What to Do With Sinners
Good Morning,
On Wednesday nights, we are studying, "Why We Are Baptists." Here are a few thoughts that are key in biblical thinking and Baptist theology.
We studied that as the Bible was written and churches were first established, heresy was introduced to the churches. The apostles wrote about it. (See our rumble account "FBC Wildomar" for the lessons.) The early development of the Catholic church came along, and works were added to salvation, which was encouraged by "Judaizers" in the book of Acts. When the Reformation began to take place, Luther and others brought about a revival of "the just shall live by faith," but never really removed good deeds from the formula.
Basically, all PROTESTANTS carried an affection for works into their newly-founded denominations.
Baptists carried their Bibles and taught faith without works.
Catholics were all about candles, infant sprinkling, communion, stages of the cross, penance, communion, confession, and much more – all of which were adding works to salvation. The other Protestant denominations were a bit different.
Baptists got the idea that God gave His Son as our substitute, and that we could not earn His grace. We cannot ever be worthy of His grace. We were saved by grace through faith because of the mercy of God.
Romans 5:15 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”
vs.16 “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”
vs. 17 “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
vs. 18 “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
vs. 19 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
The "WORKS" philosophies creep into Baptist churches regularly. When someone says, "I don't think that person can be saved, or be a part of the church, or serve.... because of their sin…” I am reminded of the verses in Proverbs 6 that speak of the seven things God hates. I do not think someone can be that critical of a brother and be saved (unless, of course, it is by grace). The arrogance of judging a Christian brother as if we were innocent is repulsive.
Jesus spoke of forgiving seventy times seven; that is no easy thing to do, but at least we can admit that we fail at it and confess our own sin. Jesus also spoke, at length, on the subject, and summarized it all in this verse, " So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Matthew 18:35)
Amish have “Shunning;" Catholics have “excommunication;" Pentecostals and protestant denominations say you lost your salvation; Baptists have a Bible that teaches "forgiveness" and reconciliation.
We are not all the same.
Pastor