If you are new to this post, you can start Here on the overview of BAPTIST Distinctives
Lesson 2 – B is for Biblical Authority.
Baptist have long believed that the Bible is the only rule for faith and practice and that those who claim to follow Christ should view the Bible as the basis for all authority. Throughout the centuries Baptist have held that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it has been preserved by the supernatural power of God, and that it is inerrant – that is without error – because the God who gave us the Bible is without error and compliantly perfect in every way.
What this does not mean is that you have to be a KJV only-ist to be a Baptist. I consider myself to be KJV only, but there are some radical views out there to be aware of. I do not hold to the false doctrine of double inspiration taught by Dr. Peter Ruckman. The KJB translators did not correct the Greek and the KJB is not purer than the original language that the Bible was originally written in. I hold that the KJB was an accurate translation of the correct text. That may seem boring to some, but It is the only position I can prove. Even if you are not sure about the Bible issue you can still be a Bible believer. Before 1611 we had the perfect word of God. Before the Geneva Bible, we had the word of God, before the Tyndale Bible, we had the Word of God. It may not have always been readily available and not in English but Christians from the first century to today have always had God’s prefect Word. There were certainly times when it was scarce to many, and it was extremely precious in those times, but it has never ceased to exist. You can be a Baptist and be confused about which Bible to use, but you must know that God has always kept his Words preserved for his.
A mark of a Baptist is that they have confidence in what the Bible tells them. If it says all of have sinned, they say that’s right. If it says the earth does not move, they say that’s right. If it says a snake talked, they say a snake talked. If it says a rock followed the children of Isreal, they say ain’t that something. They believe everything the Bible says. Sometimes it is hard, but they always try to see things the way the Bible shows them. The Bible becomes a filter in which we must view the world, and not the other way around. Without a Biblical world view we stop being biblical. We no longer are distinct from the rest of the world, and we can reason away the hard passages of the Bible that we don’t like. This is the foundation for a Baptist’s faith. Everything else hinges upon it.
Why did God give us the Bible? He gave it to us for 4 reasons.
- For Doctrine -these are the teaching of the word of God. Things that will help us in our walk with God. We understand that his is a trinity because the Word tells us, we understand man – yea our own heart also is depraved because the Bible says so. We learn the principles of stewardship because of Christs own teachings.
- For Reproof – these are the sharp disciplines we receive for walking contrary to the known Word of God in our life. God reproves us by allowing events to cause us to see his hand of judgement on our life. We see he is not happy with our choices by the reproof, and we can get out from under his reproof by getting back into the Bible.
- For Correction – These are the tender mercies of God showing us where we have failed. The Word brings the correction so that we can get back on the right path and avoid destruction. Like a map tell the traveler he has taken a wrong turn and soon will end badly if a course is not corrected, so to God gives us his word to correct us.
- For instruction in righteousness – This might be the most glories use of the Bible. the Bible tells us how to be made righteous. That is to be made right with God. It is a glorious thing to be made right with God. This starts with salvation, but it does not end there. God keeps leading us in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake, and it is a glorias journey.
These for things have one goal at the end. That the man of God may be perfect – that is mature and compleat in Christ – throughly furnish unto all good works. God Gave us his word because he wants us to become like him and we need to know about him to do that. If we allow the Word of God to speak and direct our steps we will be following the steps of Jesus. This will allow us to do good works, not for our glory but for his. If we refuse to walk after the truth of the Word of God than we fighting against God’s desire for our life. Even if we don’t realize that we are rebelling against God we are if we neglect to walk in his Words.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
God says that his word is not to be use for private interpretation. That means the plane reading of the Word of God is what he wants us to understand. Don’t take that to mean that there is no depth in the Bible. It has been said the Bible is shallow enough for the simplest Babe to be safe, and deep enough that the most scholarly can drowned. We must have the Holy Ghost to interpret the Word for us, but often times the meaning is so simple yet profound. We should not twist scripture to mean something it does not.
2 Peter 1:20 KJV
knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
God’s Word is a lamp and a light. It guides us in the way we are to go. We must follow the glow that it puts off in order to be walking with our savior.
Psalm 119:105 KJV
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.
How many times must the Bible proclaim that it is true for us to believe it. from beginning to end it is true and it will endure forever.
Psalm 119:160 KJV
Thy word is true from the beginning: And every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
God’s Words are pure words, and he has perfected them for us. there is no admixture of error in them. We can trust what they say.
Psalm 12:6 KJV
The words of the LORD are pure words: As silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Not only are his Words pure, they are our protection from the enemy. A shield if we will be trust them. A shield that is not trusted is a shield that is not used. We must allow God’s word to lead, and we must learn to hide behind it. It will protect us if we weld it wisely.
Proverbs 30:5 KJV
Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
God’s word has true power. By it the worlds were formed, and by his Word I have salvation. It will do that which God has ordained it to do. Nothing can stop it. Once the decree has left the lips of God it is as good as accomplished. God’s Word has true power.
Isaiah 55:11 KJV
so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Time would fail us to go over the hundreds of Bible verses that instruct us to follow God’s Word. The main thing that we must understand is that we need to follow it. God spoke his words in a miraculous way, he preserved his Word through his own strength – and it is kept perfect, and he has given his Word to us to follow. We must believe the Bible to be Baptist.
S.T.
Acts 20:24
"But none of these things move me..."
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