Baptist Distinctives Part 6 “Separation of Church and State”

Southern Baptists Great Commission Baptists detail our understanding of biblical doctrine in Baptist Faith & Message. However, 7 “distinctives” put Baptists in a unique place:

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#6 Separation of Church and State

Ever since the Danville Baptists lobbied Thomas Jefferson to put it in the constitution, separation of church and state has been a Baptist distinctive. We, as Americans, take this right, enumerated in the first amendment, for granted. Without Baptists, religious liberty would probably have been assumed and would not have been specified in the US constitution. We believe that it is the duty of every believer to give their government what they are due based on their own laws as a citizen, but in return, that government should not interfere in the free exercise of any believer’s faith.

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marvelled. And they left him and went away.

-Matt 22:15-22

This is why Southern Baptists are so up-in-arms about the recent compulsion by the US government for religious organizations/institutions to provide things they find morally objectionable. See my former post about Craig V. Mitchell’s testimony before congress.

Baptist Distinctives Part 5 “Individual Soul Liberty”

Southern Baptists Great Commission Baptists believe what we have written in the Baptist Faith & Message but 7 “distinctives” are helpful to summarize what makes Baptists different:

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#5 Individual Soul Liberty

Every believer has to give account of himself, and himself alone, before God. There is no prescription of which days to observe, how to worship, which foods to eat or not eat, or what is the proper way to honor God. Each Christian is bound by their own conscience before God to do what is right based on his word (cf. 2Tim 3:16-17) within the context of a local church.

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honour of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honour of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honour of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God; for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

-Rom 14:5-12

Baptist Distinctives Part 4 “Two Ordinances: Baptism/Lord’s Supper”

The Baptist Faith & Message is a good summary of the beliefs of the 46,000 churches which make up the Southern Baptist Convention Great Commission Baptists, but there are 7 “distinctives” that have historically set us apart from other denominations and churches:

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#4 Two Ordinances: Baptism/Lord’s Supper

#4 (only) Two Ordinances (not sacraments): (believer’s) Baptism (in the biblical since, namely, post-salvation immersion)/Lord’s Supper (as a non-efficacious symbolic remembrance)

The first Christians lived at an exciting time! the book of Acts paints a picture of a growing and thriving body of Believers. Baptists have always believed, in fact in many ways this is THE distinctive for Baptists, that entrance into the community of a local church is through baptism (by immersion, which is redundant, baptism means “immersion”) following, and as a proclamation of, salvation. In the NT, people receive the word of Salvation, then they are baptized, then they participate in church life.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

-Acts 2:41-47

Jesus commanded the church to perform baptism (Matt 28:18) but he also commands the church to partake of the Lord’s Supper:

…Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes…

-1Cor 11:23-32

Baptist Distinctives Part 3 “Priesthood of All Believers”

Southern Baptists have the Baptist Faith & Message to encapsulate our believe, but there are 7 “distinctives” for Baptists:

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#3 Priesthood of All Believers

Every Believer has a common relationship to God. There is no hierarchy of higher saints or lower laity in the Baptist faith. There is no priest or intermediary between you and God the Father other than Jesus Christ. Each person has the same access and the same ability, through the power of the Spirit, to seek the Lord and determine his will.

You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…. you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

-1Pet 2:5-9

We are also called to care for one another and minister to each other (cf. 1Tim 5). We don’t have “professionals” who take care of our ministry for us (even though some churches do seem to function this way), we are all called to be “priests” to do the “work of ministry” (cf. Eph 4:11-16).

Baptist Distinctives Part 2 “Autonomy of the Local Church”

Southern Baptists have published the Baptist Faith & Message to let the world know what we believe. But there are “distinctives” that have defined us throughout the years:

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#2 Autonomy of the Local Church

Each church is free to govern itself. We, Southern Baptists, don’t have a “governing board” who disciplines churches. We do determine whether or not we fellowship with a congregation, based primarily on their belief/practice, but we do not prescribe how churches should act. The NT paints a picture of solving problems and exercising discipline within the context of local churches. This is why, most of the “public condemnation” that we see (mostly on blogs) is (in my opinion) inappropriate. Almost all spiritual “discipline” should be contained within a Believer’s local church:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

-Matt 18:15-17

Most people like to quote “judge not, lest ye be judged” (Matt 7:1), but this is not at all talking about within a local church, in fact quite the opposite. The NT principle is that we should be able to judge one another. Where does the judgment stop? It’s at the walls of your church. We are told not to judge those outside of the church (your church), what authority do we have (none)? But what we are absolutely called to do is to help your brothers/sisters in Christ who are all voluntarily in fellowship together, to the extent that if they are just not willing to repent of egregious public sin, we are commanded to put them outside of our church (1Cor 5). We are called to have discernment and we need to be able to govern our own affairs, each church is an independent body of believers who need to care for and lead their own people, there is no higher ecclesiastical authority to appeal to:

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

-1Cor 6:1-3

Baptist Distinctives Part 1 “Biblical Authority”

Southern Baptists (like me) are a part of a group of over 16M people who have joined together for a common mission. We don’t have a prescriptive doctrinal statement, but we do have the Baptist Faith & Message which is a summary of the beliefs of the 45,000 churches in fellowship. There are 7-principles that have been distinctively Baptist throughout the years.

Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances (believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper), Individual soul liberty, Separation of Church and State, and Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon)

#1 Biblical Authority

God’s word is a standard that will last, it will not change, it is an anchor to build your life upon:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

-Matt 24:35

God’s word is what changes people, it is the basis by which transformation occurs:

you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God

-1Pet 1:23

The Bible is God’s word and is truth without error. It is the primary tool he has given to teach us how to live life, to help us realize when we’re off track, to lead us back to his way, and to equip us for all the things he wants us to do:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

-2Tim 3:16-17

The final authority in the life of a Baptist is the Bible. You can talk about “this person” who teaches “that,” or present a coherent logical/philosophical argument, but ultimately, the text of God’s word (primarily the New Testament) is the final word. We believe that truth comes from revelation and depends on our proper interpretation of the Scriptures.

If you want to convince this Baptist, show me where you’re right in the Bible.

Why are “young people” leaving the church?

Well, below are the 6 main reasons why younger generations (mostly millennials) are leaving the church.

I think it can come down to a whole lot of people “playing at church.” When we don’t really know what we believe and why, and we don’t really live like we believe what we say we believe, that presents a problem for present generations. It didn’t present a problem as much in former generations because the culture was basically “christian.” People were expected to go to church, so they went (which might have been the root of the problem to begin with).

We need to realize that Jesus is the center of everything, our faith, our lives, everything. He needs to be real in our everyday walk. We need to really live-out our faith and wrestle with the hard issues. It’s not expected for everyone to go to church, in fact, tons of Christians don’t even feel compelled to even attend on a regular basis. We can do better, we must do better.

The church is the body of Christ. It is the kingdom organized on earth and the only vessel (flawed as it may be in reality) through which we are intended (according to the NT) to use our various gifts in cooperation to grow to become more like Jesus. Church is not optional, shame on us for living our lives so that our kids think they can live without real Christian fellowship within a community of baptized Believers.

We can do better, we must do better!

This comes from Barna’s 2011 survey and is quoted here from Pete Enns post:

Reason #1 – Churches seem overprotective. A few of the defining characteristics of today’s teens and young adults are their unprecedented access to ideas and worldviews as well as their prodigious consumption of popular culture. As Christians, they express the desire for their faith in Christ to connect to the world they live in. However, much of their experience of Christianity feels stifling, fear-based and risk-averse. One-quarter of 18- to 29-year-olds said “Christians demonize everything outside of the church” (23% indicated this “completely” or “mostly” describes their experience). Other perceptions in this category include “church ignoring the problems of the real world” (22%) and “my church is too concerned that movies, music, and video games are harmful” (18%).

Reason #2 – Teens’ and twenty-somethings’ experience of Christianity is shallow. A second reason that young people depart church as young adults is that something is lacking in their experience of church. One-third said “church is boring” (31%). One-quarter of these young adults said that “faith is not relevant to my career or interests” (24%) or that “the Bible is not taught clearly or often enough” (23%). Sadly, one-fifth of these young adults who attended a church as a teenager said that “God seems missing from my experience of church” (20%).

Reason #3 – Churches come across as antagonistic to science. One of the reasons young adults feel disconnected from church or from faith is the tension they feel between Christianity and science. The most common of the perceptions in this arena is “Christians are too confident they know all the answers” (35%). Three out of ten young adults with a Christian background feel that “churches are out of step with the scientific world we live in” (29%). Another one-quarter embrace the perception that “Christianity is anti-science” (25%). And nearly the same proportion (23%) said they have “been turned off by the creation-versus-evolution debate.” Furthermore, the research shows that many science-minded young Christians are struggling to find ways of staying faithful to their beliefs and to their professional calling in science-related industries.

Reason #4 – Young Christians’ church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental. With unfettered access to digital pornography and immersed in a culture that values hyper-sexuality over wholeness, teen and twentysometing Christians are struggling with how to live meaningful lives in terms of sex and sexuality. One of the significant tensions for many young believers is how to live up to the church’s expectations of chastity and sexual purity in this culture, especially as the age of first marriage is now commonly delayed to the late twenties. Research indicates that most young Christians are as sexually active as their non-Christian peers, even though they are more conservative in their attitudes about sexuality. One-sixth of young Christians (17%) said they “have made mistakes and feel judged in church because of them.” The issue of sexuality is particularly salient among 18- to 29-year-old Catholics, among whom two out of five (40%) said the church’s “teachings on sexuality and birth control are out of date.”
Reason #5 – They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity. Younger Americans have been shaped by a culture that esteems open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance. Today’s youth and young adults also are the most eclectic generation in American history in terms of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, technological tools and sources of authority. Most young adults want to find areas of common ground with each other, sometimes even if that means glossing over real differences. Three out of ten young Christians (29%) said “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths” and an identical proportion felt they are “forced to choose between my faith and my friends.” One-fifth of young adults with a Christian background said “church is like a country club, only for insiders” (22%).
Reason #6 – The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt. Young adults with Christian experience say the church is not a place that allows them to express doubts. They do not feel safe admitting that sometimes Christianity does not make sense. In addition, many feel that the church’s response to doubt is trivial. Some of the perceptions in this regard include not being able “to ask my most pressing life questions in church” (36%) and having “significant intellectual doubts about my faith” (23%). In a related theme of how churches struggle to help young adults who feel marginalized, about one out of every six young adults with a Christian background said their faith “does not help with depression or other emotional problems” they experience (18%).