Baptist Distinctives
B- Bible is the final authority for all matters of faith and practice: We reject the authority of tradition and church counsels. We should stand on the authority of God’s Word alone. (II Tim 3:15-16) (Is. 8:2).
A- Autonomy of the local church: The church, as a congregation, is responsible for all decisions pertaining to church officers, and dispersing of funds. As an autonomous local Baptist congregation, they are a self-governing congregational assembly, not aligned with any denomination or obligated to its oversight. They are not associated with any counsel or organization that would attempt to oversee the operation of the church.(Acts 6:1-5) (I Cor. 16:1-3).
P- Preisthood of the believer: The New Testament declares that every born-again believer can access the very throne of God through the “one Mediator, the man Christ Jesus” (I Peter 2:5,9) (I Tim. 2:5)
T – Two ordinances: 1. Believer’s baptism by immersion in water, and 2. The Lord’s Supper as an ongoing remembrance of the sacrifice of the Saviour for our sins. (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:41;8:36-38) (I Cor. 11:23-26)
I- Individual soul liberty: Every believer will one day give an account for his or her own decisions and actions before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Therefore, we must respect every believer’s right to read and practice what is taught in the scriptures, as he or she lives and walks in the liberties enjoyed through Christ. These liberties are not a license to sin; however, we are free to be ourselves within the guides of the bible.(I Tim 2:15).
S – Saved church membership: Every member of the local New Testament Church must profess Christ as personal Saviour (Acts 2:41) (Rom. 10:13)
T- Two offices: The pastor and the deacon or deacons Baptists should believe that the words pastor, elder, and bishop refer to the same office Deacons are to be spiritual men who strive to meet the needs of others. They serve under the oversight of the pastor and are elected by the congregation (I Tim 3; Phil. 1:1) (Acts 6:1-7) (I Peter 5:1-4; Acts 20:17, 28-30).
S – Separation of church and state: Having been persecuted by state churches in England, Switzerland, France, and the American Colonies, the Baptist people advocated the separation of the church from the state. Americans enjoy the freedom of religion because colonial American Baptists demonstrated for religious freedom in Rhode Island and Virginia and finally secured it through the 1st amendment to our constitution. This freedom protects the church from the state, not the state from the church. (Matthew 22:21).
