Why I Left the Baptist Church
by:
Bill Cantrell
INTRODUCTION:
1.
This material is not intended to be unkind nor offensive in any form, although
it may
be taken that way. It is intended to simply give
my reasons for leaving the
"Missionary Baptist Church."
2. I do not desire to misrepresent anyone or anything, but to bring into focus why I left.
3. I will begin by stating some reasons I did not leave.
A. I did not leave because of hard feelings. I had no hard feelings
toward any
person of the Baptist church. I had friends then who were members, and I
have
personal friends now who continue to be members of the Baptist church.
B. I did not leave because the people were dishonest. Some of the
most sincere
people I have known, were members of that denomination.
C. I did not leave because they did not believe the inspiration of the
bible. They
believe in the inspiration of the bible as much as we in the Lord's body do.
D. I did not leave because they were unconcerned for the lost. They
for the most
part are very concerned about lost people and make diligent effort to reach
them.
E. I did not leave because they were immoral. They are as a whole
very moral.
They
preach and believe the moral values taught in the bible.
F. I did not leave because they were not concerned about each other.
They are
deeply
concerned about each other.
4.
These are a few reasons I did not leave the Baptist church. Now I would
like to
consider a few reasons why I did leave the Baptist
church.
I.
I LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH BECAUSE IT HAS NO SCRIPTURAL RIGHT TO
EXIST.
A. I do not intend for this to be unkind! Let me ask these
questions: Where is the
scriptural authorization for its existence? Where in scripture do we read
of a
Baptist
Church? I am not talking about the word "Baptist," I realize the
word
"Baptist" is used and that in connection with "John the
Baptist," but where is it
used in
connection with any other person or church in the New Testament?
B. Why I do not believe it has a scriptural right to exist.
1. Whatever we do in religious matters is to be done by the authority of
Christ
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Col. 3:17). "IN THE
NAME"
indicates all that name entails, character and authority. Where is the
authority
for its scriptural right to exist?
2. It is the out growth of division. If it cannot find the New
Testament right
(authority) to exist, then it must be the product of division. The Lord
Jesus
Christ promised to build only one church. I know this is unpopular,
however,
just because it is unpopular does not nullify the fact. I would like for
you to
please consider the following: When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea
Philippi and had ask his disciples who men said he was and then inquired as to
who the disciples thought he was, so as to focus upon his deity, as set forth in
Peter's confession "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God." Jesus
promised to build His Church, "And I say also unto thee, That thou
art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18). The noun "church"
is accusative feminine
singular in form. The word church is singular in English and the original
language. The singular indicates the singularity not the plurality of the
church.
In addition note that the church of Christ is the body of Christ.
"And hath put
all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in
all." (Eph.
1:22-23). Notice please that the church is the body, now, since the church
is
the body, if I can determine the number of bodies there were, I can also
determine the number of churches there were. The same book holds the
answer "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one
hope
of your calling." (Eph. 4:4). Since the church is the body, and
since there is
one body, it follows there is one church.
3. Since the Lord built only one church, then any church that is in
addition to His
is the product of division. The very term denomination indicates this
fact. The
word denomination indicates a sect which is defined as ". . . 1.
a: a dissenting
or schismatic religious body; esp: one regarded as extreme or
heretical b:
a religious denomination. . ." The bible calls for unity, not unity
in diversity,
but unity based upon speaking the same things. "Now I beseech you,
brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and
that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together
in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Cor. 1:10). If a
church cannot
be found in the New Testament, it is not the church that Jesus built and is
therefore a denomination or sect.
II. I LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH BECAUSE OF THEIR PLAN OF SALVATION:
A. The Baptist teach that salvation is at the point of faith without any
other acts of
obedience. There may be some exceptions to this, but this is the general
consensus.
1. J.M. Pendleton's Baptist church manual says in relation to
justification "We
believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe
in him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin,
and the
promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness which we have done,
but solely through faith in the redeemers blood . . ." (p. 48)
2. This Hiscox Standard Baptist manual says regarding faith "We
believe the
scriptures teach that faith, as an evangelical grace wrought by the Spirit, is
the medium through which Christ is received by the soul as its sacrifice and
Saviour. It is an assent of the mind and a consent of the heart,
consisting
mainly of belief and trust; the testimony of God is implicitly accepted
and
believed as true, while Christ is unreservedly trusted for salvation; by
it
the believer is brought into vital relations with God, freely justified, and
lives
as seeing him who is invisible. Faith cannot save, but it reveals Christ
to the
soul as a willing and sufficient Savior, and commits the heart and life to
him."
