The Churches of Men, the Baptist Church

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THE CHURCHES/KINGDOMS OF MENTHE BAPTIST CHURCH

• In our previous studies, we noted that in Matt 16:18-19 Jesus said he would build His church/kingdom. His church/kingdom is not of this world per John 18:36. It is spiritual in nature. He built only one per Eph 1:22-23 & 4:4.

• In Acts 2:47 we noted that on Pentecost in about AD33, the Lord added to the church those being saved who had repented and were baptized according to the gospel preached by Peter on that day.

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• We also noted that those Colossians who had been baptized (immersed in water – Acts 8:36), were buried and then rose with Him in baptism. They were dead in trespasses, had been quickened or made alive with him and were forgiven of their sins by the Lord Col 2:11-13.

• We noted that upon their obedience to the gospel, the Colossians were translated into the kingdom of His dear Son per Col 1:13

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• The Lord built His church/kingdom in the first century exactly the way He wanted it.

• According to Luke 1:33 there shall be no end to the Lord’s church/kingdom.

• We noted that in the first century there were local churches of Christ per Rom 16:16 and that the same pattern of teaching was taught in every local church (1 Cor 4:17; 2 Tim 1:13)

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• Since the first century, uninspired men have sought to build their own churches and have regulated them according to their own doctrine and commandments. See Matt 15:9

• John wrote in 2 John 9 that those who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ do not have God.

• In John 6:46, the Lord asks why those call Him Lord and don’t do what He says.

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• This will be another of numerous studies examining the churches of men.

• We will note when they were established, who established them and some of their doctrine that contradicts the truth as written by the inspired apostles in the New Testament. These churches are not the Lord’s.

• Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: ……

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• Date of Origin 1608 or 1609

• Founder John Smyth – b 1570, d 1612

• Name General Baptist Church

• Location Amsterdam Holland

• http://www.reformedreader.org/smyth.htm

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• John Smyth was ordained an Anglican priest in 1594.

• He became increasingly frustrated with the various churches – of Rome, of Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and especially his own Church of England, rejecting infant baptism which they practiced.

• So, in 1600, he renounced Anglicanism completely.

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• He practiced medicine for a few years and then joined a group of like-minded Separatists who wanted to create a church of believers unbound by the rules of the established churches.

• Their goal was to “walk in all his [Christ’s] ways, make known or to be made known among them . . . whatever it might cost them.”

• It ultimately cost them their country.

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• Because of persecution by the Church of England, John Smyth and his 50 or so followers fled to Amsterdam in 1606.

• While there, he recited a confession of faith and then first baptized (immersed) himself. For doing so, Amsterdam Separatist Richard Bernard nicknamed him a “se-baptist” (self baptizer). He then baptized his other followers, forming the first English General Baptist Church.

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• Though his followers preferred to be called “Christians Baptized on Confession of Their Faith”, they were known primarily by the shorter derogatory term as “se-baptist”.

• Eventually, they further shortened their name to “Baptist” which removed the derogatory part of the name and the term stuck.

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• There was a rather large number of Separatists in Amsterdam which was known for its religious tolerance.

• But Smyth didn’t agree with them completely. He opposed using English translations in worship, psalm singing, sermon reading and the collection of offerings. All supported by the NT.

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• Nevertheless, his stated purpose was to create a church like the one described in Acts.

• He believed each congregation, not its officers, was the highest authority, next to God, and he wrote this in his 1607 work Principles and Inferences Concerning the Visible Church.

• He believed the Bible only allowed for bishops/elders and deacons and these were subject to the congregation. He was right in this case.

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• As noted, some of his beliefs were in accordance to the NT. Others were in conflict with it.

• Before his death, he abandoned his Baptist views and tried to get his group to join the Mennonite Church, generally regarded at the time as a Baptist Church, even though they sprinkle instead of immersing. Many did so after his death.

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• It should be noted that all Baptists claim that the church of the first century was essentially Baptist. G.H Orchard in his History of Foreign Baptists stated “all Christian communities during the first three centuries were of the Baptist denomination in constitution and practice. “

• Of course their name does not appear in the NT and Paul condemns division per 1 Cor 1:10

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• Most General Baptists adhere to the beliefs of James Arminius whose doctrine was labeled Arminianism. He taught that Christ died for all, but man has not from himself or of his own free will any saving faith without being born again and renewed by God in Christ through His Holy Spirit so that he may be able to understand, think wish and perform something good.

• It is this grace of God which begins, promotes and perfects everything good to such a degree that even the regenerate man without this preceding grace can neither think, wish or do any good thing, nor resist any evil temptation. This grace however is not irresistible which is contrary to Calvinism.

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• Most other Baptist Churches except for those labeled Free Will ascribe to Calvinism which is known by the term TULIP.

• Total Depravity of Man – Men are born depraved inheriting sin from their parents, unable to think a good thought or do a good deed.

• Unconditional Election – God decided which individuals were elect before creation and which were lost, the number unchangeable.

• Limited Atonement – Christ died only for the elect• Irresistible Grace – God’s grace and salvation cannot effectively be

resisted since the Holy Spirit accomplishes it.• Perseverance of the Saints – Since God selected the elect by His

irresistible grace and salvation, the elect cannot fall and be lost.

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• Most all Baptist churches publish Articles of Faith, Confessions of Faith or other writings that contain what they believe and teach.

• The Southern Baptist Convention publishes the Baptist Faith and Message. The current one is at http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp

• The National Baptist Convention publishes their Articles of Faith at http://www.nationalbaptist.com/about-us/what-we-believe.html

• Free Will Baptists publish What We Believe at http://nafwb.org/about/what-we-believe-2/

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• The Southern Baptist Faith and Message says• “All true believers endure to the end. Those

whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.”

• The Bible says in 1 Tim 4:1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith….

• In Heb 12:15 some may fail of the grace of God..

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• The National Baptist Convention says “justification … is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood;..”

• The Bible says in James 2:24 “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

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• The National Association of Free Will Baptists says “Man, being tempted by Satan, yielded and willfully disobeyed God, becoming a sinner and incurring God’s judgment upon sin. All of Adam’s descendants inherit his fallen nature and thus have a natural inclination to sin. “

• The Bible says in Matt 10:14 “…Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

• Children do not inherit their parent’s sins. Their hearts become evil from their youth, not their birth per Gen 8:21.

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• All churches of men suffer the same problem.• Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they

labour in vain that build it: ……• Matt 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching

for doctrines the commandments of men.• 1 Cor 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have in a

figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not (to go) beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

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• 2 Pet 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

• Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

• 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

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• Since God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness and we are not to add to or take away from what He has given us, all of the Confessions of Faith, Articles of Faith, etc are unnecessary and in fact condemned by Jesus in Matthew 15:8-9.

• The Baptist Churches, like all other denominations, are simply the churches of men which Jesus never built nor sanctioned. Their worship is vain and they do not have God per 2 John 9. Let their members examine themselves whether they are in the faith of the NT as Paul admonishes in 2 Cor 13:5.

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• The Lord is clear on what one must do to be saved.• John 8:24 Believe• Lk 13:3 & 5 Repent• Lk 12:8 Confess• Mk 16:16 Baptized (Immersed)• Acts 8:36 In Water• Rom 6:17-18 Obeyed that form of doctrine ..then

made free from sin• Acts 2:41 & 47 The Lord adds the obedient to His

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The Churches of Men, the Baptist Church