{"id":18,"date":"2021-12-15T06:37:28","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T01:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/?page_id=18"},"modified":"2022-01-04T17:22:49","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T12:22:49","slug":"baptist-distinctives","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/about-us\/baptist-distinctives\/","title":{"rendered":"Baptist Distinctives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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These distinctives have always characterized true Bible\u2013believers from the time of Christ until now.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Biblical Authority<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 We believe the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice.\u00a0(II Timothy 3:16,17)<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Autonomy of the Local Church<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The local church is an independent body accountable only to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church. This means they are self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church\u2019s beliefs or practices.\u00a0(Colossians 1:18)<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Priesthood of All Believers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No human mediator is needed because Christ is our Mediator.\u00a0(I Peter 2:5-9, and I Timothy 2:5)<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Two ordinances<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 (Baptism and the Lord\u2019s Supper) called ordinances because they are ordered by the Lord. Not sacraments, because they do not have any saving grace in them.\n
      \n
    1. Baptism\u00a0(Matthew 28:19,20)<\/i>\n
        \n
      • Must have the right candidate \u2013 a believer<\/li>\n
      • Must have the right mode \u2013 immersion<\/li>\n
      • Must have the right formula \u2013 Father, Son , and Holy Spirit<\/li>\n
      • Must have the right meaning \u2013 symbolic only<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • The Lord\u2019s Supper\n
          \n
        • Must have the right candidate \u2013 a believer<\/li>\n
        • Must have the right meaning \u2013 symbolic only<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        • Individual Soul Liberty<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Every individual has the liberty and responsibility to believe as his own conscience dictates. No one is forced to assent to any belief against his will. This is not a license to sin, but an opportunity to do right as God\u2019s Word directs. We must remember we will have to give an account to God one day.\u00a0(Romans 14:5, and 12)<\/i><\/li>\n
        • Saved Church Membership<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give believable testimony of a personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer\u2019s baptism.\u00a0(Acts 2:41-47, Acts 10:47)<\/i><\/li>\n
        • Two Offices<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 There are only two Biblically mandated offices in a New Testament church: pastor and deacon.\u00a0(I Tim. 3:1, and 13)<\/i><\/li>\n
        • Separation of Church and State<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. Neither should control the other.\u00a0(Matthew 22:15-22)<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n\t \n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          These distinctives have always characterized true Bible\u2013believers from the time of Christ until now. Biblical Authority\u00a0\u2013 We believe the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice.\u00a0(II Timothy 3:16,17) Autonomy of the Local Church\u00a0\u2013 The local church is an independent body accountable only to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church. This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":15,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"builder_content":"

          These distinctives have always characterized true Bible\u2013believers from the time of Christ until now.<\/p>

          • Biblical Authority<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 We believe the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice.\u00a0(II Timothy 3:16,17)<\/i><\/li>
          • Autonomy of the Local Church<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The local church is an independent body accountable only to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church. This means they are self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church\u2019s beliefs or practices.\u00a0(Colossians 1:18)<\/i><\/li>
          • Priesthood of All Believers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No human mediator is needed because Christ is our Mediator.\u00a0(I Peter 2:5-9, and I Timothy 2:5)<\/i><\/li>
          • Two ordinances<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 (Baptism and the Lord\u2019s Supper) called ordinances because they are ordered by the Lord. Not sacraments, because they do not have any saving grace in them.
            1. Baptism\u00a0(Matthew 28:19,20)<\/i>
              • Must have the right candidate \u2013 a believer<\/li>
              • Must have the right mode \u2013 immersion<\/li>
              • Must have the right formula \u2013 Father, Son , and Holy Spirit<\/li>
              • Must have the right meaning \u2013 symbolic only<\/li> <\/ul> <\/li>
              • The Lord\u2019s Supper
                • Must have the right candidate \u2013 a believer<\/li>
                • Must have the right meaning \u2013 symbolic only<\/li> <\/ul> <\/li> <\/ol> <\/li>
                • Individual Soul Liberty<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Every individual has the liberty and responsibility to believe as his own conscience dictates. No one is forced to assent to any belief against his will. This is not a license to sin, but an opportunity to do right as God\u2019s Word directs. We must remember we will have to give an account to God one day.\u00a0(Romans 14:5, and 12)<\/i><\/li>
                • Saved Church Membership<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give believable testimony of a personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer\u2019s baptism.\u00a0(Acts 2:41-47, Acts 10:47)<\/i><\/li>
                • Two Offices<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 There are only two Biblically mandated offices in a New Testament church: pastor and deacon.\u00a0(I Tim. 3:1, and 13)<\/i><\/li>
                • Separation of Church and State<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. Neither should control the other.\u00a0(Matthew 22:15-22)<\/i><\/li> <\/ul>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":385,"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions\/385"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.olneycalvarybaptist.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}