“Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV) “For we are God’s fellow workers… .” 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NIV) The Baptist denomination defies simple descriptions. Baptists do not fit into neat categories. Diverse in many ways, Baptists are defined, not by a single doctrine, but by a group of beliefs and practices. Taken as a whole, these make Baptists a distinct fellowship of Christians. Materials abound concerning Baptists. This article offers only a brief overview. Who Are Baptists? Baptists are a diverse people. Racially, Baptists are—“red, yellow, brown, black and white.” Once predominately white, Baptists are now a virtual kaleidoscope of human hues. Economically, Baptists vary from paupers to billionaires. They live in hovels and mansions. They exist on welfare checks and thrive as entrepreneurs. Politically, Baptists cover practically the entire spectrum. They serve in numerous government positions and also endure government persecution. Educationally, Baptists range from illiterate people to brilliant scholars. Baptists include those who have no…

“For where two or three, are gathered together, in my name, there am I in the midst of them” Matthew 18:20 A kaleidoscope of misconceptions, issues, threats and challenges surround the practice of Baptist autonomy. Yet the benefits far outweigh the difficulties associated with autonomy. Baptist churches are autonomous under the lordship of Christ. No individual or group of Baptists outside of a church has authority to dictate Baptist doctrine and polity to that church. Some Misconceptions about Baptist Autonomy The Baptist denomination is made up of various entities, including local congregations, associations of churches, state and national conventions and various other groups. According to Baptist polity, each of these is autonomous. However, this autonomous relationship is sometimes misunderstood. For example, some think in terms of “levels” in Baptist life, such as the local church level, the associational level, the state convention level and the national convention level. The concept is that the higher levels include the lower ones and have authority over them. This is not Baptist polity. National conventions are not comprised of state conventions. State conventions are not comprised of associations. To the contrary, each is an autonomous Baptist body. Furthermore, none of these entities has any…

…of human thought. It is not an authority in science. It does not claim to be.” Hobbs also writes, “The Bible lays no claim to being a textbook of history, literature, philosophy, psychology or science. Yet it contains true elements of all these and more.” The Authority of the Bible Relates to Other Basic Baptist Beliefs Because Baptists regard the Bible as the sole written authority for faith and practice, the Bible is foundational for Baptist doctrine and church polity. Baptist statements of belief through the centuries have always cited Scriptures for each belief set forth. On the authority of the Bible, Baptists base beliefs in matters such as salvation by grace through faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, soul competency, believer’s baptism, the symbolic nature of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, a church membership only of those who have been born again, congregational church governance, the autonomy of churches, religious freedom, and voluntary cooperation for missions and ministry. Some of these basic convictions relate in a special way to how Baptists view and interpret the Bible. For example, belief in soul competency and the priesthood of all believers leads Baptists to insist that each believer-priest is competent to…

…Bible. Baptists believe that congregational governance best reflects the practices of those churches described in the New Testament. For example, the members of a church acting in concert, not any one person or group, made major decisions (Acts 6:1-6; 13:1-3; 15:22; 2 Corinthians 8:1-13). Salvation Only by Grace through Faith. Baptists believe that all persons who are redeemed have come by grace to saving faith in Christ, not by works, social status, or any other thing (Ephesians 2:8-10). The ground at the foot of the cross is level. Therefore, no Baptist is to lord it over another. Thus, a church is to be governed by all of the people together under the lordship of Christ. Soul Competency and the Priesthood of Believers. Persons have a God-given competence to know and to follow God’s will. Those who respond by faith to God’s grace-gift of salvation become “believer priests” (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:1-10). Each believer priest has direct access to God through the Scriptures and prayer and is free under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to determine God’s will. Furthermore, each believer also is part of a “royal priesthood” in which Jesus Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 7-10). This…

…Christian life. The Bible teaches that salvation from the power and penalty of sin, from hell to heaven, comes only through faith in God’s grace gift of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18; Ephesians 2:8-10). The Bible records Jesus’ statement, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Salvation does not come from good works, or through sacraments, or by baptism or in church membership but only by a faith response to God’s grace gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thus, the Bible also emphasizes the importance of sharing the gospel so that people might know to believe in Jesus and be saved (Romans 10:13-17). Salvation involves a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Baptists believe that the Bible teaches that salvation is experiential, that it results from an experience of personal repentance of sin and of faith in Christ. Jesus compared this to being born again (John 3:7). The experience is not necessarily emotional, but it is personal. No one can do this for another. The Bible teaches that the gospel is for everyone, that whosoever believes in Christ as Lord and Savior can find salvation…

…just that. This year-long series of articles in the Baptist Standard is the result of his generosity. These articles are not an official statement of Baptist beliefs. In fact, no such “official” statement exists. No Baptist speaks for all Baptists. Therefore, these articles represent the viewpoint of one Baptist, the author. The series will deal with basic Baptist convictions and practices, supplying biblical bases and historical background. Topics to be covered include the Lordship of Christ, the authority of the Bible, soul competency, the nature of salvation, the priesthood of believers, believer’s baptism, church membership and polity, autonomy, voluntary cooperation, religious liberty and the separation of church and state, and major ways Baptists relate to the world. Some, if not most, of these topics are controversial. That is not surprising. Heated differences among Baptists are not new. It has been said that Baptists are not a silent people. Rather, Baptists passionately express their convictions. Our commitment to freedom of interpretation and expression leads to differences. Of course, such brief articles cannot adequately deal with these topics. In order to make more information available, a website will carry articles and resources on each topic. See www.baptistdistinctives.org. These articles go forth with…