Do you have Questions for a Southern Baptist?

[lanman87]

I haven been on this board for a few weeks and have appreciated the answers to my inquiries about Catholicism. I have learned a great deal about the Catholic church and theology both from the threads on this message board and other places (websites books…).

Being in the Bible belt I’ve had very few interactions with Catholic believers. I’ve never been in a Catholic church. I’m from Alabama and most cities in Alabama have one or two Catholic churches and many counties in Alabama have no Catholic church at all. The most exposed I’ve been to Catholicism is that I’ve visited the Ava Maria Grotto.

I’ve come to realize that most of the regular posters on the site are very well versed in theology and many of you probably know Southern Baptist beliefs and practices better than me, even though I’m a cradle baptist.

However, I thought it might be interesting to see what questions you might have about the largest protestant group in the country. I’m not a trained theologian or pastor. However, if any of you have any questions about Southern Baptist I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. If I don’t know the answer I will say so and seek to find the answer.

 

[twf]

St Paul refers to baptism as “the circumcision of the Holy Spirit”. Circumcision was the means by which both infants and converts were incorporated into the people of God. If baptism is the fulfillment of circumcision, as Scripture teaches, what is your reasoning for depriving children of baptism?

 

[Lenten_ashes]

I’ve heard a theory that John the Baptist was the founder of the Baptist church. Is that a common held belief?

And how often does your particular Church offer Communion?

Thanks.

 

[lanman87]

I’ve heard a theory that John the Baptist was the founder of the Baptist church. Is that a common held belief?

No, When I was a child 40 years ago I heard some elderly folks say something to that effect, but that isn’t what the Southern Baptist Church teaches.

And how often does your particular Church offer Communion?

Thanks.

All Southern Baptist churches are independent and set their own schedules. Most offer communion quarterly, some monthly and a few weekly. The church I attended as child had communion every time there was a 5th Sunday in a month.

My particular church has communion quarterly and Christmas Eve and Maundy Thursday.

 

[lanman87]

St Paul refers to baptism as “the circumcision of the Holy Spirit”. Circumcision was the means by which both infants and converts were incorporated into the people of God. If baptism is the fulfillment of circumcision, as Scripture teaches, what is your reasoning for depriving children of baptism?

As a former evangelical I assume you already know the answer to the question.

However, for the benefit of others… It is due to the fact that no infants were baptized in the New Testament. Southern Baptist maintain that everyone in the New Testament who was baptized did so after believing in Christ.

 

[ffg]

Welcome, and these are probably some of the more interesting threads!

I hope to see a long one!

Remember, there are a lot of lurkers, so questions that seem silly, might be for a bigger purpose than simply for the asker.

Why ‘Southern’?

as opposed to ‘Northern’?

Take care,

 

[GladTidings]

As a former evangelical I assume you already know the answer to the question.

However, for the benefit of others… It is due to the fact that no infants were baptized in the New Testament. Southern Baptist maintain that everyone in the New Testament who was baptized did so after believing in Christ.

Because of the age of accountability. Children need to make the decision?

 

[Bookcat]

As

Why ‘Southern’?

as opposed to ‘Northern’?

How about an equator Baptist?

Sorry Lanman…my odd sense of humor

(I was a Southern Baptist so perhaps I am allowed the joke?..I mean no disrespect. My Grandma used to joke she would be the first in heaven since she went to “First Baptist Church”…)

 

[twf]

As a former evangelical I assume you already know the answer to the question.

However, for the benefit of others… It is due to the fact that no infants were baptized in the New Testament. Southern Baptist maintain that everyone in the New Testament who was baptized did so after believing in Christ.

That’s a bit of an assumption though, isn’t it? There are a lot of things that Baptists do and take for granted that aren’t explicitly spelled out in the New Testament. In the Acts we see entire households being baptized. Why wouldn’t that include children?
It also doesn’t really answer the question I posed which was specifically in regards to baptism as the “new circumcision.” Its because I couldn’t adequately answer questions like this that I am a “former” Evangelical.
As an aside, I think it’s helpful to remember that Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Anglicans are Protestant traditions that do baptize infants.

 

[lanman87]

Welcome, and these are probably some of the more interesting threads!

I hope to see a long one!

Remember, there are a lot of lurkers, so questions that seem silly, might be for a bigger purpose than simply for the asker.

Why ‘Southern’?

as opposed to ‘Northern’?

Take care,

Because of the Slavery issue. Baptist in the south believed it was okay to own slaves and baptist in the north didn’t. Prior to the onset of hostilities in the Civil War the Southern Baptist formed their own convention.

In 1995 (a long time after it should have happened) the SBC issued an apology and has worked toward racial reconciliation. The 1995 Statement can be read here.

