Through the years of my study
of church history and especially Baptist history, I have come to identify three
doctrines that I see as the three legs that hold up a scriptural church
The preservation of the soul
Salvation is a work of Jesus
Christ, which is impossible to lose.
The preservation of the scriptures
The Word of God is infallible
and eternal. It has not mistakes and there is in existence a Bible that
contains no mistakes. The only version of the Bible that could possibly qualify
is the King James Version.
The preservation of the sanctuary
The church that Christ builds
and the gates of hell have not prevailed against is neither Protestant nor
Catholic. It has to be Anabaptist[1]/Baptist as only they have
a claim to a history outside of Catholicism.
That said there are plenty of
Baptist people who would disagree with me. That’s all right. If there any is
truth that is evident in Baptist history it is that Baptists have not always
agreed. Generally I think that has been because of the limitations they had in
available portions of the Bible and of opportunity to fellowship with other
Baptists for the continuity of faith. Mostly I believe it is because the chief
tenant of Baptist faith is the responsibility of each individual to worship God
according to the dictates of his or her own conscience.
I liken this to the seat of
that three-legged stool. We cannot, must not, force our own conviction upon
another. We have an obligation to present our understanding of the Bible to
others but they have the obligation and right to search out the matter and come
to their own convictions. This essentially leads to differing ideas.
Someone will object, “How can
that be if the Holy Spirit of God is guiding and teaching each of us?” The
answer is found, I believe, in Isaiah 28:9-13 (KJV)
Whom shall
he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that
are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept
must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little:
For with
stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he
said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is
the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
But the word
of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon
line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go,
and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
God teaches knowledge to a
people with stammering lips and who see through a glass darkly[2].
- · Line upon line
- · Precept upon precept,
- · Here a little and there a little
We learn slowly, gradually
and imperfectly. Therefore God teaches us patiently. God isn’t teaching us
differently but He is teaching us at our own level. It is a gracious act on the
part of God but it means that none of us have either complete or perfect
understanding. We are going to have to be gracious and patient with others who
haven’t come to see things just as we have. Likely one of the two of us, or
both of us, will come to change how we see things as God gives us a little more
here and there.
Does this mean that we should
ignore differences and even become indifferent and dispassionate about them?
Not at all. It is through the:
- · Passionate study,
- · Preaching,
- · Discussion,
- · Point and counter point of conversation (even intense debate)
that we polish and perfect
those truths we hold so dear.
1 Corinthians 11:19 (KJV)
For there
must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made
manifest among you.
Heresies motivate passionate
study and perfecting of doctrine.
Should believers, who are in
passionate disagreement, be forced to unite in the same church body as if there
were no differences. I say, “No.”
Amos 3:3 (KJV)
Can two walk
together, except they be agreed?
Here is, I think, the genius
and the beauty of the independent, local Baptist church. We organize together
with members of like faith and practice. We recognize that not every believer
sees things exactly the same as we do, and we don’t fault them for it[3] but we do not ignore it
and act as if these differences do not exist. In some cases we may choose to
have no fellowship with them at all but even then we do not count them as an
enemy but as a brother with whom we differ.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (KJV)
And if any
man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with
him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count
him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Perhaps the greatest act of
kindness I can do for a brother in the Lord is agree that, because we do not
agree, we belong in a different kind of church - even a different kind of
independent Baptist church.
[1] I place groups such as
Mennonites, Amish, and Quakers as well as Baptists in this group.
[2] 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV)
For now we
see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as
also I am known.
[3] Though we might aggressively preach and teach in opposition to what they
believe.
