Did John the Baptist Commence the Baptist Church?

I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and was constantly led to imagine that John the Baptist founded the Baptist Church. Well, it made sense: John was a “Baptist” we ended up “Baptists.” So John must have began the Baptist Church, right? Of course, optimistic thinking at its very best. Perception is, as they say, fact. Occasionally our notion and Real truth are in opposition. And, sometimes, we uncover out the challenging way.

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

At the age of 21 I began to go through the Bible. Not the typical informal perusal via a handful of Psalms or Proverbs, but a deliberate, systematic study of the sixty six guides that make up the Bible. Reading the Bible caused me to appraise the things we Baptists considered and practiced.

Soon after a watchful research, I understood that there ended up a host of methods that we Baptists advocated that didn’t align with the Bible. But a single Baptist doctrine stood out earlier mentioned all other folks – that John the Baptist launched the Baptist Church.

Did John the Baptist commence the Baptist Church? Do you want to find it for by yourself, or would you like to me share what I located? If you happen to be reading through this sentence, I can assume that you want me to share what I identified. Alright, listed here is expertise from the Word of God. I hope you will confirm it for oneself.

We discover King Herod, in the 14th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, paying his birthday at his winter season palace. He’d been capable to seize and imprison John at his palace. Why did Herod want John in shackles? Because John experienced stated that Herod should not be sleeping with his sister-in-regulation, Herodias as a result, John was incarcerated for his incendiary statement. Actually, Herod wished to execute John, but feared the reaction of the crowds because the populous considered John to be a prophet of God.

Then, throughout the celebration of Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter enticed Herod by dancing erotically ahead of him. Evidently Herod was mesmerized by her seductive talents and promised to give her anything at all she wanted. She’d currently 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 among a rock and the proverbial challenging-spot. He failed to want to incite the crowds, but he also had to show that he was a gentleman of his phrase. Ultimately he selected to please Herodias’ daughter. Herod experienced John decapitated.

Why is this historical account of John’s dying important? Since it uncovers the reply to the concern, “Did John the Baptist start off the Baptist Church?” How does it uncover the solution? John’s dying at the hand of Herod was prior to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ created the initial prophecy that any church would be constructed. Jesus stated that He would construct a church – not John. Jesus said that it would be His church – not John’s. John the Baptist founded no church. His identify “John the Baptist” was just a descriptive time period of his mission and actions. John was a baptizer of men unto the baptism of repentance.

In the 16th chapter of the gospel of Matthew we find Jesus questioning His disciples. “Who are the crowds expressing that I am?” churches in Raleigh responded, “Some are declaring that you are John the Baptist. Some are expressing that you are a prophet, this sort of as Elias or Jeremiah.” But Jesus wished to know what His personal disciples imagined. “But who do you think 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 because his information was given by God and not by flesh. Then Jesus can make an extraordinary prophecy to Peter and to the relaxation of His disciples, “You are Peter, and upon this rock (the rock of perception that Jesus was the Son of God, or what we would contact the confession of faith in Christ) I will create my church.”

It was Jesus, not John, who said that He would create a church. We locate that the Lord’s prophecy came true in the final component of Acts chapter 2. That segment of Scripture reveals that all who ended up saved ended up added 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.

Moreover, Christ’s church was a “blood-acquired” establishment, as mentioned in the twenty eighth chapter of the ebook of Acts. It was to be an important, divine, blood-purchased institution that the saved of God would be included to by God.

Take into account this reality: John did not prophecy that he would construct any church. John didn’t give his blood for a church. John was merely the fore-runner for the Christ.

History data that the Baptist Church was founded by a gentleman named John Smyth, an Anglican priest ordained by the Church of England in 1594. Smyth grew to become a “Separatist,” and fashioned the 1st “Baptist” church in Holland somewhere among 1607 and 1609 – some 1570 a long time soon after Christ proven His church. Smyth “re-baptized” himself by pouring drinking water over his head. Then he baptized (poured) his followers. 1609 is the unofficial starting of the Baptist Church.

Prior to his loss of life, Smyth abandoned his Baptist sights and started trying to proselytize his followers into the teachings Menno Simons, and the Mennonite Church.

Present-day Baptist Church users are a team of great, honest, ethical, and zealous people. Even so, they belong to a male-created group. They belong to a church that was not purchased with Christ’s blood, hood-winked in believing that John the Baptist founded their business. How is this feasible? Baptist individuals have not taken the time to investigate their possess heritage. They haven’t taken the time to diligently review the Scriptures of God. They “assume” that what they have been advised is the truth.

Why would so several good individuals align on their own with an group that was obviously founded by a gentleman, as an alternative of merely obeying the recommendations of Peter identified in the second chapter of Acts and becoming added to the church of Jesus Christ by God Himself? The response is as plain as the nose on your confront. They just don’t know. They are ignorant of these biblical and historic details.

Each Baptist need to know that Jesus Christ founded His church and gave His blood for it. Paul advised the church at Ephesus that Christ liked the church and gave Himself for it. Paul also stated 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 started by John Smyth? My decision is Jesus. Give me the opportunity to obey the directions for salvation located in Acts 2, and God will include me to the church of Christ, Acts two.

If you have the non secular want to be a “Christian ONLY,” and a willingness to locate the one, accurate, New Testament church of the Bible, Michael issues you to read the ebook Muscle mass and a Shovel. It is not only a story that will seize you immediately and not let go, but it will obstacle your existing beliefs over and above your creativeness.