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Baptist
Distinctives
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THE HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF THE
BAPTISTS
Historically, Baptists find their origins in the Free (Anabaptist)
Churches. These churches existed from the time of the apostles. Even
though the name BAPTIST was not used until the 1600's, the Baptist
Distinctives were practiced by small, persecuted groups during the
Dark Ages and the Reformation. Biblical faith and practice forced
these to separate from two powerful traditional groups. The Roman
Catholic Church - This group eventually rejected all of the Baptist
Distinctives. When their persecution ended, they became the
persecutors. The Protestant Churches - During the Protestant
Reformation, these formerly Catholic churches tried to return to a
more Biblical pattern. They still rejected most of the Baptist
Distinctives. To a lesser degree, they also persecuted the
Anabaptists. Thus, Bible-centered Baptist Churches are not
Protestant churches. They existed long before the Reformation.
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THE HISTORIC BAPTIST
DISTINCTIVES
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Even though the name BAPTIST has been misused
by many, we retain the name because the historic Baptist position
best describes our position in matters of doctrine, faith, and
practice. For the sake of memory, we have arranged the major Baptist
Distinctives in an acrostic.
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B - The BIBLE
is our final authority for what we believe and what we do.
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No insight, testimony, or decree of man,
regardless of his piety or position, can ever supersede the Bible
(II Timothy 3:16,17). This distinctive is the primary Baptist
distinctive. All others spring from this absolute trust in the
scriptures.
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A - The AUTONOMY of the
Local Church.
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The local church is an independent body
accountable to no one but our Lord. There is no person or
organization on earth that can dictate what a local church can or
should do (Acts 15; Matthew 18:15-17). This does not prevent
voluntary cooperation with other churches as long as such activity
does not violate the church's independence or affiliate the church
with satanic apostasy.
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P - The PRIESTHOOD of
the Believer.
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Every believer today is a priest and may enter
the presence of God directly through only one Mediator, our Great
High Priest, Jesus Christ. There is no other human mediator (Hebrews
4:14-16; I Peter 2:5-10). Along with the privilege of priesthood,
there is the responsibility as priests to live a life separated from
sin and unto God.
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T - There are TWO Ordinances:
Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:41,42).
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A picture of saving truth
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Explained in the New Testament
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Practiced by the New Testament churches
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We practice only believer's baptism by
immersion. This contradicts two practices common among Roman
Catholic and Protestant churches: infant baptism and sprinkling
(pouring). Immersion is the only acceptable mode for baptism because
it alone preserves the picture of saving truth. No other form
pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans
6:1-5). We believe that communion (the Lord's Supper) is a symbolic
ordinance, picturing Christ's body broken for our sins and His blood
shed for our redemption. It is not a saving ordinance, but helps us
remember His death, and inspires us while looking forward to His
coming, 1 Corinthians 11:23-24. It is to be observed by regenerate,
obedient believers.
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I - The INDIVIDUAL'S
Soul Liberty.
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We believe that every individual has the
liberty to believe, right or wrong, as his own conscience dictates.
While we seek to persuade men to choose the right, a person must not
be forced to into compliance (Romans 14:5-12).
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S - The membership is made
exclusively of SAVED and baptized individuals.
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Membership is strictly a matter of obedience;
it bestows no grace (Acts 2:41-47).
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T - There are only TWO
offices which guide the church: the Pastor and the Deacons.
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There is no additional hierarchy of offices (I
Timothy 3:1-13).
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S - The SEPARATION of
Church and State.
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The church and state are two separate
authorities ordained by God. One should not attempt to control the
other (Acts 4:29; Romans 12:18;13:1-5; I Timothy 2:1-4; I
Corinthians 5:9-13).
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