Baptists

Hello there,

I just wanted to ask a couple questions about the Baptist denomination. I personally am affiliated with no denomination, because my church does not claim one. However, I do admire Baptists. I admire them because many of the Baptists I have known have been very much like Bereans and strong in their faith.

So, my questions are:

1. What are fundamental doctrinal differences between Baptists and other denominations?

2. What are the differences between Baptists, Southern Baptists and Anabaptists?

Thanks guys!

God bless!

Bump.

I wouldn't mind a bit of info too.

2. What are the differences between Baptists, Southern Baptists and Anabaptists?

Hi partofaplan,

This should help with Anabaptist.

http://www.anabaptists.org/

partofaplan, They are sound in some areas of basic salvation but are far from bereans.
All denominations have error and so do you and me.
You will have to decide where you stand concerning the gifts and once saved always saved.
[The doctrine of eternal security.]
Get a concordance and a good bible.
I assume[since you say you are nondenominational]
that you are part of some group that moves in the gifts.
Baptist doctrine[for the most part] stops just short of ascribing the gifts to the devil.
So keep that in mind while shopping for a church.
Judging from your last sentence you may know more about baptist than you are alluding to.
A lot of people here are passionate about their beliefs and this type of subject will step on toes no matter what is said.
We are winding down at a dramatic pace to the end and focus on Jesus will keep all of us "sweet".
I f i were you I would Fast and pray and seek the absolute highest and best God offers.

David

Greetings in the name of Christ
I guess you have opened up a rather large "can of worms" here on SI :) I can only imagine where this thread will end up :)
"Baptist" is a rather vague term these days in America, and the differences between the three groups you mentioned are great. Being neither a theologin or a scholar I will simply direct you to a rather brief work by a Southern Baptist preacher named JM Carrol. This was written during the early part of the last century. Bear in mind that the Southern Baptist denomination was quite a bit different then than it is today. This work, known as "The trail of Blood" is generally considered by most conservative Independant Baptists to be an excellent history of the Baptist church.
You can find this work at www.trailofblood.com
In Christ Aaron

partofaplan,

In answer to your question, there are several "Baptist Distinctives." First, all baptists believe in water baptism by submersion, after salvation, as an outward testimony of salvation. Second, all baptists believe in congregational church government in some form or another. Third, all baptists believe in the Second Coming of Christ, although there is no set belief (i.e. post, pre, mid, etc.) A fourth baptist distinctive is eternal security. Fifth, all baptists believe in the autonomy of the local church. Bear in mind these are Baptist distinctives, that is, where baptists differ from other Christian denominations. They also believe in salvation by grace through faith, the Trinity, inspiration of Scripture, etc., but that is not what sets them apart as Baptists for these are traditional Christian beliefs.

In regards to Southern Baptists and independent baptists there are many differences, but really only one main difference. All baptist churches are independent (including Southern Baptists,) but Southern Baptist churches are churches that have ascribed to the Baptist Faith and Message and give to the Cooperative Program (a missions organization of sorts.)

There is much more that could be said in terms of history, other beliefs, etc., but I hope this answers your question.
In Christ,
Kendall

moe mac,

moe_mac wrote:
First let me say that you assumed wrong. I am a member of a SB local church. Second, I don't have a problem with assurance of eternal security, what I do have a problem with is some people who only confess with their mouth and think they have beleived. The are taken captive by the devil as he and they tell themselves they are ok. Bereans or not we are all sinners, just some saved by grace. All are but filthy rags. Worse thing can happen to us is to get puffed up. An concordance and a whole library full of Bibles is useless without the Holy Spirit revealing to a person what HIS WORD says. Getting sticky now, right. I do know more about Baptist than you thought, that's the only church I have ever been a member of. The truth is the truth,

"taken captive of the devil"?
"think they have believed"?
Since according to you only baptists are escaping the devils deception you unwittingly appear to have opened yourself up to delusion.
There is not enough difference in eternal security and [whatever you want to call the other view] to make some big doctrinal divide.
The bro specifically asked "what are the differences"
You gave him a baptist answer
Then you jumped me?
What are you showing him?

David

wow. I had no idea I would spark a debate. I agree that no denomination is above another and we all need to seek God on what His words says. I wholeheartedly agree that we all need to be bereans and that not all Baptists are Bereans.

I guess I just was wanting to hear from the "horse's mouth", so to speak, what Baptist doctrine is.

Could you be more specific concerning Baptist doctrine? There are libraries full of baptist doctrine, so narrowing it down a bit would help :-). Is there any one area that you specifically want an answer to?
Kendall

A fourth baptist distinctive is eternal security.

The General Baptist(GB) denomination does not believe in eternal security.

Could you be more specific concerning Baptist doctrine? There are libraries full of baptist doctrine, so narrowing it down a bit would help . Is there any one area that you specifically want an answer to?

Calvinism and Eternal security mostly.

This is kinda funny. [At least maybe it will break a little ice!]
A brother is in his backyard at night with a flashlight combing through the grass on his knees.
His neighbor says "hey Bob[the names used are entirely fictional and not intended to represent the views or opinions of this station] what are you looking for?"
Bob replies "I think I lost my salvation!"

David

Being born in Oklahoma, does that make me what?

I have been a Baptist, but now I am a Christ One.

My birth, my baptism, my theology, is this what makes me who I am? I think Not. Someone ask me the other day if I was a prophet. I told them that Christ is the only true Prophet, and He by the Holy Spirit makes all that are Christ Ones, prophets. I also told him that I would rather be a son of God than a prophet outside of Christ.
"He made", some pastors, teachers, prophets, etc. and with the Christ in me we all can be made, all or any of these gifts, as the Holy Spirit distributes them as He pleases. The Christ in us is the GIFT GIVER, the Holy Spirit only uses in us what The Christ in us speaks to Him for us.

I am a Christian, a son of God by the only Begotten Son of God.

By Birth in Christ, Now in the Family of God, a new creation, a Christ person.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

We have much to learn in the Family. Let us proclaim that oneness in Christ.

John 16:12-13 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

We must be Christ Ones, son of God. This is the Holy Spirits work: "He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come."

The only Baptists we are: 1Cr 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Christ!

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

A Christ One: Phillip

Ive been giving this some deep thought and have decided what I am is a Bapa- antist
[Thats a baptist that walks backwards]
Anybody got a rearview mirror they're not using?

David

tjservant wrote:

A fourth baptist distinctive is eternal security.

The General Baptist(GB) denomination does not believe in eternal security.

Well, Like all Baptist conferences, the Baptist General Conference does believe in perseverance . . . and it doesn't. Bethlehem Baptist Church and John Piper are "General Baptist." Pastor John describes himself as a "seven-point" Calvinist. On the other end of the spectrum, and only five miles away physically, is Woodland Hills Church and Greg Boyd who preaches "open theism" and denies perseverance, his church is in the same BGC.

SDG,

Dave

Well, Like all Baptist conferences, the Baptist General Conference does believe in perseverance . . . and it doesn't. Bethlehem Baptist Church and John Piper are "General Baptist." Pastor John describes himself as a "seven-point" Calvinist. On the other end of the spectrum, and only five miles away physically, is Woodland Hills Church and Greg Boyd who preaches "open theism" and denies perseverance, his church is in the same BGC.

The "General Baptist" denomination and the Baptist General Conference are not the same thing...at all. The General Baptist denomination is Arminian.