their hearts (hence, believed, v. 37). Upon
asking what to do, they were told to "repent and be baptized everyone of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Verse 38). Then in verse
41. "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Again,
(Gal.
3:26-27),
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
Notice that they were "children of God," therefore had been "born" into
the family of God, but they were children of God by faith--by faith
where--by faith in
Christ.
But, they were
baptized into Christ, and thus "put on Christ." Hence, they were "born
again" (made children of God) by
faith and baptism.
Baptists teach that
sinners are saved by faith only. They say, "All you have to do is
believe, and He will save you." Article 5 of their Declaration of Faith,
page 48, says that justification is "solely through faith." James says
just the opposite, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only."
(James
2:24).
Their doctrine of faith only breaks down on the chief rulers of John
12:42-43.
"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but
because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be
put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the
praise of God." Were the chief rulers saved? If you say "yes," then you
disagree with the Apostle John for he says, "every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not
of God."
(1 John 4:3).
If you say they did not believe, then you disagree with the Apostle John
again, for he says they "believed
on Him." Sometimes Baptists try to dodge the force of this
argument by saying they believed
on, not in
Him. The Greek is "eis," the
strongest expression in this respect in the Greek language.
Many times they
refer to Paul's statement to the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved," and argue that in
as much as Paul did not mention baptism that it is not a part of the
plan of salvation. According to this logic, we could eliminate
repentance, love and
confession, because
they are not mentioned either. And did you notice that Paul said,
"Believe on the Lord
Jesus." Besides that, where do these go? "For by GRACE are ye saved
through faith" (Eph. 2:8). "For we are saved by HOPE" (Rom.
8:24).
"Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the GOSPEL which I preached unto
you, by which also ye are saved" (1 Cor.
15:12).
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and
receive with meekness the engrafted WORD, which is able to save your
souls" (James
1:21).
"The like figure whereunto even BAPTISM doth also now save us" (1
Peter
3:21).
So, we see that we are not saved by
faith only (James
2:24),
but by grace, hope, the gospel, the word, and baptism also. But these
are all made possible by Jesus (Matt.
1:21).
Paul told the Philippian Jailer "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou
shalt be saved"--but do not stop here, let us read on--verse 32 reads'
"And they spake unto him the word
of the Lord, and to all that were in his house, and he took
them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was
baptized, he and all his straight-way." Since faith is the first step
taken toward salvation, Paul told the jailer to "believe on the Lord
Jesus and thou shalt be saved," but when they "spake unto him the word
of the Lord," he was baptized the same hour of the night, since the word
of the Lord says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"
(Mark 16:16). Therefore, we are not saved by faith only, but by
"faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6).
Baptists make the
wrong confession. They say "confess your sins," but Christ says in
Matt.
10:32,
"Whosoever therefore shall confess ME before men, him will I confess
also before my Father which is in heaven." The confession is not made in
baptism. Consider, (Rom. 10:9), "That if thou shalt confess
with thy MOUTH the LORD
JESUS and shalt believe in shine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved." The eunuch did not confess his sins, but did
confess "that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Who ever heard a Baptist
preacher ask anyone to confess "that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?"
Sometimes Baptists confess "that God, for Christ's sake, has pardoned my
sins." This is the confession that I made and I have heard a number of
others make the same confession.
This confession contradicts every
verse the Bible that speaks of baptism
and salvation. The Bible says we are made free AFTER we have
obeyed the gospel (Rom. 6:3-4,
17-18).
Baptist do not
Administer Bible Baptism
John's baptism is
out of date. In Acts 19:1-5
we find where Paul rebaptized twelve men who had received John's
baptism. Aquila and Priscilla took a preacher who knew "only the baptism
of John" and "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."
(Acts 18:24-26).
Baptists baptize
people whom they claim already have received the remission of sins.
"There is an actual, a real remission of sins when we believe in
Christ--there is a declarative, formal, symbolic remission in baptism."
(Baptist Church Manual, p. 13).
The Bible plainly
states that baptism is FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, (Acts
2:38),
or to wash away sins (Acts
22:16).
Baptists do not
baptize a person into Christ, but rather,
into the
Baptist Church.
They say
any such person is in Christ before
baptism. Hear Paul, "For as many of you as have been
BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST have put on Christ." (Gal. 3:27).
Baptist baptism must
be on a confession that one is already saved. Bible baptism puts a
person into Christ where salvation is. (1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18; Eph.
1:3; II Cor. 5:17;
Rom. 6:4; II Tim.
2:10).
Inasmuch as
Christian baptism is "for the remission of sins," or to "wash away
sins," and to get "into Christ," or "put on Christ," and Baptists do not
administer Christian baptism, as has just been pointed out, then it
follows that those who obeyed the Baptist plan of Salvation have missed
the Lord's plan of Salvation, and
they are therefore not members of the New Testament Church, the Body of
Christ, have not had
their sins remitted, and are not saved.
Many will say, "Oh
but I know I'm saved." "Well, how do you know it?" "Oh, I just know it.
