|
Doctrinally Baptists Are Not Protestants
The viewpoint that Baptists share common doctrinal ground with Protestant groups is not an accurate reporting of
the facts. There are six striking differences.
-
Baptists believe with all their hearts that God's Word alone is sufficient for faith and practice. We read "All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine..." (II Timothy 3:16). Various
Protestant denominations have creeds, catechisms and assorted doctrinal standards. Baptists hold to the Bible
alone.
-
Baptists believe that Christ and only Christ is the Head of the Church even as the Scripture says, "Christ
is the head of the church" (Ephesians 5:23). There is no man who has the oversight of Baptist churches.
Baptists have no denomination in the sense of an organization that controls local congregations. Each local
church is autonomous and accountable only to Christ, who is its Head. A Baptist church, while
fellowshipping with congregations of like faith and practice, has no earthly headquarters. Its headquarters
is in Heaven.
-
Baptists believe from their hearts in a free church in a free state. Christ plainly taught that the state
and the church each had its own realm when he said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are
Caesar's; and unto God the things which are God's" (Matthew 22:21 ). Baptists are vigorously opposed to
union of state and church and believe that a state controlled church is a wretched excuse for Christianity
and a plain departure from Scripture. All of the Protestant Reformers fastened state churches upon their
followers.
-
Baptists believe strongly in individual accountability to God because the Scriptures clearly teach that
"every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). A priest cannot answer for you, a
church cannot answer for you to God. God-parents cannot answer for you. No one is saved because of what his
parents believe. No one is ,saved because of his identification with any religion. He will account for
himself to God. Protestants .generally do not hold this scriptural doctrine.
-
Baptist people furthermore have always held to believers' baptism. None of the Protestant Reformers held
this Bible teaching. In the Scriptures, faith and repentance always preceded baptism. On the day of
Pentecost Peter plainly told the people, "Repent and be baptized" (Acts 2:38). This obviously means that
there is no infant baptism since infants are incapable of repenting. No unbelievers are to be baptized. The
Reformers followed Rome in their teaching on baptism. Baptists have held steadfastly to the doctrine of
Christ and His Apostles on this point.
-
Baptist people furthermore have always held to believers' baptism. None of the Protestant Reformers held
this Bible teaching. In the Scriptures, faith and repentance always preceded baptism. On the day of
Pentecost Peter plainly told the people, "Repent and be baptized" (Acts 2:38). This obviously means that
there is no infant baptism since infants are incapable of repenting. No unbelievers are to be baptized. The
Reformers followed Rome in their teaching on baptism. Baptists have held steadfastly to the doctrine of
Christ and His Apostles on this point.
-
Baptists, on the basis of Scripture, have always held to a regenerate church membership; that is, a
membership that is made up only of people who give a credible profession of faith in Christ. In the
apostolic church, only those who became believers, those who received the Word of God and who had repented
of their sins, were baptized and received as church members (Acts 2:41). There was no automatic or
formalistic membership in apostolic churches nor in Baptist churches today.
From the review of these simple points it is more than clear that doctrinally Baptists are not Protestants.
| 
