Expert: Dr. Billy Kryger - 12/21/2010

Question
We are looking for a church to attend since moving to a new town. We have attend a FFBC, and my husband was a member of an independent fundamental baptist church before this. We don't know some things about the church. Is baptism in the church required to join? Do they believe that Jesus was God? Do they believe in the Trinity, God the Father, His Son, Christ and the Holy Spirit, or do they believe that all three are God? Do they believe once saved always saved? Do they believe that if God hasn't chosen you, then no matter how much you work for Him, love Him, and want to spend an eternity with Him, that you might not go because you haven't been pre-chosen? The minister at my husband's church told me that and I was out of church for 25 years. I have never been the first one chosen in anything, and am always the last so I thought why would God be any different.  I don't understand the foot washing either. I believe that any external ceremonies are not of the Spirit but of the flesh, and it is not required for our salvation.  I know that the pastor at the visiting church is pre-millenium, but are all FFBC pastors? I hope these questions aren't too simple for an expert. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Christine:

    I really don't know a lot about the FFBC but here is a link to more information:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Will_Baptist  Another suggestion I would have is to take these questions to the leadership of the church you've been attending and ask them to answer these questions and show you from the Bible why they hold to the positions that they do on these issues.

    Hope this helps.

Pastor Billy