I feel like I am." "What makes you feel like you are saved?" "Because
I'm saved," they will say. Saved because they feel good, and feel good
because they are saved. Such people prefer their feelings to anything
the Bible says. I am not opposed to a person's feeling good about being
a Christian, but I am opposed to a person claiming to be a Christian
just because he feels good. Feelings are based on faith. Hence the
Catholic feels like the
Priest forgave his sins--he feels forgiven, but he isn't; but
he feels forgiven because he BELIEVES
that the Priest can forgive
his sins. I felt just as
saved as you do, when I was in the Baptist Church. I had just as much
feelings as any of them, and can tell just as good an "experience," but
I finally learned that feelings were the result of what I believed. If
you believe that
something is going to go wrong, you will
feel nervous as long as you
believe that. When the children are out late, if you
believe that they are all
right, you will feel
good; but if you believe
that something is wrong, you will worry, fret, and maybe cry.
I feel saved because I believe that I am saved. You ask,
"Why do you believe that you are saved?" Because I John 2:3 says,
"hereby we do know that we know him, if
we keep his commandments." I
know that I am saved, and I feel like I'm saved because the Lord
said that if I would obey his commands, then I would be saved. I have
done that; therefore I know that I have the promise of God. Baptists
would have this verse read, "hereby we do know that we know him,
if we feel like it." If you
will study the scriptures with an open mind rather than through your
feelings, you will then begin to feel different. You will feel that you
should turn from the human organization, the Baptist Church and obey the
gospel of Christ because the Bible teaches you to do that.
Don't follow your
feelings. FOLLOW THE BIBLE.
FOLLOW CHRIST.
The Baptist Church is
Unscriptural in Organization
The Baptist Church
has a minister whom they call "Pastor," and deacons, but no elders. The
truth of the matter is this. Pastors, bishops, presbyters, and elders
are all the same and take the oversight of the flock. The deacons are
servants of the church. The preacher is a minister or evangelist, not
"the pastor" of a congregation.
Baptist preachers
call themselves and have themselves called, "Reverend." (There are a few
exceptions to this, but very few). This word is used
one time in the entire
Bible and then in connection with the name of God. (Psalm 111:9).
When you see the man you believe on a par with God, call him
"reverend.'` This also violates the principle laid down by our Savior in
Matthew 23:5-12.
The Baptist Church is
Unscriptural in Doctrine
They are wrong first
in having a man-made doctrine at all. "This Declaration of Faith was
framed many years ago by J. Newton Brown, D. D." (Baptist Church Manual,
foot note, p. 43). Christ says in Matt. 15:9, "But in vain do they
worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The Baptist doctrine
contradicts the Bible in reason.
Ask a Baptist
preacher, "What is the Baptist Doctrine?" It is "what a church believes
the Bible to teach." (Baptist Church Manual, p. 41). I have pointed out
that it is the distinctive features of the Baptist Church that make it
Baptist instead of some other kind of Church Now ask, "Must I believe
the Bible to be saved?" Answer, "Yes." "Must I believe Baptist Doctrine
to be saved?" Answer, "No." Then, if I must believe the Bible to be
saved, and must not believe Baptist Doctrine to be saved, then it
follows that Baptist Doctrine is not Bible Doctrine. Jesus told the
apostles to go preach the gospel and said, "He that believeth not shall
be damned." When any preacher preaches things that you do not have to
believe to be saved, you may rest assured that he is not preaching "the
gospel," because you do have to believe "the gospel" to be saved. If a
person can be saved without belonging to the Baptist Church and without
believing Baptist Doctrine (that which is peculiar to Baptists), then
why does the Baptist Church exist, and by whose authority? Baptists say
they exist to save people, but how can this be, when a person can be
saved and never hear of the Baptist Church? Friends, think about that
seriously.
Baptist Doctrine
contradicts the Bible in fact.
"We believe that the
salvation of sinners is WHOLLY of grace." (Baptist Church Manual,
Article IV of the Declaration of
Faith, p. 47). We are saved by HOPE, (Rom.
8:24),
and Peter said BAPTISM saves us, (1 Peter
3:21).
If this is true, then we are not saved WHOLLY or ENTIRELY by grace, but
by hope and baptism also. Then this article of faith is false.
In Article V on page
48, the Declaration of Faith declares that "justification, the pardon of
sin, and the promise of eternal life . . . are SOLELY THROUGH FAITH." In
the first place, this article of faith contradicts Article IV. How can
salvation be WHOLLY of grace and at the same time SOLELY through faith?
We have pointed out that we are saved by grace, faith, hope, the gospel,
the word, repentance, confession, baptism, etc., but the expression
"solely through faith" excludes everything except faith. The Bible
certainly does not teach this.
James 2:24
again, "not by faith only,"
therefore, this article contradicts Article IV and also the Word of
God.
Their doctrine of
apostasy is false.
"We believe that
such only are real believers as endure unto the end." (Article XI, p.
