The Baptist Story
By
Anthony L. Chute
Nathan A. Finn
Michael A. G. Haykin
Let’s talk about the last chapter of “The Baptist Story” which talks about the Baptist identity and priorities. The main emphasis is on the convictions of Baptist Christians in the start of the twenty-first century.
- First Insight: Baptist Identity
The authors state that Baptist identity can easily be divided into three approaches:
- Baptist by conditioning. Gregory Wills calls it “tribal identity” as these Baptists have either been raised in a Baptist church, or have been converted by the Ministry of a Baptist Church or are married to a Baptist. They have always been a Baptist and cannot image being part of another Christian tradition. R. G. Lee, a famous Southern Baptist Pastor has very aptly summed it, “I am Baptist Born and Baptist bred and when I die I will be Baptist dead”.
- Baptist by Convenience are those whoeither attend a Baptist Church because it is nearby or cherish the church membership. They could easily take up membership in another church for the sake of convenience without much care for the denomination.
- Baptist by Conviction are those who follow a congregation or denomination because it corresponds to their beliefs. They would change their denomination only if they feel that another church better represents their religious beliefs and understanding of the Bible. Baptist by conviction are the best followers of God, the Bible and salvation as they are steadfast in their beliefs according to their personal choice.
- Second Insight: Baptist Distinctives
All true Christians believe that Jesus Christ is Lord which is the fundamental truth of New Testament Christianity. Baptists believe that their distinctives bear witness to their complete submission to the Christ’s kingly rule over their personal lives and the churches and they are obligated to live according to the Gospel that the Christ has commanded them to proclaim in body and in deed (Matt 28:18-20).
- Regenerate Church Membership:
Baptists believe that the members of the local church should only be given to those who can prove that they have repented of their sins and have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This distinctive is called the believer’s church or regenerate (born again) church membership.
We observe in the New Testament that churches in the earlier days only welcomed professing believers as their members. Allowing membership to infants was disregarded as an important point in the new covenant mentioned in Jeremiah 31:31-34 is that all members will “know” the Lord. Children are raised in the word of God but the New Testament pattern is that you must believe before you belong.
- Believer’s Baptism:
Regenerate membership can be called the most important Baptist distinctive however believer’s baptism is imperative. Baptists in earlier days practiced baptism by affusion. Pastor Leonard Busher was the first to advocate believer’s baptism by immersion in 1614 however it was practically implemented by Richard Blunt and the JLJ Church in 1641. Ever since, Baptists the world over follow immersion baptism.
- Third Insight: Religious Freedom
Baptists have been the advocates of “Liberty of Conscience” which underlines the fact that every individual is free to follow his conscience in religious matters without any interference from another individual. The Abstract of Principles (1858) has explained it like this: “God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord. Not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake”.
Baptists have also referred to this principle as “religious freedom”, “religious liberty”, “soul competency”, “soul freedom” and “soul liberty”. Over the years, Baptists have emphasized that in order to promote liberty of conscience there should be a formal separation between the church and state. Russel Moore says that Religious Liberty is ultimately about the Great Commission. Church-state separation protects the freedom of Christians to proclaim Christ to non-Christians and make disciples from people of all nations.
Finally the authors say that The Baptist Story comes back to three interrelated themes: promoting liberty of conscience; following Christ’s will in our individual lives and churches and proclaiming the Gospel everywhere.
