Did John the Baptist Commence the Baptist Church?
I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and was constantly led to believe that John the Baptist launched the Baptist Church. Properly, it manufactured sense: John was a “Baptist” we had been “Baptists.” So John should have started out the Baptist Church, correct? Sure, optimistic considering at its best. Notion is, as they say, fact. Sometimes our perception and Truth are in opposition. And, sometimes, we find out the challenging way.
Studying the Bible in its entirety, relatively than pulling out a convenient verse listed here and there, produces the Creator’s intended impact – illumination of Real truth.
At the age of 21 I commenced to read through the Bible. Not the common informal perusal via a few Psalms or Proverbs, but a deliberate, systematic review of the 66 textbooks that make up the Bible. Looking through the Bible caused me to appraise the factors we Baptists thought and practiced.
Right after a cautious examine, I realized that there were a host of methods that we Baptists advocated that failed to align with the Bible. But one particular Baptist doctrine stood out previously mentioned all other individuals – that John the Baptist founded the Baptist Church.
Did John the Baptist start the Baptist Church? Do you want to locate it for oneself, or would you like to me share what I located? If you’re studying this sentence, I can believe that you want me to share what I located. Alright, listed here is knowledge from the Word of God. I hope you will verify it for your self.
We uncover King Herod, in the 14th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, investing his birthday at his winter season palace. He’d been in a position to seize and imprison John at his palace. Why did Herod want John in shackles? Since John experienced mentioned that Herod shouldn’t be sleeping with his sister-in-law, Herodias as a result, John was incarcerated for his incendiary assertion. In fact, Herod wished to execute John, but feared the response of the crowds because the populous considered John to be a prophet of God.
Then, during the celebration of Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter enticed Herod by dancing erotically just before him. Evidently Herod was mesmerized by her seductive talents and promised to give her anything at all she wanted. She’d presently been coached by her mom on what to request. “Give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter!” demanded Herodias’ daughter. Herod was now among a rock and the proverbial hard-spot. He failed to want to incite the crowds, but he also had to exhibit that he was a gentleman of his term. Ultimately he chose to make sure you Herodias’ daughter. Herod experienced John decapitated.
Why is this historic account of John’s dying important? Simply because it uncovers the solution to the query, “Did John the Baptist start the Baptist Church?” How does it uncover the response? John’s loss of life at the hand of Herod was ahead of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ created the very first prophecy that any church would be created. Jesus mentioned that He would develop a church – not John. Jesus mentioned that it would be His church – not John’s. John the Baptist launched no church. His name “John the Baptist” was simply a descriptive phrase of his mission and actions. John was a baptizer of gentlemen unto the baptism of repentance.
In the sixteenth chapter of the gospel of Matthew we find Jesus questioning His disciples. “Who are the crowds stating that I am?” His disciples responded, “Some are expressing that you are John the Baptist. Some are stating that you are a prophet, such as Elias or Jeremiah.” But Jesus needed to know what His possess disciples believed. “But who do you feel I am?” Jesus questioned. Peter responded and explained, “You are the Christ (the Messiah Savior), the Son of the living God!” Jesus exclaimed that Peter was blessed simply because his expertise was provided by God and not by flesh. Then Jesus helps make an incredible prophecy to Peter and to the rest of His disciples, “You are Peter, and on this rock (the rock of perception that Jesus was the Son of God, or what we would phone the confession of religion in Christ) I will create my church.”
It was Jesus, not John, who mentioned that He would create a church. We find that the Lord’s prophecy arrived accurate in the previous component of Functions chapter two. That section of Scripture reveals that all who were saved have been added to the Lord’s church by God. God provides the saved to the Lord’s church. There was no earthly council, no associations, and no conventions that voted on likely church member candidates.
In addition, Christ’s church was a “blood-acquired” institution, as stated in the twenty eighth chapter of the guide of Acts. It was to be an important, divine, blood-purchased institution that the saved of God would be added to by God.
Take into account this truth: John failed to prophecy that he would create any church. John didn’t give his blood for a church. John was basically the fore-runner for the Christ.
Background information that the Baptist Church was launched by a man named John Smyth, an Anglican priest ordained by the Church of England in 1594. Smyth turned a “Separatist,” and formed the very first “Baptist” church in Holland someplace amongst 1607 and 1609 – some 1570 years following Christ recognized His church. Smyth “re-baptized” himself by pouring water above his head. Then he baptized (poured) his followers. 1609 is the unofficial commencing of the Baptist Church.
Prior to his demise, Smyth abandoned his Baptist views and began attempting to proselytize his followers into the teachings Menno Simons, and the Mennonite Church.
Today’s Baptist Church customers are a team of excellent, sincere, moral, and zealous folks. Nonetheless, they belong to a man-created organization. They belong to a church that wasn’t bought with Christ’s blood, hood-winked in believing that John the Baptist started their business. How is this feasible? Baptist individuals have not taken the time to look into their own heritage. They have not taken the time to diligently research the Scriptures of God. They “suppose” that what they have been informed is the reality.
Why would so a lot of great folks align themselves with an firm that was evidently started by a guy, instead of simply obeying the directions of Peter found in the 2nd chapter of Acts and getting extra to the church of Jesus Christ by God Himself? The solution is as basic as the nose on your face. They just will not know. They are ignorant of these biblical and historic specifics.
Every Baptist need to have to know that Jesus Christ started His church and gave His blood for it. Paul told the church at Ephesus that Christ beloved the church and gave Himself for it. Paul also explained that Christ is the Head of His church, and the Savior of His human body, the church.
So we boil it down to this: do you want to be a member of the church that Jesus Christ recognized, or do you want to be a member of a church founded by John Smyth? My decision is Jesus. Give me the prospect to obey the recommendations for salvation identified in Functions two, and God will incorporate me to the church of Christ, Functions 2.
If baptist church in Raleigh have the religious wish to be a “Christian ONLY,” and a willingness to discover the a single, accurate, New Testament church of the Bible, Michael difficulties you to go through the guide Muscle and a Shovel. It is not only a tale that will grab you right away and not allow go, but it will problem your present beliefs outside of your creativeness.
Leave a Reply