54). This is the doctrine of "once saved, always saved" and if a person
"falls from grace," then they claim that he was not saved to start with.
Consider II Peter 2:4, "For if God spared not the
angels that sinned, but
cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to
be reserved unto judgment." Are these "real believers" more steadfast
than angels?
Is it possible that
Paul could be a castaway? Paul thinks so, hear him, "But I keep under my
body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should
be a castaway."
(1
Cor. 9:27). Was Paul a "real believer?" Paul
said, "Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he
fall."
Again, "Whosoever of
you are justified by the law, ye
are fallen from grace." (Gal. 5:4). We are
saved by grace (Eph. 2:8). Therefore, people can fall from that
which saved them.
Many Baptists do not
believe this doctrine, but as long as they are Baptists they stand for
it just the same.
Baptist Support a
Democracy, not a Kingdom
The essentials of a
kingdom are a king, law, and subjects over which he rules. The king
makes the laws, enforces the laws, and passes judgment on violators of
the law. Officers are filled by appointment of the King. Since Christ
has all authority in heaven and in earth and has been crowned "King of
kings," He makes the laws; He will judge all violators of His laws in
the day of judgment.
A democracy is that
form of government that the subjects by
vote make the laws and
elect their officers. I challenge you to compare the Baptist Church with
these two forms of government.
"The government of
a church
(the Baptist Church) is with its
members. The churches must say . . . whether music shall be
led by choirs, with the aid of
instruments or not,
etc., etc." (Baptist Church Manual, p. 39). This very
plainly shows that the Baptist Church is
democratic in its nature,
but Christ established a kingdom.
In John
4:24
we learn that we must worship God "in spirit and in truth." In John
17:17
Jesus
said, "thy word is truth." In Rom.
10:17
we read that "faith comes by hearing the word of God." Our worship,
then, to be "in truth" must be as
the truth directs. In Leviticus 10:1-2
we have an example of two boys, Nadab and Abihu, worshiping God, but
because they did so in a "strange" way "which he commanded them
not," the Lord took their
lives. Again in I Chron.
15:13-15,
David says, in reference to the method of bearing the ark of the
covenant, ". . . God made a breach upon us,
for that we sought him not after the
due order." Jer. 10:23 tells us "that it is not in
man that walketh to direct his steps," and in Isa. 55:8-9,
the Lord says, "my ways are not your ways, for as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways." God
will not tolerate
PRESUMPTION. We, simply mortal men, cannot worship God any way WE see
fit, but must "seek Him after the due order." Remember, Jesus said. "In
vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments (that is, following the
precepts) of men." (Matt. 15:9). Which are you following, God or
men?
Baptists take
Christ's place in adding to the church. The scriptures say "the LORD
added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts
2:47).
But Baptists VOTE to receive people into the church. There is not one
place in the Bible that teaches us to vote to receive people into the
church, nor to put them out, either.
Baptists talk about
"Opening the doors of the church." No man, whether he be the Pope of
Rome, or a Baptist preacher, can "open the doors"
of the Lord's Church. Those
doors were opened by the Apostle Peter in the long ago, and they stand
ajar to this good time, and shall ever be open until the trumpet shall
sound and the Lord shall announce that time is no more. This is just
more evidence that the Baptist Church is a human, man-made church. For
if the, can "open and close the doors" then it is
of men and not of God. They
cannot open, nor close the doors of the New Testament Church.
Baptists take the
authority to change the great commission. Christ said in Mark 16:15,
16, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned." Baptists teach, "he that believeth and is NOT baptized is saved
already because of his faith." Thus, they promise the sinner salvation
SHORT of the conditions upon which
God promises it. Therefore, Baptists are standing on the
promises and assurance of Baptist preachers and NOT ON THE PROMISES OF
GOD. Which do you prefer to believe, Baptists, or Christ?
Indeed, this is the
real issue--who is king? Who is head? Who has all authority? In whom do
you believe? Let me illustrate. Many times the church of Christ is
accused of "believing in water." No, we do not believe in baptism as
such, but in Jesus Christ. We practice baptism for the remission of
sins, because Christ, in whom we believe, and who is our King and God,
commanded it. To refuse His command, or the purpose for which He gave it
is nothing short of rejecting Jesus Christ--"we will not that he should
reign over us"-- at least in this respect. To simply follow Christ when
you like it, is not to
follow Him at all. You are your own King in such a case. That sets you
above Jesus Christ, above His word. You sit in judgment over His Word,
accept what you like and reject the rest if it is different from your
feelings. Friends, such is not Christianity, but religious anarchy. You
do not have a right to "believe as you please," to choose the way you
like to serve Him, but simply to humbly submit to Him who is King and
Lord, and is the creator of heaven and earth, and before whom we must
all stand in a little while.
Let me plead with you to renounce all
denominational affiliations and humbly submit to Christ as Lord of
lords, and King of kings. While we sing, just step out from your seat
and come forward, confess your faith in Jesus as Lord, as you humbly
repent of every sin, and be baptized for the remission of sin.
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Delighting In God