Baptists
Baptist churches tend to be evangelical in
doctrine and reformed in worship. However, many Baptist churches do
not have a central governing authority, so a wide range of beliefs
can be seen between one Baptist church and another. A true Baptist
Church is one that God alone is the authority of, hence the Word of
God through the New Testament teachings.
Independent
Baptist
An Independent Baptist is not a
denomination per-se, Independent Baptist churches are Christian
churches characterized by being independent from the authority of
denominations and conventions. They tend to be more conservative than
other Baptist churches. Most Independent Baptist churches support the
core beliefs that most Baptist churches support with some variation,
here is the doctrine they live by. The King James Bible is the final
authority for what they believe and what they do. The Autonomy of the
Local Church. The Priesthood of the Believer. There are Two
Ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Individual's Soul
Liberty. The membership is made exclusively of Saved and baptized
individuals. There are only Two offices which guide the church:
Pastors and deacons. The Separation of Church and State.
Baptists are not Protestants. The name Protestant was given to those churches which came out of Roman Catholic church during the Reformation which began in the 1500s. It originally applied in the 1700's to Lutherans in Germany, the Presbyterians in Switzerland, and Anglicans or Church of England. Later such as Congregationalists, Episcopalians and Methodists were added to the lists of Protestants denominations. Though many people including Webster's Dictionary refer to Baptists as being Protestants, it is not historically correct to refer to them as such or to lump all non-Catholic denominations in one group and label them Protestant. Historically, Baptists were never a part of the Roman Catholic Church nor the Protestant Reformation. They cannot be correctly called "protesters" or Protestants who left the Roman Church.
Beliefs of The Baptist:
God: One God, The Almighty and only living God, in the form of three persons, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The first person in the Godhead. “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.” - Jeremiah 10:10,11. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” -I John 5:7.
Jesus Christ: The second person in the Godhead, the only begotten Son of God, sinless, and perfect, Who died to save sinners. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.“ -John 3:16.
The Holy Spirit: The third person in the Godhead, also known as the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God, who lives in all who receives Christ. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” -Ephesians 1:13.
Sin:A any wrong doing in the eyes of God with the body, mind, or mouth. Sin, rather a sin nature was passed down to all mankind as a result of sin by Adam. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” -Romans 5:12.
Sinner: Everyone except Christ was born with a sin nature, a curse passed down to man from Adam. A sinner is someone who has sinned in their lifetime. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” - Romans 3:10,11,23.
Heaven and Hell: Heaven, the place where God, Jesus, angels, and all those who believe in and receive Christ dwell. Hell a place of torment and eternal damnation, all who are receive Christ receive eternal life enter heaven upon the death of the body, all who reject Christ receive eternal death and hell upon the death of the body and a second death when Christ returns. “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” -I Peter 1:4. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”- Revelation 1:18. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” - Revelation 20:14. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” -II Peter 2:4.
Christ's Death, Burial, & Resurrection: Christ died the sinless Lamb to be the atonement for the sinner, He was buried and arose three days later to give all who believe in and receive Him victory over sin, death, and hell. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” -Romans 10:9,10.
Salvation: Salvation only comes by faith in Christ alone, we are not saved from sin, death, and hell by works of the law, but by believing in the Gospel, receiving Him as our Savior, and trusting only in Him to save us. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 2:8
Eternal Life: Everlasting life is given freely to all who have received Christ as their Savior, it means forever, sin cannot take it away because we are saved by grace, not works. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” -I Peter 3:18.
Baptism: A public profession of faith by a person who has received Christ as their Savior. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” -Romans 6:4,5.
Bible: The Word of God, the perfect, infallible, words of the only living God, that always has been before the world began, written by the inspiration of God, and made flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” - John 1:1-3,14. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” - II Timothy 3:16,17.