Here is a portion of that statement:

Be it further RESOLVED, That we lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest, and we recognize that the racism which yet plagues our culture today is inextricably tied to the past; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we apologize to all African-Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime; and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously (Psalm 19:13) or unconsciously (Leviticus 4:27); and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we ask forgiveness from our African-American brothers and sisters, acknowledging that our own healing is at stake; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we hereby commit ourselves to eradicate racism in all its forms from Southern Baptist life and ministry; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to be doers of the Word (James 1:22) by pursuing racial reconciliation in all our relationships, especially with our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 2:6), to the end that our light would so shine before others, that they may see (our) good works and glorify (our) Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16); and

Be it finally RESOLVED, That we pledge our commitment to the Great Commission task of making disciples of all people (Matthew 28:19), confessing that in the church God is calling together one people from every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9), and proclaiming that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only certain and sufficient ground upon which redeemed persons will stand together in restored family union as joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).

 

[ffg]

Interesting about the believing in Christ with regard to baptism.

Isn’t John the Baptist baptizing when he says something to the effect that one will come that is greater than he?

Those folks wouldn’t even know Jesus, much less believe (in) Jesus.

Here it is - John 1: 24-25

24 Some Pharisees* were also sent.

25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”

Threads like this bring out the best in learning. I wouldn’t have looked that up had you not stopped in with this thread. Thanks!

For another Q, what is the effect of baptism per a Southern Baptist?

I’m thinking - Do folks concern themselves about their children in the hope time flies by until the day?

Or is the effect of Baptism not taught as very efficacious (or other), so that there is not concern or worry on the part of parents?

Thanks!

 

[ffg]

Because of the Slavery issue. Baptist in the south believed it was okay to own slaves and baptist in the north didn’t. Prior to the onset of hostilities in the Civil War the Southern Baptist formed their own convention.

In 1995 (a long time after it should have happened) the SBC issued an apology and has worked toward racial reconciliation. The 1995 Statement can be read here.

Here is a portion of that statement:

Be it further RESOLVED, That we lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest, and we recognize that the racism which yet plagues our culture today is inextricably tied to the past; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we apologize to all African-Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime; and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously (Psalm 19:13) or unconsciously (Leviticus 4:27); and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we ask forgiveness from our African-American brothers and sisters, acknowledging that our own healing is at stake; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we hereby commit ourselves to eradicate racism in all its forms from Southern Baptist life and ministry; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to be doers of the Word (James 1:22) by pursuing racial reconciliation in all our relationships, especially with our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 2:6), to the end that our light would so shine before others, that they may see (our) good works and glorify (our) Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16); and

Be it finally RESOLVED, That we pledge our commitment to the Great Commission task of making disciples of all people (Matthew 28:19), confessing that in the church God is calling together one people from every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9), and proclaiming that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only certain and sufficient ground upon which redeemed persons will stand together in restored family union as joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).

Awesome, Thank you!

 

[lanman87]

That’s a bit of an assumption though, isn’t it? There are a lot of things that Baptists do and take for granted that aren’t explicitly spelled out in the New Testament. In the Acts we see entire households being baptized. Why wouldn’t that include children?
It also doesn’t really answer the question I posed which was specifically in regards to baptism as the “new circumcision.” Its because I couldn’t adequately answer questions like this that I am a “former” Evangelical.
As an aside, I think it’s helpful to remember that Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Anglicans are Protestant traditions that do baptize infants.

You are correct about the other denominations having infant baptism. This is one of the distinctives of Southern Baptist and others who perform “Believers Baptism”. The simple answer is because infants weren’t baptized in the New Testament. The SB position is that the instances that entire households were baptized you have to infer that some of them were infants. The fact is we don’t know how old the children in those households were. It is my understanding that most Southern Baptist hold that all known baptisms in the New Testament were of those old enough to believe.

As for the question about the “new circumcision”. From my understanding, The belief is that the new circumcision is a spiritual circumcision done by Christ.

I believe this is the passage you are referring to:

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also** raised with him through faith **in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

I had to look it up because I haven’t studied Colossians in years. But the premise is that the circumcision of Christ is accomplished through faith and that baptism is an outward sign of that “circumcision of Christ”. Therefore, baptism is only for those who have placed faith in Christ.

John Piper (who isn’t a Southern Baptist but teaches believers baptism) sums it up this way.

If baptism were merely a parallel of the Old Testament rite of circumcision it would not have to happen “through faith” since infants did not take on circumcision “through faith.” The reason the New Testament ordinance of baptism must be “through faith” is that it represents not the Old Testament external ritual, but the New Testament, internal, spiritual experience of circumcision “without hands.”

