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.
I believe you will have a greater opportunity to hear the Gospel down heah than many other places, but there is no special advantage to being born here nor will moving here make you more holy just because you are in God’s country. You are not a Christian because you are in the Bible Belt. The Bible Belt was created because Christianity flourished here. The Belt will break when Christians, especially Baptists abandon their faith.
By Business?
Acts 19:24-27
24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
(KJV)
A lot of business people attend Church. More attend the high church services than Baptist services, but we have a goodly amount of business people. I hope it is because of the Lord and not that it is good for business, but like the lads in this passage money is often a stronger motive than holiness.
Note that the first rattle out of the box by Demetrius was, “Hey, business is in trouble because of these Christians!” Now the profit factor will get more people’s attention than the prophet factor, but our man knows how to work this. He appeals to the strongest motive of money and then goes after the religious fervor perspective. He rocked the house and caused a near riot.
When I join a church or a new person joins the church that is a businessman I watch awhile before I seek their services. If the first thing they share with me is how they can save me a bunch of money or sell me something that I can’t live without though I have made 70 years without it I steer clear of them. I believe we should patronize a Brother or Sister’s business versus buying from a pagan, but I like to know for sure that they are a Brother or Sister first.
When the state “Church” started bringing in fancy idols and high dollar silver and gold items into it I have to wonder how many of Diana’s followers became “Christian” because that was where the money is. I thought about opening a Christian bookstore at one time, but I knew I wouldn’t make enough from Baptists to keep the doors open and I was not going to stock rosaries and other paraphernalia or books by cultists and prosperity preachers just to make a living. Others do not share that conviction and many leave the Baptist Church for a big church of some other group not because they have seen the light but because they smelled the money. Nope, you can do a lot of business with and within the church but that will not make you a Christian or Baptist. Thus if you are a businessman you need a different reason and way to become either.
By Belief/Conviction?
I don’t have a problem telling folks that I am Baptist by conviction like I am a Christian by conviction. I am convinced that all the other religions are false and only doorways to Hell. Sadly, there are many doorways to Hell via paths called Christian as well. Some like cults were doorways from the beginning. Some were pathways to Heaven in the beginning but now they have remodeled their theology boarding over the Door that is Jesus Christ and have opened up a wormhole to Hell that deceives because it has a Cross over the threshold.
I am glad that there are still some remnants of other groups that have kept their doorway open for indeed some Baptists have also created Hell holes where Heaven’s Door once was and because those of us that have kept the door open haven’t been about the business of getting people through the Door.
With all our flaws, I still believe that Baptists are the closest to the first century New Testament Church than any other group. Some try to go back closer to the primitive church but often go off into weird stuff and become a cult. That is where the Word and doctrine come in.
1 Tim 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (KJV)
The young pastor of the 1st Church of Ephesus was receiving some encouragement by his mentor Paul. He had to be sure that he kept solid doctrine in his heart so that he would be able to stand the spiritual battles he would face. If he were to deliver himself and others in the battle he had to work with pure doctrine not man made ones. Man made doctrines are like taking a knife to a gunfight. They cannot stand up and the fight is over before it starts and the one holding the knife dies in a blaze of glory when he could have won instead. Take heed unto yourself and doctrine or you too will fall.
2 Tim 4:2-4
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (KJV)
If ever there was a day that was true this is it. I am astonished and amazed at some of the things that people believe and especially professing Christians and Baptists. They will listen to some pretty farfetched tales and even endure some strange rituals, but talk about how legalistic the Baptists are. If it appeals to the flesh, it is not of sound doctrine to say the least and most of what is preached today will get them in the building but not into the temple not made by hands, but of God.
Titus 1:9-11
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. (KJV)
Titus had to deal with many false brethren that crept in and was making a living of a Gospel they did not believe or one that they twisted. He did not have a corner on that market because we have a plethora, in fact a veritable cornucopia of high dollar con artists and fleecers of the flock. They sell some of the most idiotic junk in the name of Jesus and the sheep are dumb enough to buy them. You can’t be blessed or prosper unless you invest in their ministries. Call them into account and you are cursed and jealous or whatever. If people just took their Bible and tried these false prophets’ doctrine they would be gone for lack of clientele.
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)
If we would be good Christians and good Baptists, yea to be good 1st Century Christians we must believe that the Word is the basis of our faith and ground of authority. If a man’s teachings are affirmed by the Word or coincide with the Word then we can accept his teaching as valid. If they contradict or seek to eliminate Biblical truth than that man is a false prophet at worst and in unintentional error at best. If we follow the Word in context and in its historical-grammatical interpretation we will be ready to fight the good fight!!!
If you are not a Christian or Baptist by belief and conviction of the Holy Spirit and the Word then you are most likely not either one of them. No human gene, geography or business opportunity will get you where you need to go. You must go to the living Word, Jesus Christ, based upon the record of the written word, the Bible. That record says that you must come to Him in childlike faith believing that He died on a Cross and was buried and rose on the third day for your sins. Call upon Him to save you and forgive you and become His child. Then He will teach you through the Word and the Spirit building the conviction you need to stand in this world! Maranatha!!!