(p. 139)
B. I believe as strongly as anyone that faith is essential to salvation,
the bible so
teaches (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 8:21-24). This cannot be
successfully denied.
Let it be kept in mind that there is a huge difference in saying we are saved by
faith in saying we are saved solely by faith or saying one is saved at the point
of faith without any further acts of obedience.
C. The bible does teach we are saved by faith, but not by faith
only. What doth it
profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?
can
faith save
him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily
food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith
without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou
believest
that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son
upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is
justified,
and not by faith only." (James 2:14-24)
D. The only faith that avails anything in Christ is the kind that works by
love
(Gal. 5:6)
III.
I LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH BECAUSE OF ITS DENIAL OF BAPTISM AS
A CONDITION OF SALVATION.
A. The Hiscox Standard Baptist manual says ". . . Baptism may not be
essential to
salvation, but it is essential to obedience . . ." (p. 83)
B. Pendleton in his Baptist church manual on pages 74-78 spends a lot of
time
trying to show that baptism is nothing more than an emblem or symbol.
He
says ". . . Then baptism is the outward symbol of the inward washing.
If any
one should say the passages referred to will not bear this interpretation, be
it so; but there is one passage that will bear it. "Arise and
be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord," said Ananias
to
Saul of Tarsus. "Wash away thy sins." How?
Literally? no, but symbolically.
The blood of Jesus really washes away sin. . ."
C. I do not believe that the power to wash away sin is in the water!
Nor does the
church of Christ so teach. The bible does however teach that baptism is
essential to salvation, not in an emblem sense, although it does symbolize the
death, burial and resurrection of Christ, but in a real sense. The blood
is what
cleanses, baptism is when it does it. Baptism as well as faith,
repentance, and
confession makes possible the appropriation of the blood of Jesus Christ by
which we are cleansed from sin.
D. The bible clearly teaches the place of baptism in being saved.
"And he said
unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not
shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)
"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
(Col. 2:
11-12)
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost."
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins,
calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
IV.
I LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH BECAUSE IT TEACHES THAT ONCE A
PERSON IS SAVED HE IS ALWAYS SAVED.
A. The idea is that once a person is saved, he can never so sin so as to
lose his soul
and if he does sin and die in that condition that indicates that he never was
saved.
B. If this theology be correct, It becomes impossible for one member of
the Baptist
church to know he is saved until the day he dies.
C. This doctrine will not stand the test of scripture:
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Gal. 5:4)
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (I Cor. 10:12)
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (II Peter 2:20-22)
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;" (Heb. 2:1-3)
"Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb. 3:7-13)
V.
I LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH BECAUSE IT IS UNSCRIPTURAL IN ITS
WORSHIP.
A. I believe they are unscriptural in at least two areas:
1. The Lord's supper. I do not consider them unscriptural in the
reason they
take it, but the frequency they take it. The Baptist church with which I
was
identified observed it quarterly. Why? They often say Paul said
"as often
as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he
come." He did not say how often! If this be true then the
Jehovah Witnesses
are justified in observing it once a year. Why not observe it every
seven
years or once a life time? What Paul said is true and the frequency is not
specified, however, the same apostle Paul said in Acts 20:7 "And we sailed
away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them
to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And upon the first
day
of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached
unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech
until
midnight." (Acts 20:6-7). I would like to ask, why do the
Baptist not give
quarterly, yearly, etc.? It was upon the first day of the week they were to
lay
by in store (I Cor. 16:1-2). How many weeks have the first day?
The Lord's
supper was observed every first day of the week and that to remember the
Lord's death till he comes.
2. Instrumental music. I realize there are some Baptist churches
that do not
use instrumental (mechanical) music in worship to God (some primitive,
etc.).
I enjoy instrumental music as much as the next fellow, but not in worship to
God. I am often asked, why? Simply put, there is no New Testament
authority for it! Authority is something we must have before we do
something
in worship (Col. 3:17). We all agree it is scriptural to sing (Eph.
5:19; Col.
3:16), the problem comes, when things are brought into the worship of the
church without biblical authority.
CONCLUSION:
1. These are some of the reasons I left the Baptist Church.
2.
The people that comprise the Baptist church are precious and do a lot of good
things,
my hearts desire and prayer to God for them is, they
would give up the things that
are unscriptural and identify with the church for which
the Lord gave his life (Eph.
5:25)
3.
Let me encourage them to "prove all things, hold fast to that which is
good." (I Thess.
5:21)