[ltpage]

What Are the Eight Baptist Distinctives? This is something I study over from time to time, just to remind myself why I am what I am. It might be helpful to you too.


These teachings may be remembered by associating them with the letters that form the word "BAPTISTS."


Biblical Authority


The Bible(KJV) is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture's inherent authority.


2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21


Autonomy of the Local Church


The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church's beliefs or practices. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a "member" of any other body.


Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23


Priesthood of the Believer


"Priest" is defined as "one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God." Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God's Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God--whether we are a preacher or not.


1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9, 10


Two Ordinances


The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord's Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins.


Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32


Individual Soul Liberty


Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself.


Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:9


Saved, Baptized Church Membership


Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer's baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.


Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 4:3


Two Offices


The Bible mandates only two offices in the church--pastor and deacon. The three terms--"pastor," "elder," and "bishop," or "overseer"--all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor and deacon exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside or over the local church.


1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-38; Philippians 1:1


Separation of Church and State


God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. The government's purposes are outlined in Romans 13:1-7 and the church's purposes in Matthew 28:19 and 20. Neither should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. Christians in a free society can properly influence government toward righteousness, which is not the same as a denomination or group of churches controlling the government.


Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 15:17-29

[stephanos]

Yep, those are them. I think our pastor goes over them once a year. I think it's a good practice. Though I wish he'd elaborate on the "B" a bit more, since he never talks about the KJB being THE inerrant infallible Word of God.

Peace and Love,
Stephen

[chette777]

[quote=ltpage;15532] Priesthood of the Believer


"Priest" is defined as "one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God." Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God's Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God--whether we are a preacher or not.

1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9, 10 [quote=ltpage; 15132]

ltpage,

Do you have any scriptures from the Epistles of Paul that support this doctrinal point?

I know Paul teaches we have personal access to God for prayer through Christ. And we don't need to be a priest or called a priest or to see ourselves as priests, to study the word of God, to pray, to offer spiritual worship, or minister, we all have those privileges in Christ once we believed.

What I am asking for is scriptures where Paul calls the body of Christ a priest, priests or any individual in the body of Christ a priest? this would verify that this should be taught as a doctrine to the church.

From the way I understand it, if it agrees with the writings of Paul then it is a doctrine for the body of Christ today. if it doesn't it is not for the body of Christ as doctrine but may have applicable practice or spiritual application, in this case I believe the later.

Israel are the priests that is their promised position and after their chastisement is complete in the tribulation they will be set up in the Kingdom and then for all eternity to be the priests of God. the letters of Peter and the book of Revelation are tribulational dispensation writings for the believers after the gathering of the Body of Christ.

it is important to ask who it is written to and for what purpose it is written to them, what dispensation would it fall into, so forth and etc... for the establishment of correct doctrine for today concerning the Body of Christ.

[stephanos]

Originally Posted by chette777

ltpage,

Do you have any scriptures from the Epistles of Paul that support this doctrinal point?

I know Paul teaches we have personal access to God for prayer through Christ. And we don't need to be a priest or called a priest or to see ourselves as priests, to study the word of God, to pray, to offer spiritual worship, or minister, we all have those privileges in Christ once we believed.

What I am asking for is scriptures where Paul calls the body of Christ a priest, priests or any individual in the body of Christ a priest? this would verify that this should be taught as a doctrine to the church.

From the way I understand it, if it agrees with the writings of Paul then it is a doctrine for the body of Christ today. if it doesn't it is not for the body of Christ as doctrine but may have applicable practice or spiritual application, in this case I believe the later.

Israel are the priests that is their promised position and after their chastisement is complete in the tribulation they will be set up in the Kingdom and then for all eternity to be the priests of God. the letters of Peter and the book of Revelation are tribulational dispensation writings for the believers after the gathering of the Body of Christ.

it is important to ask who it is written to and for what purpose it is written to them, what dispensation would it fall into, so forth and etc... for the establishment of correct doctrine for today concerning the Body of Christ.

I do wonder though if they apply to us as well. Mainly I believe this because we are a part of the Kingdom of God, which is a spiritual Kingdom, and then we run into:

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5 KJV)

I don't see how this doctrine conflicts with Church age doctrine. There are many things Paul didn't write about which apply to us. So, I think the burden is to shew that these don't apply to us, and this isn't done by a blanket statement such as "well that book isn't for us...". You could say the same thing about the book of Proverbs, yet who is foolish enough to ignore the profound doctrines found therein?

Peace and Love,
Stephen

[chette777]

Well Peter's writings are considered tribulational by most dispensationalists. we may and so did others offer up spiritual sacrifices that were not priests at all. they application is there but no support from Paul means that it just not a Doctrine. So it will have spiritual application and personal application.

The Doctrine would be "that we are called Priests" and we as the body are never called that. but we are for sure part of the Body of the Great High Priest, and Author of Eternal Salvation.

concerning the resurrection of the martyred saints in Rev 20 they are said to be, "they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." but these ones priesthood is only for 1,000. the cross reference for them is Rev 1:6, 5:10 for they the martyred saints are the slain souls under the altar awaiting the end and justice that are made kings and priests unto God.

all references from the book of Romans to Revelation place the term priest from Heb-Revelation only. Paul never refers to us being Priest or having an earthly reign. but Israel does and will have those things

[stephanos]

Originally Posted by chette777

Well Peters writings are considered tribulational by most dispensationalists. we may and so did others offer up spiritual sacrifices that were not priests at all. they application is there but no support from Paul means that it just not a Doctrine. So it will have spiritual application and personal application.

