--Eli Caldwell
There are scores of different Baptist denominations, I couldn't mention all of them in one post. I seem to recall Wikipedia having an exhaustive list.
But yes, I did not mention the Anabaptists because I felt that the modern day Baptists (which are not really true historical Baptists) do not associate themselves with that movement. The two main examples of Anabaptists are the Mennonites and Amish. I did not mention them because modern day Baptists do not usually claim association with them. However, it is interesting that John Smyth, the founder of the Baptist denomination, joined a Mennonite church at the end of his life. The name anabaptist itself is something that opponents of the movement called them, they did not invent the name themselves. The name means to "rebaptize" because they would rebaptize people who had been sprinkled as a child. (Note: Modern day Baptists do like to claim Anabaptists as part of their religious ancestry, but they only do this because "Anabaptist" has the word "baptist" in it. They actually do not claim association with the Anabaptists (Mennonites, Amish, etc.) in doctrine.)
I grew up in Baptist churches and have read some of their "Why I am a Baptist" type books. Overall, I have found them to be a disgusting sect of people. Most of them seem to think that the Baptist denomination is the only good group of Christians. Many of them arrogantly say "the Bible makes us Baptists". I recently heard a Baptist at the church I attend say that "The Baptist church is the only group that has salvation figured out. The rest of the denominations do not preach salvation by grace." That is just not true. Many other groups of Christians preach salvation by grace through faith alone. In fact, most Baptists do not even believe that.
Most Baptists preach salvation is by confessing Christ before men (a misuse of Matt. 10:32-33), by doing this they have introduced works to the gospel and made it where Christ is not the only mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). They also say that you must repeat a man-made "sinner's prayer" in order to be saved, which is a work that man offers God (Col. 4:12, Heb. 5:7). Many of them also teach that you must "turn from sin" to be saved, which is a work (Jonah 3:10).
Many of them also say that you must "give your life to Christ" in order to be saved, which is a work. It also takes away from the fact that CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU. That is what salvation is, believing that Christ gave His life for you, not you giving your life to Christ.
Some Baptists also believe that you can lose your salvation, others say that you must have a "changed life" of doing good works or else you never really got saved.
My biggest objection to the Baptists is that 95% of them seem to be preaching a false gospel and are therefore accursed according to Galatians 1:5-12.
The church I attend recently left the Baptist movement...
Why We Changed Our Church Name by Pastor David O'Steen
Published on May 24, 2016
5/22/16, from Landmark Baptist Church to Hope Bible Church
You should have stayed Baptist instead of switching to the Dry Cleaners.
ReplyDeleteI was never a Baptist, I've never been water baptized. I have always been a dry cleaner, I've never believed water baptism cleansed anybody of anything (except dirt). Water baptism is not required for the remission of sins under Grace (1 Cor. 1:17, Eph. 2:8-9). You are washed by the Holy Spirit if you trust Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection to wash away your sins. Not water (Titus 3:4-7, 1 Cor. 6:11, Eph. 1:13). Are you saved?
DeleteDo you have any Bible verses on why it is best to be part of a denomination? I've never found any, but feel free to post some that you think would help me.
Thanks for the comment! --Eli "Hoss" Caldwell
One Lord One faith One baptism. And that is into the Body of Cbrist and spiritual.
DeleteUh... I’m not Baptist. I’m an independent. But I was raised in a baptist church. Never heard any of this stuff you said about them. There were the occasional snobs but... “overall they’re a disgusting sect of people”? Really? What Baptist Church were YOU beat up in as a kid? I found this post to be more disgusting and graceless than anything I have heard from the Baptist Church. Smh
ReplyDeleteIf you're not a Baptist then don't worry about it.
DeleteAs for you never hearing any of them say the things I said, look at most Baptist statements of faith and sermons. For example, the Southern Baptist "Baptist Faith and Message" states that "Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. " As stated in most, turning from sin is a work per Jonah 3:10 and no Baptist specifies which sins must be turned from in order to be saved. And the Southern Baptist "Faith and Message" segment on salvation it lists James 2:14-26 in its verse references on salvation, which is certainly about works being required.
The Southern Baptist statement of faith is the easiest for me to reference, but lots of individual baptist churches (independents and southern) say similar things.
I'm a independent fundamental baptist and I see your point, it's sad to see how many baptists have fallen into "pray a prayer to be saved" heresy. I don't have any problem with prayer, it's beautiful thing to pray but preaching that it saves you or it's part of salvation is clearly false Gospel. I have to say that not all baptists believe that heresy for example pastor Robert Breaker, Michael O'Neal etc not all baptists are deceived, well I call these people so called "baptists"
ReplyDelete