Jim
Savastio, Pastor
Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville
INTRODUCTION
Since the late 1960's a group
of churches calling themselves Reformed Baptist have begun to spring up
throughout the United States, Great Britain, and other places around the world.
The elders and members of these churches have been asked time and again such
questions as, "What is a Reformed Baptist?" "What are you trying
to reform?" Many find themselves tongue tied in trying to answer such
questions quickly and easily. Some simply say, "We are what Baptist used
to be!" This statement is certainly true. However, for most modern
believers and unbelievers, that statement explains little. The purpose of this
little booklet is to seek to answer the question, "What is a Reformed
Baptist Church" in a way that is both brief and substantial. In answering
that question three things will be discussed. First of all there is a need to
address the difficulty of the question. Secondly, a definition of the terms
will be given. Thirdly, the key distinctive of Reformed Baptist Churches will
be articulated.
THE DIFFICULTY OF THE SUBJECT
The answer to the question,
"What is a Reformed Baptist Church" is difficult for two reasons:
First, it is difficult to answer in the first place because the terms reformed and Baptists are often seen to be at odds
with one another. Many theologians, from Reformed and Baptist camps, would say
that such a title is a misnomer. They would say, "It is not possible to be
both reformed and baptistic! Though Baptists have been and can be Calvinistic they are not and cannot be
Reformed." The
reason for this charge is simple: Reformed theology is almost always associated
with paedo-baptism (infant sprinkling). Many who are Reformed view this
perspective as the sine qua non
of Reformed Theology.
Secondly, the subject is difficult because there exists an ever widening gulf
between churches that call themselves Reformed Baptists. The term has not been
copyrighted and thus there exists no definitive statement regarding who can lay
claim to the title. No two Reformed Baptist churches walk in lock step. There
are churches who call themselves 'Reformed Baptists' and all that they mean by
that is that they hold to the so-called five points of Calvinism and they
immerse believers. There are 'Reformed Baptists' who believe in pastoral oversight
as an integral part of the life of the church and there are other 'Reformed
Baptists' who say that pastoral oversight is an abuse of power. There are
'Reformed Baptists' who hold to the Second
We must, therefore, explain
the parameters of this study. Though the term, 'Reformed Baptist' is not
copyrighted or patented (we could perhaps wish it were to avoid confusion!), I
must define what I mean when I am using the term. The heart of this study will center around churches
that adhere to the 1689 Confession in practice as well as in theory.
This will settle beforehand such controverted issues as the so-called 'Law and
Grace Debate', the issue of the Regulative Principle, and the doctrine of the
Lord's Day Sabbath. To adhere to the Confession in practice as well as in
theory is to have such doctrines clearly delineated in the Word of God.
A DEFINITION OF TERMS
Two questions will be
answered under this heading. What do we mean by reformed?, and what do we mean
by Baptist?
What We Mean By 'Reformed'
We have taken the name
'reformed' purposefully and for two reasons. First of all it helpfully explains
something of our historical and theological roots. There is a body of theological beliefs that is
commonly referred to as the Reformed faith. Such biblical truths as sola fide (justification by faith
alone ), sola gratia
(salvation by God's grace alone), sola
scriptura (the bible alone is the basis for faith and
practice), and soli deo gloria (the
fact that God alone is to receive glory in the salvation of sinners) are the
hallmarks of the Protestant and Reformed Faith.
The Reformed Faith is perhaps
best known for its understanding that God has, before the foundation of the
world, chosen certain sinners for salvation. Eph. 1:3ff is a prominent text which underlies this
biblical conviction. The Reformed Faith teaches that in time Christ came and died
for the sins of the elect. It teaches that in conversion the Holy Spirit works
in harmony with the decree of the Father and the death of the Son by applying
the work of redemption to the elect.
When we say that we are
reformed we are saying that we embrace as biblical that system of theology
known as the doctrines of grace. Truths which speak of the total depravity of
man, the unconditional nature of election, the limited or particular nature of
the atonement, the irresistibility of the effectual call, and the perseverance
and preservation of the saints. In this 'Reformed' tradition are the great
names of Church history. John Calvin, John Knox, John Bunyan, John Newton,
Matthew Henry, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Adoniram Judson, William
Carey, C.H. Spurgeon, A.W. Pink, and a host of others held tenaciously to the
Reformed Faith. We must underscore however, that we hold to these truths not
because Calvin and these other great men of church history held to them, but
because Jesus and the apostles so clearly taught them.