The Doctrine would be "that we are called Priests" and we as the body are never called that. but we are for sure part of the Body of the Great High Priest, and Author of Eternal Salvation.

concerning the resurrection of the martyred saints in Rev 20 they are said to be, "they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." but these ones priesthood is only for 1,000.

Yeah, well I'm just not convinced that Peter's epistles are to be disregarded as Tribulational. Peter had been taught by Paul (well rebuked is a better work) and also knew of what God was doing with the Gentiles. Peter also comments on Paul's letters as if he's read them. I also imagine Peter had fellowship with Paul in Rome, since they both died there. I don't believe, or rather, am not convinced, that Peter's epistles are all out Tribulational. I think they are unique, and they have remnants of his pre-Pauline Kingdom of Heaven doctrine in them, but never the less I'm not so eager to disregard what I read in them. To me, with a book of the Bible such as this, one must compare it with other Scriptures to see if it contradicts what Paul writes. I don't see it doing this. The parallels this particular passage of Scripture has with those found in Paul's letters are no coincidence to me.

Also, you have got to stop saying something is not a Doctrine. That simply makes no sense. Everything in the Scripture is a doctrine. You must makes sure that you clarify what you mean Chette or else you will run the risk of rubbing folks the wrong way who don't know what you're talking about and have no knowledge of Dispensations. A better way to say it would be "not an applicable Church age doctrine". The reason I say this is because of:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

Doctrine is essentially a teaching. All Scripture is good for teaching. So, just take it from someone who was vehemently anti-dispensationalism that the distinction needs to be spelled out when you say "not a Doctrine".

Peace and Love,
Stephen

[chette777]

"To me, with a book of the Bible such as this, one must compare it with other Scriptures to see if it contradicts what Paul writes." quote from Stephanos

Exactly, and Paul never calls the body of Christ Priest, Priests or priesthood. He never teaches we have a position as a priest or that we have a priesthood. And that can be seen quickly by word searching in any electronic Bible study program. we just don't compare scriptures cause people can do that and mix together their ideas of what scriptures to make a teaching and it still be false. importantly the key words must also be compared. in this case the word Priest.

Bible study programs cross references and the cross references in our bibles cannot be trusted 100%. for example in Brandon's sword searcher he uses Treasury of Scripture Knowledge for the cross referencing which is good, but like the ones in our Bibles they are not inspired. Bible published by Calvinist have a Calvinist cross reference system, Baptist Briders have their theology laid out in their cross reference, and so on and so forth. i.e. I have now seen three different publications of Scolfield's Bible each has a slightly different cross reference system used and the New Scoldfield the editors re did the whole cross reference system altogether.

So I have developed the habit of using the bible and its phrases and words as a natural inspired cross reference and in so doing some of the Doctrines of men come to light and you see that their specific influence comes out. Try not looking at your cross reference guides in your bible and get out your dusty old Strong's Concordance and start looking at the natural inspired cross reference preserved in your KJV Bibles by God himself. it wil be enlightening to you.

It seems you haven't got the understanding of the difference between essential doctrine (orthodox sound doctrines) and just plain teachings (doctrines) applications for life and godliness. In the sense that Sound Doctrine are the tenets of our faith. Kiwi called the Orthodox doctrines verses teaching that are not doctrines but applicable to the body of Christ.

Peter's books to me have a flavor of transitional from church age to Tribulation. or as it seems teaches both how Jews and gentiles can be saved in the Tribulation. I haven't fully sided with the hard core Dispensationals on the view it is all for Israel. to many applications for the church today and to gentiles by way of non essential doctrines.

the only thing in the whole 8 BAPTIST points I don't agree with is the P. not saying we are not ministers or have some spiritual purpose. just that Paul never teaches us we are priests

Originally Posted by chette777

Israel are the priests that is their promised position and after their chastisement is complete in the tribulation they will be set up in the Kingdom and then for all eternity to be the priests of God. the letters of Peter and the book of Revelation are tribulational dispensation writings for the believers after the gathering of the Body of Christ.

it is important to ask who it is written to and for what purpose it is written to them, what dispensation would it fall into, so forth and etc... for the establishment of correct doctrine for today concerning the Body of Christ.

Well okay brother, I hear and respect what you're saying, but I don't think we can downplay the priesthood of the believers because of those perspectives, can we? Paul's words are not needed for the Bible clearly identifies living Christians as priests, a royal priesthood. Now, not later or in some other dispensation, right now. Read the verse:

I Peter 2:9, "But ye ARE a chosen generation, a royal priesthood..."

To my knowledge, this epistle was written by Peter to the dispersed Christians (parepidemos or pilgrims) around 62-64 A.D. to provide them with a doctrinal foundation. I always considered Peter's readers to this epistle to be predominantly believers of Gentile rather than Jewish background (1:1-2; 2:9-10; 4:3-4, 16). The priesthood of all believers is not only a "Jewish thing" or for another dispensation. I think for Baptists, it's simply a confirmation of the fact that Jesus cut out the middleman. We do not require priests, we ARE priests. We do not require ministers, we ARE ministers.
(at least that's the way I see it)

I think in this context, the term "PRIEST" is cohesive with "MINISTER" and Peter sums it up nicely here in chapter 4:

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so MINISTER the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man MINISTER, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Just my 2 cents...