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Baptist Distinctives

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BAPTIST. Baptist Distinctives. WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE. The Bible is Unique in its Authority, 2 Tim. 3:16a The Bible is God's revelation of Himself to man . The Bible is the product of the Holy Spirit's work, 2 Pet. 1:21 .

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Baptist Distinctives

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  1. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BAPTIST Baptist Distinctives

  2. WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE • The Bible is Unique in its Authority, 2 Tim. 3:16a • The Bible is God's revelation of Himself to man. • The Bible is the product of the Holy Spirit's work, 2 Pet. 1:21. • Therefore, the Bible is authoritative over man

  3. WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE • The Bible is Unique in its Usefulness, 2 Tim. 3:16b • Teaching • Reproof (rebuke for wrong conduct) • Correction (improvement, redirection) • Discipline in right conduct

  4. WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE • The Bible is Unique in its Design, 2 Tim. 3:17 • It will make you a dedicated Christian. • It will make you a prepared Christian. • It will make you a purposeful Christian.

  5. WE BELIEVE IN BELIEVER’S BAPTISM AND A REGENERATE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP • Baptism symbolizes the believer's union with Christ in deathfor sin and resurrection to new life, Rom. 6:4-5.

  6. WE BELIEVE IN BELIEVER’S BAPTISM AND A REGENERATE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP • According to the Bible, the church is a body of which Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22-23). • Believers are branches for which Christ is the Vine (Jn. 15:1-6).

  7. WE BELIEVE IN BELIEVER’S BAPTISM AND A REGENERATE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP • New Testament churches established a pattern for churches of succeeding centuries by baptizing and receiving into membership only those who first believed on Christ as Savior, Acts 2:41, 47; 8:12.

  8. WE BELIEVE THE NEW TESTAMENT METHOD OF BAPTISM IS IMMERSION • The word translated “baptize” in the New Testament means “to dip, to immerse.” There are distinctly different words in the Greek language which mean “to pour” or “to sprinkle” water. Those words are never used to describe believers’ baptism in the New Testament.

  9. WE BELIEVE THE NEW TESTAMENT METHOD OF BAPTISM IS IMMERSION • New Testament baptisms were always performed by immersion (Jn. 3:23; Matt. 3:13-16; Acts. 8:36-39). It was not until the 13th century AD that sprinkling became widely accepted as a form of water baptism.

  10. WE BELIEVE THE NEW TESTAMENT METHOD OF BAPTISM IS IMMERSION • Only immersion can accurately symbolize the believer's union with Christ in death for sin, burial, and resurrection, Rom. 6:4-5.

  11. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER IS HIS OWN PRIEST BEFORE GOD • There is no interpreter between me and my Bible, Rom. 14:12. • There is no priest between me and my Savior, 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 10:21-22.

  12. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER IS HIS OWN PRIEST BEFORE GOD • There is no sacrament between me and God's grace, 1 Cor. 1:4. • There is no church between me and my God.

  13. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH IS AUTONOMOUS • There is no system of hierarchy in the New Testament pattern for local churches. Each church is capable of ordering and maintaining its own existence under Christ. • It is led by its own pastor, 1 Pet. 5:1-3.

  14. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH IS AUTONOMOUS • It elects its own officers, Acts 6:1-6. • It disciplines its own members, 1 Cor. 5:13; Matt. 18:15-17. • It sends out its own missionaries, Acts 13:1-4 (cf. 15:22). • It determines its own associations with other churches, Acts 15:2-3.

  15. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH MUST BE SEPARATE FROM THE STATE • The church must not perform any governmental function. • God ordained the principle of human government in human society, Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:1.

  16. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH MUST BE SEPARATE FROM THE STATE • God commands us to fulfill our obligations to the civil government, Matt. 22:21. • We must submit to civil authority, Rom. 13:1. • We must support the civil authorities with tax money (Rom. 13:6). • We must respect the civil authorities (Rom. 13:7).

  17. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH MUST BE SEPARATE FROM THE STATE • The government must not interfere with the spiritual beliefs and practices of its citizens. • The conscience of each believer belongs to God, Matt. 22:21. • When man’s law contradicts God’s Word, we must obey God, Acts 5:29.

  18. WE BELIEVE EACH LOCAL CHURCH MUST BE SEPARATE FROM THE STATE • We must render to the state what it deserves, but give our supreme allegiance to God, Matt. 22:21.

  19. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER HAS SOUL LIBERTY • Soul liberty is the liberty of the individual believer to interpret the Bible for himself and to profess and worship as he believes the Bible teaches, Rom. 14:1-12; Acts 5:29.

  20. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER HAS SOUL LIBERTY • Soul liberty says that each believer answers to the Lord for himself. Therefore, one’s interpretations, professions, and worship are not to be forced upon any other (this corresponds with the separation of church and state).

  21. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER HAS SOUL LIBERTY • Soul liberty requires that each individual must give account to Jesus Christ, Rom. 14:10-12.

  22. WE BELIEVE EACH BELIEVER HAS SOUL LIBERTY • Soul liberty does not justify an individual’s opposition to the doctrine and practices of the local church. When such disagreement occurs, the individual should have the opportunity to explain and defend his convictions. If he fails to convince, he must either submit himself to the decision of the church or move to another church more consistent with his convictions. His soul liberty does not allow him to violate the liberty of others.

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