Out of this theological
understanding came great reformed confessions and creeds--the Synod of Dort,
The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Heidelberg Confession and Catechism.
Our own Confession of Faith is deeply rooted in these historic Reformed
Documents (in most places it is a word for word copy), which is why,
historically and theologically, we lay hold of the title Reformed.
But we also use the term
'Reformed' in a second way: We are seeking to reform ourselves and the churches
of our generation back to the bible. Every announcement that I have
heard concerning the reformation of the church in recent days has been to move
it away from its biblical and historical
roots to that which is man centered. There is a reformation going on in our day.
It is an attempt to change the nature of the church from the House of God to
the House of Entertainment. Sinners are being coddled rather than convicted.
God's power and majesty are things of a by-gone era!
Reformed Baptist are making
it their aim and ambition to come more and more in line with the Word of God.
In this sense Reformed Baptists are not static churches. We do not claim to
have arrived. We want to go back again and again to the scriptures. We do not
want to do things because the puritans did them or because other Reformed
churches do them, we want to do what we do
because we see it in our bibles. 'To the law and to the testimony'
must be upon our banners!
As modern day reformers,
Reformed Baptists are calling on all churches everywhere to repent from their
man-centered ways, their man pleasing worship, and their shallow theology. We
will, if need be, stand as a lone 'voice in the wilderness' calling the
What We Mean By 'Baptist'
The name Baptist is a form of
verbal shorthand for us to convey certain truths. First of all we are stating the
biblical truths concerning the subjects and the modes of baptism.
When we speak of the subjects of baptism, we refer to the
truth that baptism is for believers only. We as Reformed Baptist have a great
debt to our paedo-baptist brethren. Their writings have shaped us and guided us
again and again. We count them as our dear brethren. However, the bible is not
silent about the issue of baptism. The fact that baptism is for believers only
is the clear and indisputable teaching of the Word of God. The subjects of
baptism are not discovered in Genesis (though it is my contention that a
correct understanding of the Abrahamic Covenant proves believers baptism and
demolishes infant baptism), but in the Gospels and in the Epistles. I assert as
clearly and as plainly as I know how that there is not one single shred of evidence in the pages
of the Old or New Testament to support the notion that the infants of believers
are to be baptized. Every single biblical command and every single biblical
example as well as every doctrinal statement regarding the nature of baptism
proves that it is for believers only.
By
'mode' we are referring to the fact that baptism is properly and biblically
administered by immersion. The common Greek word for
immersion or dipping is the word used in our NT. The argument that the word has
been found on one or two occasions to mean to pour or to sprinkle is surely
special pleading. There are perfectly good Greek words meaning 'to sprinkle'
and 'to pour'. In fact there are numerous occasions in the Septuagint (The
Greek translation of the OT) where the words for immerse and sprinkle are used
in the same context but with their distinct and separate meaning intact (the
instances of the priest dipping
his finger in blood and sprinkling an
object).
The
name Baptist secondly is meant to convey that only those who are converted and
baptized have a right to membership in Christ's church. This is often referred to as a regenerate membership. A careful
reading of the NT epistles shows that the apostles assumed that the readers
were 'saints', 'faithful brethren', and 'cleansed by Christ.' Sadly, most
Baptist churches of our day are more concerned with having a 'decisioned
membership' and a 'baptized membership' than a regenerate membership (Jer.
31:31ff). It is the duty of the pastors and people of true churches to ensure
according to the best of their ability that no unconverted person makes their
way into the membership of a church.
THE DISTINCTIVE MARKS OF A REFORMED
Someone may be saying, I
understand all of that, but what practical difference can be seen in Reformed
Baptist Churches?
Reformed
Baptist congregations are distinguished by their conviction regarding the
sufficiency and authority, in addition to the inspiration and
infallibility, of the Word of God.
What do I mean by all that verbiage? All true Christians believe in the inspiration
and infallibility of the Word of God. All true Christians believe that the
bible was 'breathed out' by God and that it is infallible and without error in
all of its parts. To deny this is to lose your soul. But while all true
Christians believe this, they do not seek to regulate the life of church in
every area by the Word. There is a common belief, whether it is clearly stated
or not, that the bible is not a sufficient guide to tell you 'how to do
church'. Is this not behind much of what we see in the modern church growth
movement? It is founded by and large upon a belief that the bible is silent
regarding the nature and purpose of the church. It is for this cause that many
feel the freedom to 'reinvent the church'. For some reason they seem to argue
God has no principles in His Word concerning the corporate life of his people!
