It has been shown from the last two articles, that Baptist people are not associated or kin to John the Baptist. How they came about with their name and their doctrine has previously been discussed. If they knew not John the Baptist, it is for sure they had no kinship with our Lord! The doctrines that they teach hail from the 13th 14th and 15th centuries, not the first or second century. Their doctrines are rebuttals in many cases to the false doctrine of Roman Catholicism and its tenets. Their “faith only” “believe in Jesus, only,” “works nullify grace” are contradictory doctrine to the church of Rome.
The Scriptures teach that the church of the New Testament, is known as the Baptist Church, and was established during the personal ministry of Christ. The problem with this supposition is that “a testament cannot exist as long as the testator lives!! Hebrews 9:16-17 There could then be no new new testament church until after Christ died! If the Baptist Church came into existence during Christ personal ministry, then the gospel of Christ was effective before Christ had authority to preach it! Every time they tell you something about the New Testament before the New Testament came into effect or before Christ died, you have to revert back to Hebrews 9:16 – 17. Just in case you may have never read that verse of Scripture, let me cite that for you right now. “For where testament is, there must also be the death of the testator. For a testament is a force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator to lives.” Please explain to me then how the New Testament covenant could be in effect before the death of He who made that covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ.
They will tell you that the New Testament church is the Baptist Church, that the New Testament churches the Baptist Church existed during Christ personal ministry, and that the Baptist Church became effective before the New Testament church. The problem is you probably never read this in the Bible, and that historically, the Baptist Church of which you have heard did not begin until 1603. If I can count that’s about 1600 years after Christ established his church in AD33, 9 o’clock on Sunday morning. I find no place in the Scriptures themselves that teach anything about a Baptist Church, speak of its existence anywhere the apostle Paul preached, or told a way to enter its membership in the entirety of the New Testament. Could the New Testament Scriptures be so blatantly silent about what Jesus gave his life blood to purchase? All they need to do is presented passage(s) that mention the church called the Baptist. We will accept one in the Old Testament, even, if they have one to give us!! To present the verse of Scripture that names the Baptist Church as an existent entity before the church of Christ came into existence in AD 33 will forever settled the problem. Right!!
You might do as I have done. I was born in Johnson City, Tennessee in 1945. Before 1945, I was not. I did not even owe anyone anything before I was born!! The problem with this doctrine is it is just not true. John and Jesus thought the kingdom was at hand, nigh at the door! These were prophecies about something that would be, not already was! You can do as I have done, ask them if Judas was in the kingdom? Then refer them to Mark 9:1. Was Nicodemus in the kingdom? Was Zaccheus in the kingdom? Was the rich young ruler in the kingdom? Was Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob!!
There are terms and appellations that describe different functions that people can fulfill. A human being of the male gender is generally called a man, but that man could be called a father, that man can be called a Christian, that man can be an American. These adjectives define the man. The kingdom, the church, the bride, the pearl of great price and many other appellations described the same institution, just different facets of that institution. Jesus is the King of the kingdom, He is the head of the church, He is the groom who married the bride, He purchased the pearl of great price. Until all authority was given to Christ, until He sat down on His holy Hill in Zion, until the regeneration took place-Matthew 19:28 HE WAS NONE OF THESE!! These same principles exist when you use the name church or bride. None of these ever refer to the Baptist, by the way.
