To understand another fallacy about the Baptist Church, we must understand how they as a society cannot progress beyond their present existence because when they began their church they did not intend for it to go beyond the limits of the Reformation; beyond that which would have caused them to be heretical. The founders of all schisms saw through “a glass darkly,” and they were so engulfed in human tradition that they never intended to come all the way back to the pattern of the New Testament!! There is a difference in starting a church for societal freedom, where one could worship as they pleased, and starting a church for the salvation of the soul where one would worship as God pleased. A new creed was soon adopted, and then they were completely enmeshed in pride and would not admit they could be wrong.
This new creed bound them from infancy and because of jealousy, the dividers became the divided. There is something that has not often been discussed– the purpose for which something has been brought into existence determines its reason for existence! The Baptist Church came into existence over its insatiable desire to worship and teach its own private doctrine. It did not come into existence seeking the will of God. It did not come into existence demanding of itself that it must become the closest religious body in the world to the truth written in the word of God by the Holy Spirit to His apostles. If the purpose for which something comes into existence is not right or is not channeled in the right direction, then the end result can never be anything that’s good!! For example: a man marries a woman because she’s wealthy- you can bet that marriage will not be happy. A young woman marries an old man for money, a family worships with the wrong congregation because there are children there they can befriend their children- they seem to have no reason to worship with a congregation because of the amount of truths taught. When the Baptist Church came into existence in 1603, its purpose was not to be the exact copy of the church of Christ of the first century. In the writings of its founder or founders, this was not a prerequisite. How could the results be good? Since the Baptist Church has never existed to be the closest thing to the word of God that exist on the earth, its purpose of existence is still not that that will give the proper outcome!! They just didn’t start out to be the church of Christ!! The purpose of their origin might be honorable, but the marriage of the young woman to the old man is more honorable than just living together: love is not the purpose of their union. If the purpose of their union is not founded on truth, their marriage can never grow beyond a certain standard, or grow at all!! This has never been the purpose for our existence as the church of Christ– it is never been our purpose just to exist, our purpose has always been to take the writings of the Holy Spirit as our creed, our rules and measures of faith and practice; and, never allow any additions, alterations, or amendments that would alter our purpose of existence!!
When the church exists only for the purpose of making its people better, making them more moral, preach on joy, love, and peace and never explain the purpose of their existence is to defend the teachings and doctrines of God, what can the church ever expect to be? When we understand that the things concerning the Holy Spirit and the defense of His word are not the most important purpose for our existence, the purpose for our existence will only cause division– not the unity of the Spirit!! I think in many instances men and women are loyal to a purpose of existence that is not loyal to Jesus Christ, and they think that their purpose of existence is as good as the church that He purchased with His blood. To read the Scriptures for the sake of carrying out into practice all that we learn, and to read them for the sake of knowing what is written, are very different things, and will produce very different results. To be a member of the Baptist Church, which never in its purpose of origin or continuous existence is to be the closest thing to the New Testament pattern as is possible to be, will never bring the results that those who love the Lord but are misled by the error that it teaches, will bring. You can love Jesus Christ with ever faculty of your being, but if you have never met His blood, you will be lost!!