The clarion cry of the day by the Christ appointed shepherds of sheep needs to
be that of the prophet Isaiah, "To the law and to the testimony if they
speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them."
Reformed Baptists have a
conviction that the bible and the bible alone tells us what a church is (see 1
Tim. 3:15). The bible and the bible alone defines the offices of the church.
The bible tells us their number (two--elders and deacons), their qualifications
and their function( See Acts 20, 1 Tim. 3, Titus 1, Heb. 13, and 1 Peter 5).
The bible and the bible alone tells us what worship is and how it is to be
given (see John 4:23,24). The bible tells us who can be a member and what is
required of members. We have plenty of conservative churches who believe the
bible, but not enough who are defined by the bible!
Reformed
Baptist churches are distinguished by an unshakeable conviction that the church
exists for the glory of God (Eph. 3:21, 5:26, 27 and 1
Timothy 3:15). Because the church exists for the glory of God, the worship of
God and the Word of God are central to its life. We have seen far too much in
our own day to indicate that the measure of a church is seen in what it has to
offer man--does it meet felt needs, is it fun, is it relaxing, is it
entertaining, is it a place to meet people, etc. We believe that churches need
to be far more concerned with the smile of God than with the smile of man. The
church is God's house and not man's. This does not mean that it is to be a
dull, grim, unfeeling, insensitive place. The place where God dwells is the
most glorious place on earth to the saint and it is an oasis to the thirsty
soul of a sinner seeking the grace of God. That being said however, the place
of God's dwelling is solemn and holy. "How awesome is this place--it is no
other than the house of God and the gate of heaven," were Jacob's words in
Genesis 28. It is this conviction that explains the reverence and seriousness
with which we approach the worship of God.
Reformed
Baptist Churches are distinguished by their conviction that the local church is
central to the purposes of God on the earth.
Ours is the day of the para-church. We live in the day of the independently
minded Christian who floats from place to place without ever committing
themselves to the church. This 'Lone Ranger' attitude is not only spiritually
dangerous it is thoroughly contrary to the revealed mind of God.
While many have rightly
diagnosed the failure of the church to do its mission the answer is not to
abandon the church but to seek its reformation and its biblical restoration.
The church alone is the special dwelling place of God upon the earth (Eph.
2:22). The great commission of the church is fulfilled as preachers of the
gospel are sent out by churches to plant new churches by means of conversion,
baptism, and discipleship. If you want to be where the special presence of God
is, then find a biblical church made up of true believers!
Reformed
Baptist Churches are distinguished by their conviction that preaching is
foundational to the life of the church.
How is God most often pleased to save sinners? How is God most often pleased to
exhort, challenge, and build up his saints? How is Christ most powerfully
displayed to the mind and heart? It is through the preaching of the Word of God
(1 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 4:1ff)!
Therefore, as Reformed
Baptists, but more particularly as serious biblically minded Christians, we reject
the trends of our day toward shallow teaching, cancelled preaching services,
the giving of services of worship over to testimonies, movies, drama, dance, or
singing. The Word of God is to be central in the worship of God. Paul warned of
the day that would come when professed churchman would no longer tolerate sound
doctrine. He stated that according to their own desires they would heap up for
themselves teachers who would tickle their itching ears. The apostolic command
thundered forth to Timothy in the midst of such mindless drivel, "Preach
the Word!" (2 Tim. 4:1ff).
We abominate lazy preaching
and unfaithful shepherds who will not feed the sheep. The condemnation of the
Word of God is clear to such :"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds
of
Reformed
Baptist churches are distinguished by the conviction that salvation radically
alters the life of the convert.
It is tragic that such a thing needs to be mentioned. We live in the day of
decisionism. The idea is that you pray a certain formula prayer and that you
are therefore declared to be saved. It matters not whether you break with sin
or pursue holiness (Heb. 12:14). You can live like hell and go to heaven! What
a bargain! Many popular bible teachers declare this as the great defense of the
grace of God. We see it clearly as a 'turning of the grace of God into licentiousness'
(Jude v. 4). When Paul describes the conversion of the Ephesians in chapter
five he uses the greatest antonyms in the human language--you were darkness but
now you are light in the Lord. Paul asks the rhetorical question in 2 Cor.
