Did John the Baptist Start off the Baptist Church?

I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and was often led to think that John the Baptist started the Baptist Church. Effectively, it produced sense: John was a “Baptist” we ended up “Baptists.” So John have to have began the Baptist Church, right? Yes, optimistic pondering at its very best. Perception is, as they say, truth. Sometimes our perception and Truth are in opposition. And, sometimes, we find out the tough way.

Studying the Bible in its entirety, fairly than pulling out a handy verse listed here and there, produces the Creator’s meant impact – illumination of Real truth.

At the age of 21 I commenced to read the Bible. Not the typical casual perusal through a couple of Psalms or Proverbs, but a deliberate, systematic review of the 66 publications that make up the Bible. Looking through the Bible induced me to assess the factors we Baptists considered and practiced.

After a mindful review, I understood that there had been a host of procedures that we Baptists advocated that didn’t align with the Bible. But 1 Baptist doctrine stood out previously mentioned all other folks – that John the Baptist established the Baptist Church.

Did John the Baptist begin the Baptist Church? Do you want to locate it for oneself, or would you like to me share what I discovered? If you might be looking through this sentence, I can assume that you want me to share what I identified. Alright, here is expertise from the Term of God. I hope you will verify it for oneself.

We discover King Herod, in the 14th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, shelling out his birthday at his winter season palace. He’d been in a position to seize and imprison John at his palace. Why did Herod want John in shackles? Due to the fact John had mentioned that Herod should not be sleeping with his sister-in-legislation, Herodias consequently, John was incarcerated for his incendiary statement. In fact, Herod needed to execute John, but feared the reaction of the crowds simply because the populous thought John to be a prophet of God.

Then, during the celebration of Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter enticed Herod by dancing erotically ahead of him. Evidently Herod was mesmerized by her seductive abilities and promised to give her anything she needed. She’d already been coached by her mom on what to ask for. “Give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter!” demanded Herodias’ daughter. Herod was now between a rock and the proverbial tough-place. He did not want to incite the crowds, but he also had to exhibit that he was a guy of his term. Eventually he chose to make sure you Herodias’ daughter. Herod experienced John decapitated.

Why is this historical account of John’s loss of life important? Simply because it uncovers the reply to the concern, “Did John the Baptist start off the Baptist Church?” How does it uncover the reply? John’s death at the hand of Herod was ahead of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ manufactured the very first prophecy that any church would be created. Jesus mentioned that He would build a church – not John. Jesus stated that it would be His church – not John’s. John the Baptist established no church. His identify “John the Baptist” was just a descriptive phrase of his mission and steps. John was a baptizer of guys unto the baptism of repentance.

In the 16th chapter of the gospel of Matthew we find Jesus questioning His disciples. “Who are the crowds declaring that I am?” His disciples responded, “Some are saying that you are John the Baptist. Some are expressing that you are a prophet, this kind of as Elias or Jeremiah.” But Jesus wished to know what His possess disciples believed. “But who do you believe I am?” Jesus questioned. Peter responded and explained, “You are the Christ (the Messiah Savior), the Son of the living God!” Jesus exclaimed that Peter was blessed since his understanding was given by God and not by flesh. Then Jesus can make an outstanding prophecy to Peter and to the relaxation of His disciples, “You are Peter, and upon this rock (the rock of belief that Jesus was the Son of God, or what we would contact the confession of religion in Christ) I will build my church.”

It was Jesus, not John, who said that He would build a church. We locate that the Lord’s prophecy arrived real in the final component of Functions chapter two. That area of Scripture reveals that all who ended up saved were extra to the Lord’s church by God. God adds the saved to the Lord’s church. There was no earthly council, no associations, and no conventions that voted on prospective church member candidates.

Additionally, Christ’s church was a “blood-acquired” establishment, as stated in the 28th chapter of the e-book of Functions. It was to be an crucial, divine, blood-purchased establishment that the saved of God would be included to by God.

Contemplate this real truth: John failed to prophecy that he would build any church. John did not give his blood for a church. John was simply the fore-runner for the Christ.

Heritage documents that the Baptist Church was launched by a gentleman named John Smyth, an Anglican priest ordained by the Church of England in 1594. Smyth turned a “Separatist,” and fashioned the initial “Baptist” church in Holland somewhere amongst 1607 and 1609 – some 1570 years following Christ proven His church. Smyth “re-baptized” himself by pouring h2o over his head. Then he baptized (poured) his followers. 1609 is the unofficial beginning of the Baptist Church.

Prior to his death, Smyth deserted his Baptist sights and commenced making an attempt to proselytize his followers into the teachings Menno Simons, and the Mennonite Church.

baptist church in Raleigh ‘s Baptist Church members are a team of excellent, sincere, moral, and zealous people. Even so, they belong to a guy-created organization. They belong to a church that was not purchased with Christ’s blood, hood-winked in believing that John the Baptist launched their business. How is this feasible? Baptist individuals have not taken the time to examine their very own heritage. They have not taken the time to diligently review the Scriptures of God. They “assume” that what they’ve been instructed is the fact.

Why would so several very good people align on their own with an organization that was clearly founded by a gentleman, instead of just obeying the guidelines of Peter found in the second chapter of Acts and being extra to the church of Jesus Christ by God Himself? The solution is as plain as the nose on your experience. They just will not know. They are ignorant of these biblical and historic details.

Each Baptist need to have to know that Jesus Christ launched His church and gave His blood for it. Paul told the church at Ephesus that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Paul also mentioned that Christ is the Head of His church, and the Savior of His physique, the church.

So we boil it down to this: do you want to be a member of the church that Jesus Christ set up, or do you want to be a member of a church established by John Smyth? My selection is Jesus. Give me the possibility to obey the guidelines for salvation found in Functions two, and God will add me to the church of Christ, Acts 2.

If you have the non secular wish to be a “Christian ONLY,” and a willingness to discover the one particular, correct, New Testament church of the Bible, Michael difficulties you to study the ebook Muscle mass and a Shovel. It truly is not only a story that will get you right away and not permit go, but it will obstacle your existing beliefs outside of your creativeness.

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