Are You A Baptist ...?

Are You Baptist

By Birth?

I run into many folks who they tell me that they were born Christians and raised in a Christian home. Many times I find out that these folks are not really Christians as some get saved later. Others have fruits that belie their profession. The Jews thought because they were born into the Chosen People that they were just fine. Many Baptists have some of the same ideas.

Matt 3:7-9

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (KJV)

St. John the Baptist was known to be straight and to the point. He shot from the hip somewhat like St. Ron the Baptist. C];-)}|> These Jews were coming to John’s baptism, but most likely in a sense of ritual or wanting to get into the latest fad rather than feeling real repentance. They were proud sons of Abraham. They only needed ceremony not reality for they were sons of Abraham. They were holy seed. They had it made.

Imagine what men steeped in pride of their genes felt like when John said that God could raise up sons from the stones!! And why not, stones are just another form of dirt. God could pulverize them into dust and add what ingredients were missing and breathe life into them. Voila! Humans with the exact DNA of Abraham or David or whoever He chose! It wasn’t a genetic relationship between God and Abraham. It was a spiritual one. Even a Gentile could become an adopted son of Abraham if he had a faith relation with the God of Abraham so human seed is nice and heritage is precious, but they are dung without the spiritual relationship.

Rom 9:6-8

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. (KJV)

Indeed the Apostle Paul spoke to this issue as well. Just because they are children of flesh like Ishmael does not mean they are children of promise or faith. Many were born of the descendants of Abraham even through the chain of Isaac, but they had to choose to be true descendants by choosing to serve the God of Abraham by faith.

John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. (KJV)

Hence Jesus could say that the Jews could say that Abraham was their genetic father, but if he were there spiritual father they would be doing the works of Abraham. They were not doing his works and they were none of his seed.

No, you cannot be born a Christian though you are born into a Christian home. Your Daddy may be the best Baptist preacher on the planet, but that won’t get you into the kingdom.

By Boundaries/Geography?

John 4:20-24

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

We take pride here in the South that we are the Bible Belt and Texas is often called the buckle of the belt. I have to report that the buckle is mighty rusty and the leather on the belt is dry rotted and cracking. While we still have more churches per acre and members per capita than many other places that does not equate to extreme spirituality. We tend to be proud of our buildings, our heritage and roll call, but many members just take up space, many play church hop-scotch after they cause a fuss at the church where they were and the mixed multitude is like a can of mixed nuts where there are more peanuts than the type of nut you love and some are just nuts.