6:14--what fellowship has light with darkness. The Jesus we proclaim is a great
Savior. He does not leave His people in their lifeless condition. We proclaim
the Jesus who came to save his people FROM their sins (Matt. 1:21). We proclaim
the biblical truth that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature (2 Cor.
5:17). We proclaim the Jesus who came to make a people zealous for good works
(Titus 2:14). We reject as unbiblical the modern notion that a man can embrace
Christ as Savior and reject his Lordship. The word of God nowhere teaches that
Christ can be divided. If you have Christ at all, you have received a whole
Christ--Prophet, Priest, and King.
Reformed
Baptist have a conviction that the Law of God (as expressed in the Ten
Commandments) is regulative in the life of the new covenant believer. See Jer. 31 and 1 John 2. Paul says in 2 Cor. 7:19, "Circumcision
is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, keeping the commandments of God is
what matters." We assert to this antinomian age of Christianity that makes
no demands that God's way of holiness has not changed. The law written on the
heart in creation is the same law codified in the Ten Commandments on Sinai and
is the same law written on the hearts of those who enter into the New Covenant.
Among the laws of God none is
so hated as the thought that God requires believers to give of their time to
worship him and to turn from worldly pursuits. The Presbyterian pastor and
bible commentator Albert Barnes once wrote, "There is a state of things in
this land that is tending to obliterate the Sabbath altogether. The Sabbath has
more enemies in this land than all the other institutions of religion put
together. At the same time it is more difficult to meet the enemy here than
anywhere else--for we come into conflict not with argument but with interest
and pleasure and the love of indulgence and of gain." We agree with John
Bunyan who said, "A man shall show his heart and life, what they are, more
by one Lord's Day than by all the days of the week besides. To delight ourselves
in God's service upon His Holy Day gives a better proof of a sanctified nature
than to grudge at the coming of such days." We are so addicted to our
pleasures, our games, and our entertainment that the thought that we would have
to give them up for 24 hours to worship and to delight in God is seen as
legalistic bondage. Far from bondage, God's people love His law and meditate
upon it to the delight of their blood bought souls.
Reformed
Baptists are distinguished by a conviction regarding male leadership in the
church. Our age has witnessed the
feminization of Christianity. God created two sexes in creation and gave to
each different corresponding roles. While the sexes are equal in Creation, the
Fall, and in Redemption God has nonetheless Sovereignly ordained that
leadership in the home, the state, and the church is to be male. It is our
experience that those whose minds have been unduly influenced by this
generation find our worship, leadership, and family structure to be jarring.
When the bible speaks of husbands and fathers leading the home (see Eph. 5,6,
and Col. 3) it is not culturally conditioned. When the bible speaks of men
leading in prayer, teaching, preaching, and serving as elders and deacons we
must bow with submissive and dutiful hearts. Culture must not carry the day in
the
Reformed
Baptist Churches are distinguished by a conviction regarding the serious nature
of church membership. We take seriously the
admonition of Heb. 10:24,25. We take seriously the duties and responsibilities
of church membership. In other words, membership actually means something in
Reformed Baptist Churches. There ought not to be a great disparity between
Sunday morning and evening and mid week. The same membership is expected to be
at all the services of the church. It is impossible to share in the life of the
church in the manner which God intended and to willingly absent yourself from
its public gatherings. We recognize that few churches would make such a demand,
but biblical churchmanship presupposes such a commitment to God, your pastors,
and your brothers and sisters.
In closing let me seek to
apply these things to our hearts. First of all a word to my fellow Reformed
Baptists. Let us see the importance of our distinctives. I urge you not to
surrender them to the pressures to conform to modern Christianity.
To those who are considering
joining such a church, I encourage you to count the cost. Realize that you are
committing yourself not only to a local body, but to these distinctives as
well. If you are a Christian your only excuse for leaving a church committed to
such principles is to find one that is more biblical--not less.
To our children I would say
that our greatest desire is your conversion to Christ. But after that great
transformation we long to see you embrace these biblical truths and to exceed
us in your biblical convictions and practices!
This then is what we mean
when we say that we are Reformed Baptists. If these truths have echoed in your
heart as biblical, it is our desire that you will seek out a safe place for the
feeding and nurturing of your never dying soul.