Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 12/25/2005

Question
What are the beliefs and doctrines of the Baptist Church? What would you say are the differences and similarities between the Baptist and the other christian churches?

Answer
Dear Allison,
   Thank you for writing.  
   There are many different kinds of Baptists, as well as other types of Christians, but any true Christian in any church, has given himself to God for forgiveness of sin as well as for living with God as King (belongs to the Kingdom of God).  Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me."
   Baptists are known for believing that anyone who has truly been saved will not lose his salvation, although rewards among believers will vary.  Baptism is understood to be a symbol of a true salvation experience, according to Romans 6:1-4  "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?  Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death:(portrayed by submersion not by sprinkling) that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (portrayed by being raised out of the baptismal waters to let the resurrected life of Christ live through us.
   Our sins can only be paid for by the sacrifice of our perfect Savior.  Romans 6:6-7 "Our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (sin shall not have dominion over you, verse 14), for he that is dead is freed from sin."  We can't earn credit with God so we can't boast.(Ephesians 2:9)  It is only in surrender to God's plan for our lives that we can have worthwhile works that God has prepared for us. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them."
   Since we all have different personalities and different experiences, different churches are able to relate better to some people than to others.  Christians can disagree on many things without destroying the unity of dependence on (submission to) God's plan of salvation through the death and resurrected life of Jesus Christ.  I like the analogy of a many-faceted diamond reflecting the light better than a less-faceted diamond, so differing Christians can reflect God's glory even better than if we all thought exactly alike.  II Cor.3:18 "we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."  
   When we allow the death and resurrection of our perfect Savior to wash away our sins, the Holy Spirit can live in us to fulfill our created purpose to reflect God like an image in a mirror (glass), as we keep ourself open to Him and feed on His Word (John 6:56-63).                 
   Our created purpose is Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."  Our purpose is to reflect God's image (give Him all the credit) as we take charge to use the resources of God's creation responsibly.  In so doing we are to "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name (not names) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:19-20
   The beliefs and doctrines of any Christian should be based only upon God's Word.  Even though there may be legitimate differing interpretations of minor points in the Bible, a true Christian allows the authority of God's Word to dictate an understanding of all things, not just beliefs and doctrines in the church.  The death and suffering of millions of years of evolution before sin not only contradicts Romans 5:12 (death is a result of sin), but it also contradicts the death and suffering of our perfect Savior as a payment for our sins.  
   This information is probably not in the format that you need, but I pray that it helps provide the most important information for eternal life for you and others.
   Have a wonderful New Year!
   Priscilla Lyons