But, as you said, many protestants hold the view that baptism essentially replaced circumcision in the new covenant.

 

[lanman87]

How about an equator Baptist?

Sorry Lanman…my odd sense of humor

(I was a Southern Baptist so perhaps I am allowed the joke?..I mean no disrespect. My Grandma used to joke she would be the first in heaven since she went to “First Baptist Church”…)

I think there is an equator baptist church in Brazil.

 

[pablope]

I

Being in the Bible belt I’ve had very few interactions with Catholic believers. I’ve never been in a Catholic church. I’m from Alabama and most cities in Alabama have one or two Catholic churches and many counties in Alabama have no Catholic church at all. The most exposed I’ve been to Catholicism is that I’ve visited the Ava Maria Grotto.

 

[brian_custer]

What is the official postion on the Blessed Mother?

 

[punisherthunder]

I haven been on this board for a few weeks and have appreciated the answers to my inquiries about Catholicism. I have learned a great deal about the Catholic church and theology both from the threads on this message board and other places (websites books…).

Being in the Bible belt I’ve had very few interactions with Catholic believers. I’ve never been in a Catholic church. I’m from Alabama and most cities in Alabama have one or two Catholic churches and many counties in Alabama have no Catholic church at all. The most exposed I’ve been to Catholicism is that I’ve visited the Ava Maria Grotto.

I’ve come to realize that most of the regular posters on the site are very well versed in theology and many of you probably know Southern Baptist beliefs and practices better than me, even though I’m a cradle baptist.

However, I thought it might be interesting to see what questions you might have about the largest protestant group in the country. I’m not a trained theologian or pastor. However, if any of you have any questions about Southern Baptist I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. If I don’t know the answer I will say so and seek to find the answer.

Hello and in all seriousness friend:

Do you ever find attending your Southern Baptist church to be petty and childish? My in-laws are Southern Baptist and they begged my wife and I to attend a service with them, so we did. I went in the sanctuary before them and chose a seat and sat down. Almost immediately I was tapped on the shoulder and told ,“this is our seat”. I look up to see a slightly older couple. Looking around, most of the pews are empty and I couldn’t fathom why someone wanted my seat in particular. I stood and looked around before the gentleman offered a ,“this is where we always sit”. He then proceeded to charge into the pew, pushing me back and sitting down. Ok…

At the same service, they talked of a fundraiser for the local zoo. Without warning, a parishioner dressed in a gorilla costume, lumbered and grunted down the center aisle, ran to the altar and fumbled the pastor while everyone laughed and hollered. Ok…

Finally, they had big super sized screens built into the walls to show lyrics to the hymns which you sing to. Ok, that was cool, but then the cool factor left, when they began showing scenes from the Empire Strikes Back with Darth Vader giving some nonsense to Luke about "fatherhood. Ok…

In all seriousness, do you really think these sorts of going-ons is looked kindly upon by God?

 

[lanman87]

Interesting about the believing in Christ with regard to baptism.

Isn’t John the Baptist baptizing when he says something to the effect that one will come that is greater than he?

Those folks wouldn’t even know Jesus, much less believe (in) Jesus.

Here it is - John 1: 24-25

24 Some Pharisees* were also sent.

25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”

Threads like this bring out the best in learning. I wouldn’t have looked that up had you not stopped in with this thread. Thanks!

For another Q, what is the effect of baptism per a Southern Baptist?

I’m thinking - Do folks concern themselves about their children in the hope time flies by until the day?

Or is the effect of Baptism not taught as very efficacious (or other), so that there is not concern or worry on the part of parents?

Thanks!

Southern Baptist (and almost all Protestants) don’t believe in Baptismal regeneration. (debate is not the purpose of this post so if you want slam protestant belief please start another thread).

Honestly, the only thing I was ever taught about children is that there is an age of accountability that can be different for all children. I’ve seen different arguments for this belief. Here is a link to a short article about SB understanding of “what happens to infants when they die”.

Keep in mind that in many areas there is no official southern baptist doctrine. Southern Baptist are made up of independent churches who agree to work together to spread the gospel, help the poor, minister to prisoners and so forth. Southern Baptist (for the most part)don’t break fellowship over disputable issues.

 

[TC3033]

We made it just over a page before the first insult.

Not bad, I had the under.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Why attend any SB church, instead of just praying at home for the Holy Spirit to inspire one’s own reading of the Bible?

Do SB’s ask for their pastor to pray for them - why / why not?

Do SB’s ask for spiritual advice from their pastor - why / why not?

Are all non-SB churches are incorrect theologically according to the SB? If so, why did the Holy Spirit not preserve them? If not, why the difference between SB and them?